The California Q set is a set of 100 phrases and descriptions that describe personality. Phrases are sorted on a scale of 1-9 of extremely uncharacteristic to extremely characteristic. When completing the California Q Set test, subjects or close friends of the subject will sort the phrases and traits into categories. Later, the researcher will examine the ratings to describe personality  

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

This approach focuses on one behavior and investigates how that behavior correlates with many different personality traits in order to explain that behavior. 

Examples:
-  California Q set 
-  Political Beliefs/Behaviors

Many Trait Approach

Funder, D. C. (2019). The personality puzzle. New York, NY: W. W. Norton &amp; Company.

The Personality Puzzle

California Q Set

Scores on political ideology tests have been shown to strongly correlate with personality during childhood. Studies using a many trait approach have investigated how several personality traits during childhood correlate with the behavior of being conservative or liberal in adulthood. 

Children who grew up to be conservative were more likely to be described as anxious, having poor stress management, and feeling guilty during childhood. 

Children who grew up to become liberal were more likely to be independent and confident while growing up. 

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