scholarly journals Personality neuroscience and psychopathology: should we start with biology and look for neural-level factors?

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil McNaughton
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Causal Explanation ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
System Sensitivity ◽  
Taxonomic Description ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Time Sensitivity ◽  
Anxiolytic Drugs ◽  
Serotonergic Drugs

Abstract “Personality is an abstraction used to explain consistency and coherency in an individual’s pattern of affects, cognitions, desires and behaviors [ABCDs]” (Revelle, 2007, p. 37). But personality research currently provides more a taxonomy of patterns than theories of fundamental causes. Psychiatric disorders can be viewed as involving extremes of personality but are diagnosed via symptom patterns not biological causes. Such surface-level taxonomic description is necessary for science, but consistent predictive explanation requires causal theory. Personality constructs, and especially their clinical extremes, should predict variation in ABCD patterns, with parsimony requiring the lowest effective causal level of explanation. But, even biologically inspired personality theories currently use an intuitive language-based approach for scale development that lacks biological anchors. I argue that teleonomic “purpose” explains the organisation and outputs of conserved brain emotion systems, where high activation is adaptive in specific situations but is otherwise maladaptive. Simple modulators of whole-system sensitivity evolved because the requisite adaptive level can vary across people and time. Sensitivity to a modulator is an abstract predictive personality factor that operates at the neural level but provides a causal explanation of both coherence and occasional apparent incoherence in ABCD variation. Neuromodulators impact all levels of the “personality hierarchy” from metatraits to aspects: stability appears altered by serotonergic drugs, neuroticism by ketamine and trait anxiety by simple anxiolytic drugs. Here, the tools of psychiatry transfer to personality research and imply both interaction between levels and oblique factor mappings to ABCD. On this view, much psychopathology reflects extremes of neural-level personality factors, and we can view much pharmacotherapy as temporarily altering personality. So, particularly for personality factors linked to basic emotions and their disorders, I think we should start with evolutionary biology and look directly at conserved neural-level modulators for our explanatory personality constructs and only invoke higher order, emergent, explanations when neural-level explanation fails.

The Relationship Between Personality and Self-Report Abilities

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Aitken Schermer ◽  
Andrew M. Johnson ◽  
Philip A. Vernon ◽  
Kerry L. Jang
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Environmental Correlations ◽  
Ability Factor ◽  
Genetic Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Common Environmental Factor

The relationship between self-report abilities and personality was examined at both the phenotypic (zero-order) level as well as at the genetic and environmental levels. Twins and siblings (N = 516) completed self-report ability and personality questionnaires. A factor analysis of the ability questions revealed 10 factors, including politics, interpersonal relationships, practical tasks, intellectual pursuits, academic skills, entrepreneur/business, domestic skills, vocal abilities, and creativity. Five personality factors were examined, including extraversion, conscientiousness, dependence, aggression, and openness. At the phenotypic level, the correlations between the ability factor scores and personality factor scores ranged from 0 to .60 (between political abilities and extraversion). The relationship between the two areas at the genetic level was found to range between –.01 and .60; the environmental correlations ranged from –.01 to .48. The results suggest that some of the self-report ability scores are related to self-report personality, and that some of these observed relationships may have a common genetic basis while others are from a common environmental factor.

scholarly journals Anxiety Effect on Communication Skills in Nursing Supervisors: An Observational Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-216
Author(s):  
Ana Colomer-Sánchez ◽  
Diego Ayuso-Murillo ◽  
Alejandro Lendínez-Mesa ◽  
Carlos Ruiz-Nuñez ◽  
Guadalupe Fontán-Vinagre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Nurse Managers ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Anxiety Management ◽  
Sixteen Personality Factor ◽  
Communication Situations ◽  
Questionnaire Version ◽  
Personality Factor Questionnaire ◽  
The Impact

