distinguishes between individuals, that they re flect traits. Nevertheless, it is important to
recognize, for example,  that even people wh o are impulsive are not acting impulsively all
of the time. A trait is a tendency or dispositio n toward specific behaviors; a specific behav-
ior is an instance or manifestation of a trait.
Similarly, traits are distin guished from most symptoms  because symptoms tend to
wax and wane, whereas traits are relatively more stable. For example, individuals with