Individual traits are each person s unique qualities. Cardinal trait is so basic that all of a person s activities can be traced to the trait s existence. An overriding factor in the life of Albert Schweitzer was reverence for every living thing. Abraham Lincoln s personality was dominated by the cardinal trait of honesty. Few people have cardinal traits.
Central traits are the basic building blocks of personality.
A surprising small number of central traits are enough to capture the essence of a person. Secondary traits in contrast are less consistent and less important aspects of a person. One s own personality traits include such things as food preferences, attitudes, political opinions, musical tastes, and so forth. Source Traits . Raymond B. Cattell wanted to reach deeper into personality to learn how traits are organized and interlinked.