In psychology, traits are defined as:

Traits in psychology refer to long-lasting characteristics that influence an individual's consistent patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These traits are integral to personality psychology and help explain how people generally respond across various situations over time. They are considered stable aspects of a person’s personality and are thought to be relatively enduring, providing a framework for understanding individual differences.

Temporary behaviors, on the other hand, do not encapsulate the stability associated with traits, as they often change depending on the context or circumstances. Observable actions may describe behaviors that can be seen but do not fully capture the underlying characteristics that define a person's personality over the long term. While adaptive responses can refer to behaviors that help individuals cope with their environment, they do not specifically denote the long-term nature of personality traits. Therefore, defining traits as long-lasting characteristics is consistent with the foundational concepts in personality psychology.