Personality Traits are enduring characteristics that shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They're usually described as:
* Consistent: You generally act in line with your traits across situations.
* Distinctive: Your traits set you apart from others.
* Enduring: Your traits tend to be stable over time, though they can evolve.
Now, let's look at some things that aren't personality traits:
* Temporary States: These are fleeting moods, feelings, or reactions to specific situations. Examples include feeling anxious before a test, being excited about a party, or feeling grumpy after a bad day.
* Situational Factors: These are external influences that impact behavior. Examples include being polite at a job interview, acting differently around close friends vs. strangers, or changing behavior based on social norms.
* Abilities: These are skills and talents. While they can influence how we act, they don't define our core personality. For example, being good at math doesn't mean you're naturally analytical, or being a great athlete doesn't necessarily mean you're competitive.
In short, a trait that is NOT a defining feature of personality would be something that is NOT consistent, distinctive, and enduring.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or want to discuss specific situations!