Gordon Allport

Gordon Allport‏‎ (November 11, 1897 – October 9, 1967) was a prominent psychologist who played a significant role in the development of personality psychology. He is best known for his trait theory of personality, which focuses on the identification and measurement of individual personality characteristics.

Early Life and Education

Allport was born in Montezuma, Indiana, to a family of teachers. He was the youngest of four brothers. His interest in psychology began in high school, and he pursued this interest at Harvard University, where he earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Career

After completing his education, Allport taught at Harvard and Dartmouth College. He later returned to Harvard as a faculty member, where he remained for the rest of his career. During his time at Harvard, he developed his trait theory of personality, which has had a lasting impact on the field of psychology.

Trait Theory

Allport's trait theory suggests that individual personalities are made up of broad traits, which can be identified and measured. He proposed that there are three types of traits: cardinal traits, central traits, and secondary traits. Cardinal traits are those that dominate an individual's life, central traits are basic characteristics, and secondary traits are those that are more situational.

Legacy

Allport's work has had a significant impact on the field of psychology, particularly in the area of personality psychology. His trait theory continues to be influential in the study of personality.

See Also

• Personality psychology
• Trait theory
• Psychology

References

• The Nature of Personality: Selected Papers (1950)
• Pattern and Growth in Personality (1961)