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Abstract

Implicit personality theories could develop out of the rationales on which each individual bases a concept of man and constructs an implicit personality theory. 77 psychology students (19 men, 58 women) were given the task of appraising rationales in an empirical study designed to investigate the background of implicit personality theory. The basic assumptions of Hjelle and Ziegler in 1976 concerning personality theories were used as the rationales. The answers given on the basis of these rationales were uniform, which supports the supposition that they are universal. Holism, subjectivity, and proactivity were emphasized uniformly. The results are, in part, very similar to the theoretical views of Murray, Allport, Erikson, Freud, and Kelly.

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Rationales for an Implicit Personality Theory

Abstract

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