Chapter 12 Allport: Psychology of the Individual 363dispositions, which are less descriptive of that individual. We cannot say, however,
that one person’s secondary dispositions are less intense than another person’s cen-
tral dispositions. Interperson comparisons are inappropriate to personal dispositions,
and any attempt to make such comparison transforms the personal dispositions into
common traits (Allport, 1961).
Motivational and Stylistic Dispositions
All personal dispositions are dynamic in the sense that they have motivational
power. Nevertheless, some are much more strongly felt than others, and Allport
called these intensely experienced dispositions motivational dispositions. These
strongly felt dispositions receive their motivation from basic needs and drives.
Allport (1961) referred to personal dispositions that are less intensely experienced
as stylistic dispositions, even though these dispositions possess some motivational
power. Stylistic dispositions guide action, whereas motivational dispositions initi-
ate action. An example of a stylistic disposition might be neat and impeccable
personal appearance. People are motivated to dress because of a basic need to stay
warm, but the manner in which they attire themselves is determined by their sty-
listic personal dispositions. Motivational dispositions are somewhat similar to
Maslow’s concept of coping behavior, whereas stylistic dispositions are similar to
Maslow’s idea of expressive behavior (see Chapter 9).
Unlike Maslow, who drew a clear line between coping and expressive behav-
iors, Allport saw no distinct division between motivational and stylistic personal
dispositions. Although some dispositions are clearly stylistic, others are obviously
based on a strongly felt need and are thus motivational. Politeness, for example,
is a stylistic disposition, whereas eating is more motivational. How people eat (their
style) depends at least partially on how hungry they are, but it also depends on the
strength of their stylistic dispositions. A usually polite but hungry person may
forego manners while eating alone, but if the politeness disposition is strong
enough and if others are present, then the famished person may eat with etiquette
and courtesy despite being famished.
Proprium
Whether motivational or stylistic, some personal dispositions are close to the core
of personality, whereas others are more on the periphery. Those that are at the
center of personality are experienced by the person as being an important part of
self. They are characteristics that an individual refers to in such terms as “That is
me” or “This is mine.” All characteristics that are “peculiarly mine” belong to the
proprium (Allport, 1955).
Allport used the term proprium to refer to those behaviors and characteris-
tics that people regard as warm, central, and important in their lives. The proprium
is not the whole personality, because many characteristics and behaviors of a per-
son are not warm and central; rather, they exist on the periphery of personality.
These nonpropriate behaviors include (1) basic drives and needs that are ordinarily
met and satisfied without much difficulty; (2) tribal customs such as wearing
clothes, saying “hello” to people, and driving on the right side of the road; and
(3) habitual behaviors, such as smoking or brushing one’s teeth, that are performed
automatically and that are not crucial to the person’s sense of self.