DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY - 16, 5 OR 3 - CRITERIA FOR A TAXONOMIC PARADIGM

It is suggested that what is needed in personality research is a paradigm which would give rise to coordinated research work ("normal science") directed in part at the elimination or clarification of anomalies. Several such paradigms have in fact been suggested, so that clearly what is needed is a set of criteria to decide between them. Several such criteria are put forward, and an attempt is made to apply them to three major systems, namely Cattell's 16 PF, the Norman "big 5", and the Eysenck PEN system. It is suggested that if agreement could be reached on these criteria, we might be able to approach agreement on the substantive issue of what are the major dimensions of personality. © 1991.