Theories Personality Psychology What Are Cardinal Traits of Personality? By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 19, 2023 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Shereen Lehman, MS Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Print Tetra Images / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents History of Cardinal Traits Examples What Causes Cardinal Traits? Potential Pitfalls of Cardinal Traits Current Views of Personality Traits Finding Your Own Cardinal Traits Trending Videos Close this video player Cardinal traits dominate an individual’s personality to the point that the individual becomes known for them. While cardinal traits are the most dominant personality traits, they are also the rarest. Such traits are so intrinsically tied to an individual's personality that the person becomes almost synonymous with those qualities. Cardinal traits often develop later in life. They shape almost all aspects of an individual's purpose, behavior, and attitudes. Few people are so ruled by a singular theme that shapes the course of their entire life. At a Glance Mother Teresa's charitableness, Einstein's intelligence, and Abraham Lincoln's honesty are a few well-known examples of cardinal traits. These personality traits are so strong that a person's very name becomes almost synonymous with these qualities.In reality, all people are a mixture of traits and characteristics. While people might be known for a certain quality, it's important to remember that there are many facets that make up each person's unique personality. History of Cardinal Traits Psychologist Gordon Allport, one of the founders of personality psychology, was interested in discovering just how many personality traits exist. After combing through a dictionary for terms related to personality, he suggested that there were more than 4,000 different terms describing personality traits. Allport then developed three different categories of personality traits: cardinal, central, and secondary. Central Personality Traits Allport believed that central traits are much more common than cardinal traits and serve as the basic building blocks of most people’s personality. If you think of the major terms you might use to describe your overall character, such as honest, friendly, generous, or anxious, those are probably your central traits. Allport suggested that most people have about five to ten central traits. He also theorized that most people have many of these traits to a certain degree. Secondary Traits Secondary traits tend to present themselves in certain situations. For example, you might normally be a pretty easy-going person, but you might become short-tempered when under a lot of pressure. Or a normally calm person might become very anxious when faced with speaking in public. Examples of Cardinal Traits Most people do not have a cardinal trait, but a combination of several central traits. However, famous or infamous historical figures are often thought of in terms of their cardinal traits. Some examples include: Mother Teresa: Good, charitable Adolf Hitler: Evil, depraved Albert Einstein: Brilliant Niccolo Machiavelli: Ruthless Jesus Christ: Good, faithful, holy Martin Luther King, Jr.: Just, heroic Abraham Lincoln: Honest Sigmund Freud: Psychoanalytical You can also find examples of cardinal traits in literature and myth. Ebenezer Scrooge portrayed the cardinal trait of greediness. Don Juan was so renowned for his sexual exploits that his name became a synonym for heartbreaker and libertine. Narcissus, of Greek mythology, was so enamored with his own reflection that his name became the root of the term narcissism, or excessive self-obsession. Other words have evolved from the names of people who personify traits, such as Machiavellian, Christ-like, and sadist (from the Marquis de Sade). What Causes Cardinal Traits? Like other personality traits, cardinal traits are caused by genetic and environmental factors. Twin studies have found that genetics play a significant role in shaping our personalities. According to these studies, genetics account for about 30% to 60% of personality. One study found that the interactions between more than 700 genes strongly influence certain personality traits. The study also suggests that this impact is more significant than environmental or cultural influences. But it's important to remember that personality is complex, and the environment and our life experiences also play a pivotal part in shaping who we are. Parenting styles, upbringing, social relationships, and other experiences interact with inherited tendencies to shape how personality develops and is expressed. Potential Pitfalls of Cardinal Traits Cardinal traits are defining characteristics; one quality that is considered to represent a person. It is hard to look at someone like Albert Einstein and think of him as anything other than a genius. But of course, he was a human like everyone else, with a unique and multi-faceted personality. It is difficult and usually unfair to reduce any person to a single trait or quality. Current Views of Personality Traits The trait theories of personality suggest that each person’s personality is composed of a number of different characteristics. It is rare for anyone to have a single cardinal trait that defines them. While early conceptualizations of the trait approach suggested hundreds or even thousands of traits existed (such as Allport’s approach), modern ideas propose that personality is composed of approximately five broad dimensions. They are: Openness Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism According to this theory, everyone has aspects of these five core personality factors. But they exist on a spectrum. Where you land on the spectrum for each factor is what makes up your personality. Finding Your Own Cardinal Traits Allport believed that cardinal traits were rare and modern psychologists believe that personality is made up of broad traits that exist on a continuum. Understanding your own personality traits can be a great way to build personal insight and self-awareness. While few of us possess cardinal traits, as defined by Allport, thinking about your core traits can be a helpful way to learn more about yourself. It can give you clues about your character, interests, tendencies, and preferences. So if you are curious about your own cardinal traits, consider whether there seems to be a quality that stands out more than others. If you asked someone to describe you in one word, what would it be? If one characteristic stands out more than any other, that might just be your cardinal trait. 5 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Schultz DP, Schultz SE. Theories of Personality. Cengage Learning. Fleeson W, Jayawickreme E. Whole Trait Theory. J Res Pers. 2015;56:82–92. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2014.10.009 Zwir I, Arnedo J, Del-Val C, et al. Uncovering the complex genetics of human character. Mol Psychiatry. 2020;25(10):2295-2312. doi:10.1038/s41380-018-0263-6 McCrea WH. Prof. Albert Einstein, For.Mem.R.S. Nature. 1955;175(4465):925-926. doi:10.1038/175925a0 Goldberg LR. An alternative "description of personality": The Big-Five factor structure. J Pers Social Psychol. 1990;59(6), 1216–1229. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.59.6.1216 By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit