Final answer:
Personality theories that study characteristics making up personality and their relation to behavior are trait theories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theories that attempt to learn what characteristics make up personality and how they relate to actual behavior are the trait theories. Trait theorists believe that personality can be understood through the identification of consistent patterns of behavior, or traits, that each individual displays.
These traits are often categorized as cardinal, central, and secondary traits. Cardinal traits are dominant and shape an individual's whole life; central traits are the main characteristics that form a personality; and secondary traits emerge in specific situations and are less consistent.
Examples of trait theorists include Gordon Allport, who identified thousands of words that describe personality traits, which he organized into these categories. This approach is supported by empirical research as it involves observable and measurable phenomena.