Were Cattell's ‘Personality Sphere’ Factors Correctly Identified in the First Instance?

Abstract

Cattell's system of personality factors has not changed in essentials since his foundation 'personality sphere' studies of 30 yeam ago, although the original 12 factor (A through L) system has been extended and has found worldwide application in the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF). The article begins with a summary of recent criticisms of the latter, as reflecting upon Cattell's system, and then proceeds to a specific re-examination of the foundations of that system in order to put the question: Were CatteU'B 'persomllty sphere' factors correctly identified in the 6rst instanceY Instead of 12 factors, it is herein suggested that possibly six clear-cut factors might have been extracted originally, factors which accord well with more recent work carried out independently from Cattell's laboratory. The implications of this are examined, accompanied with recommendations for more accurate delineation of personality factors in the future.Cattell's long continued and widely documented research into personality factors represents the single most monumental effort to operationalize those sources of individual differences often referred to as 'temperament' or 'personality' (and is comparable to that of Guilford on cognitive factors). According to Berg (1972) ' Cattell's major contribution will undoubtedly be seen as the discovery of the major factorial dimensions in rating, questionnaire and objective tests'. It is this system with which we are now concerned, and in order to clear up any initial misunderstanding it should be stated that this writer does not belong to that large camp of North American psychologists who are either indifferent or hostile to Cattell's work [in marked contrast to Europesee Berg (1972) for a fuller discussion of the matter]. Rather, the present article is concerned with the accurate delineation of personality factors and, quite clearly, had Cattell already outlined or charted the 'personality sphere ', then subsequent investigators could safely use this chart while exploring the far corners of the sphere. Moreover, in view both of the laudable scope and intention of Cattell's work (Howarth & Cattell, 1973) the present article is written with both regret and reservation, and only under the impetus of scientific truth and accuracy. Nor should a critical examination of a particular system be taken as reflecting upon multivariate methods (Adcock, 1972) per se.The present article does not, therefore, call into question either the scope and intention of Cattell's work, which is unrivalled in both respects, but it does have the temerity to question certain methodological practices and assumptions on the part of Cattell. We find ourselves, therefore, somewhat in the role of David facing Goliath with a small army at our back and a large army in front! Nor do we question Cattell's strategy for these reasons: Fiske (1971) has recently reviewed the various modes of measuring personality, each with its devotees and limitations, and each not always easily relatable to other modes. However, it...

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