Objectives and Questions in Personality Research

Abstract

Of the four commentators, Peake and Pervin have published previously within the context of the person × situation debate. Neither Raynor nor Powers has published in that context, but both of these authors are associated with particular types of interactional theory. Briefly, Peake suggests an alternative interpretation of the development of the person × situation debate which emphasizes the difference between trait-and process-based personality theory. Pervin’s contribution concerns the relation between theory and methodology, and Pervin goes on to suggest a goal-oriented approach to understanding personality. Raynor describes recent advances in achievement motivation theory, showing how this goal-oriented theory incorporates many of the theoretical features of interactionism, including cyclical interactions. Finally, Powers shows how control theory can contribute to an understanding of cyclical interaction. Each of the four commentators contributes in a different way to a further understanding of the theoretical issues involved, and since they are writing from different perspectives, their assessments are sometimes quite different. Both Peake and Pervin are critical of some of the points made in my paper, and their critical contribution is assessed in the present remark.