"A trait is a relatively permanent individual characteristic. For example, most of know people who are outgoing, friendly, confident, or shy. When we describe these people, we use these traits to better understand their personality; to better understand who they are. A state, on the other hand, is a temporary change in one's personality. Examples of states might be angry, depressed, fearful, or anxious. We typically use states to describe a person's reaction to something."