Trait and process in personality theory: Defined within two contemporary research traditions

The concepts of trait and process are examined within the contexts of two types of personality theory: mechanistic (for trait) and holistic (for process). Although the typical instruments employed to map out traits (self‐report questionnaires) are easy to handle and produce fairly robust results, trait models often lack an explicit theoretical background and can not, therefore, serve but a limited descriptive purpose. Process research utilizes qualitative methods, often projective tests, but lately also laboratory instruments the results of which can be easily quantified. The advantage of a process approach is its obvious reference to a broad front‐line of theorizing, including fields of developmental and dynamic psychology, making process more than a merely descriptive concept. In order to take care of the relative stability over time of certain personality characteristics the concept of structure is introduced as an intrinsic aspect of process, i.e., process with a slow rate of change.