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The End of the Person–Situation Debate: An Emerging Synthesis in the Answer to the Consistency Question
Author(s) -
Fleeson William,
Noftle Erik
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
social and personality psychology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.699
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 1751-9004
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2008.00122.x
Subject(s) - personality , psychology , consistency (knowledge bases) , trait , opposition (politics) , big five personality traits , social psychology , epistemology , cognitive psychology , artificial intelligence , computer science , political science , law , philosophy , politics , programming language
We review the history and current status of the person–situation debate. We propose that the person–situation debate (1) is over and (2) that it ended in a ‘Hegelian’ synthesis. Specifically, we propose the following synthesis resolution: There are multiple types of consistency; behavior is consistent for some of those types and not for others; and personality and traits exist in the forms that produce the consistent behaviors. Incorporating both personality processes and trait structures in research will move personality research forward. In this article, we summarize the advances that the two perspectives have generated by working in opposition; we explain why both sides will suffer from continuing to work independently; and we anticipate several future directions that synthesis‐informed personality research can and should take.