​

Some of the most common criticisms of trait theory centre on the fact that traits are often poor predictors of behaviour. While an individual may score high on assessments of a specific trait, he may not always behave that way in every situation.  Another problem is those trait theories do not address how or why individual differences in personality develop or emerge.

Another limitation of trait theories is that they require personal observations or subjective self-reports to measure, requiring individuals to be introspective enough to know their own behaviour.