The groundbreaking work of writers Gordon and Floyd Allport (the brothers) in the 1960s opened the field of research into personality psychology. Their pioneering work was based on the notion that we know what constitutes a person’s personality; we just have difficulty describing it. They collected several thousand words to represent each trait they found in people, and then divided those traits into three groups: common traits, individual traits, and traits unique to a particular culture. For example, if a person were described as having an outgoing personality, that would fall under the category of a common trait. But if a person were described by saying that she had a strong sense of duty, that would be considered a unique trait.
Cardinal traits refer to a person’s dominant personality traits. They vary from individual to individual, depending on their unique makeup and life experiences. A person can have one dominant trait and many secondary traits. The primary trait tends to be the most influential factor in determining how people act and interact. It influences what they think about, feel, and do. Secondary traits are those that are influenced by the primary trait. Some secondary traits are obvious, such as being outgoing or shy, whereas others are more subtle, such as having an analytical mind or being creative. According to the Allport brothers, it was somewhere between cardinal and secondary traits that our real personality lies.
