As a child, Cheryl kept to herself because she was afraid of social interactions. As an adult, she keeps to herself because she enjoys the personal reflection and introspection that time alone allows. Allport might call this an example of:

Answer: Central traits.

Gordon Allport was an American psychologist. He is often referred to as one of the founding figures of personality psychology.

Central traits are the major characteristics that we use to describe other people. While they do not completely dominate someone's life, they tend to be central to the foundation of their personality.

Functional Autonomy. The notion that drives can become independent of the first motives for a given conduct is known as Functional Autonomy.