Under the trait approach to personality, Raymond Cattell developed the 'Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire' (16 PF). Making an important distinction between surface traits and source traits, Cattell utilized factor analysis. Which of the following options most accurately explains the essential and scientific characteristic of 'source traits' as proposed by Cattell?

According to Raymond Cattell's personality theory, traits are the fundamental units for studying personality. Cattell primarily divided traits into two categories:

• Surface Traits: These are visible as direct and external behaviors.
• Source Traits: These are the core, deep, and permanent foundation of personality that control multiple surface traits.

Source traits are identified using the statistical technique of factor analysis. Therefore, option (b) provides the most accurate scientific explanation of this concept.