Walter Mischel has argued that personality traits are not particularly useful for predicting a specific behaviour. For example, extraversion doesn't always predict whether someone will go to a party on Saturday night. What do trait theorists argue, to refute Mischel's criticism?
To refute Mischel's criticism, the trait theorists argue that although behavior does vary highly across situations, people maintain some degree of consistency, as well.
Explanation:
The criticism that Mischel has tried to put up can be deemed to be correct to some degree, but the limitations of Mischel's criticism compromise its authenticity.
Mischel's criticism fails to take into consideration the 'majority' factor of the studies relating to behavioral traits as he speaks about individuals and not populations collectively.
He seems more focused on pointing out the lacunas of the trait theory than clarifying the minimal disparity that is prevalent.
