Observation and prediction of behavior in the consistency debate of personality psychology

  • Watanabe Yoshiyuki
    Department of Psychology, School of Nursing and Social Services, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido
  • Sato Tatsuya
    Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University

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Other Title
  • 一貫性論争における行動の観察と予測の問題
  • 一貫性論争における行動の観察と予測の問題(討論)
  • イッカンセイ ロンソウ ニ オケル コウドウ ノ カンサツ ト ヨソク ノ モ

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Abstract

Any behavioral regularity that constitutes a personality construct is the product of an interaction between person and situation. Consequently, one cannot empirically confirm the existence of cross-situational consistency in the behavior associated with such a construct, from observation of behavioral regularity alone, if any. Perceived cross-situational consistency in behavior appears to be mostly resulted from confusing temporal stability for such consistency, reflecting a failure to distinguish different observational viewpoints. Therefore, any causal account of behavior by means of observation-derived personality constructs has no logical basis. Although behavior could still be predicted from personality constructs on the basis of its temporal stability alone, the logic of such prediction is totally different from that of traditional theories of personality. These arguments should clearly show that at least part of the so-called "person-situation debate" is a pseudo-question.

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