Communication represents an essential skill in nurse managers’ performance of everyday activities to ensure a good coordination of the team, since it focuses on the transmission of information in an understandable way. At the same time, anxiety is an emotion that can be caused by demanding and stressful work environments, such as those of nurse managers. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of anxiety management on nurse managers’ communication skills. The sample comprised 90 nursing supervisors from hospitals in Madrid, Spain; 77.8% were women, and 22.2% were men, with an average of 10.9 years of experience as nursing supervisors. The instruments used for analysis were the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire: version five (16PF5) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires, validated for the Spanish population. The results showed that emotional stability was negatively affected by anxiety (r = −0.43; p = 0.001), while apprehension was positively affected (r = 0.382; p = 0.000). Nursing supervisors, as managers, were found to possess a series of personality factors and skills to manage stress and communication situations that prevent them from being influenced by social pressure and the opinion of others.

scholarly journals Coffee or Tea? Examining Cross-Cultural Differences in Personality Nuances Across Former Colonies of the British Empire

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa ◽  
Gabriel Olaru ◽  
Ulrich Schroeders
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Studies ◽  
British Empire ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Cross Cultural Studies

Cross-cultural comparisons often focus on differences in broad personality traits across countries. However, many cross-cultural studies report differential item functioning which suggests that considerable group differences are not accounted for by the overarching personality factors. We argue that this may reflect cross-cultural personality differences at a lower level of personality, namely personality nuances. To investigate the degree of cultural similarities and differences between participants of ten countries that formerly belonged to the British Empire, we scrutinized participants’ personality scores on domain, facet, and nuance level of the personality hierarchy. More specifically, we used the responses of 9,110 participants on the IPIP-NEO 300-item personality inventory in cross-validated and regularized logistic regressions. Based on the trait domain and facet scores, we were able to identify the country of residence for 60% and 73% of the participants, respectively. By using the nuance level of personality, we correctly identified the nationality of 89% of the participants. This pattern of results explains the lack of measurement invariance in cross-cultural studies. We discuss implications for cross-cultural personality research and whether the high degree of cross-cultural item-level differences compromises the universality of the personality structure.

Further Study of Dependence as a Personality Factor

1968 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Jamison ◽  
Andrew L. Comrey
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Major Factors

A 216-item inventory was administered to 252 Ss in an attempt further to clarify the personality factor of Dependence. 42 groups of homogeneous items were used to measure previously identified factors of Shyness, Empathy, Neuroticism, Compulsion, and Hostility, in addition to Dependence. Total scores were obtained for each item group and the matrix of intercorrelations was factor analyzed. 7 major factors were obtained. Dependence emerged as 2 factors, named Socialization and Dependence; each was well-defined by 5 item groups with loadings greater than .48. The other 5 personality factors under investigation appeared as predicted.

scholarly journals Werkafwesigheid: 'n Studie van vragmotorbestuurders

1995 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Gouws ◽  
A. Cronje
Keyword(s):  
Personal Values ◽  
Truck Drivers ◽  
Intellectual Ability ◽  
The Other ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire ◽  
Sixteen Personality Factor ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Personality Factor Questionnaire

Absenteeism: A study of truck drivers. The aim of the study was to explore reasons for absenteeism as experienced by code 11 truck drivers. Two groups were identified: one group high, and the other group low on an absenteeism continuum. Significant differences between the groups ocurred with respect to four of the sixteen personality factors of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. However, no significant difference in their personal values and intellectual ability could be found. Opsomming Die doel van die studie was die identifisering van aanduiders van werkafwesigheid by kode 11 vragmotorbestuurders. Die bevinding van hierdie studie is dat daar beduidende verskille tussen werkafwesige en werkaanwesige vragmotorbestuurders ten opsigte van vier van die sestien persoonlikheidsfaktore van die Sestien Persoonlik- heidsfaktorvraelys bestaan. Daar blyk egter geen beduidende verskille betreffende hulle persoonlike waardes en intellektuele vermoens te wees nie.

