An interactionistic approach to personality psychology

Main goal of the contribution is to bring into relationship two basic positions of personality psychology, the trait and the dynamic-interactionistic approach. In the first part five-factor model is described as an example for the dominating trait-orientation in German Personality Psychology. The model is compared with alternative approaches. The second part of the contribution elaborates the position that trait models can be reconciled with the dynamic concept of interactionism. Research on self-presentation which can be traced back to Muller-Freienfels is used to illustrate this point. It is argued that traits could not only be conceived as (1) predictors of self-presentation but also as (2) products of self-presentation: The personality dimension of self-monitoring is proposed as an example for the former. Aquisitive and protective components of self-monitoring are distinguished. In addition, the conception of personality presentation A is introduced as a new self-presentational style. "Situated identities" serve as an example for traits as products of self-presentation. Furthermore, the "Big Five" are explained as styles of self-presentation. The final section deals with a critical appraisal of Gergen's relational self. His view that basic assumptions of trait models are no longer valid were not supported by the results of an explorative study. Finally, Stern's concept of a goal-oriented "unitas multiplex" is offered as a solution for the problem of unity within the multiplicity of self.