Empirical analysis of doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model based on grey target decision making

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24
Author(s):  
Caiyun Sun
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Individual Personality ◽  
Doctoral Candidates

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the reliability and validity of doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model. Design/methodology/approach Based on doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model, this study took the best correlation and the worst correlation into account to predict and demonstrate their innovative ability tendencies. Matlab R2016a, a program of software programming, was used to calculate the contribution degree of each personality factor of doctoral candidates to their innovative ability tendencies. Findings The reliability and validity of doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model based on grey target theory have been verified, and the prediction for doctoral candidates’ innovative ability tendencies can be realized on the basis of this model. Practical implications Scientific and reasonable doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model can play a good guiding role, and its research results have certain practical significance for selecting innovative doctoral candidates, ensuring the training quality of doctoral candidates and cultivating the innovative ability of doctoral candidates. It can be promoted and applied on the basis of its trial operation in Jiangsu. Originality/value With regard to the relative degree of the influence of doctoral candidates’ individual personality factors, previous researchers seldom carried out the quantitative research. In this paper, the author sought a quantitative method to describe the degree of such influence and constructed the doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model based on grey target decision making. This study took the positive and negative off-target distance into account and demonstrated the rationality and validity of doctoral candidates’ innovative personality model.

Confirmation of Objective Test Factors and Assessment of Their Relation to Questionnaire Factors: A Factor Analysis of 113 Rating, Questionnaire and Objective Test Measurements of Personality

1958 ◽  
Vol 104 (436) ◽  
pp. 608-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan H. Scheier ◽  
Raymond B. Cattell
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Objective Test ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Single Factor ◽  
Basic Strategy ◽  
Self Rating ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Factor Analytic ◽  
Objective Tests

Cattell's basic strategy in personality research has been first to establish personality factors for each of three major types of measurement, rating (Life-Record), questionnaire (Self-Rating), and objective tests, then to compare factors from one realm with factors from another (7). A factor in any one realm is established in the first place by being replicated. As Cattell says (4, p. 291): “… a functionally unitary trait or process should nevertheless not be considered established by a pattern in a single factor analytic research, but must reappear consistently and persistently in independently rotated studies.”

The Malevolent Side of Human Nature

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Muris ◽  
Harald Merckelbach ◽  
Henry Otgaar ◽  
Ewout Meijer
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Normal Personality ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

The term dark triad refers to the constellation of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Over the past few years, the concept has gained momentum, with many researchers assuming that the dark triad is a prominent antecedent of transgressive and norm-violating behavior. Our purpose in this meta-analytic review was to evaluate (a) interrelations among narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy; (b) gender differences in these traits; (c) how these traits are linked to normal personality factors; and (d) the psychosocial correlates of the dark triad. Our findings show that dark triad traits are substantially intercorrelated, somewhat more prevalent among men than women, predominantly related to the Big Five personality factor of agreeableness and the HEXACO factor of honesty-humility, and generally associated with various types of negative psychosocial outcomes. We question whether dark triad traits are sufficiently distinct and argue that the way they are currently measured is too simple to capture the malevolent sides of personality. Because most research in this domain is cross-sectional and based on self-reports, we recommend using a cross-informant approach and prospective, longitudinal research designs for studying the predictive value of dark triad features.

scholarly journals Coffee or tea? Examining cross-cultural differences in personality nuances across former colonies of the British Empire

2020 ◽  
pp. 089020702096232
Author(s):  
Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa ◽  
Gabriel Olaru ◽  
Ulrich Schroeders
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Studies ◽  
British Empire ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Cross Cultural Studies

Cross-cultural comparisons often focus on differences in broad personality traits across countries. However, many cross-cultural studies report differential item functioning which suggests that considerable group differences are not accounted for by the overarching personality factors. We argue that this may reflect cross-cultural personality differences at a lower level of personality, namely personality nuances. To investigate the degree of cultural similarities and differences between participants of 10 English speaking countries (of which nine formerly belonged to the British Empire), we scrutinized participants’ personality scores on the domain, facet, and nuance level of the personality hierarchy. More specifically, we used the responses of 9110 participants on the IPIP-NEO 300-item personality inventory in cross-validated and regularized logistic regressions. Based on the trait domain and facet scores, we were able to identify the country of residence for 60% and 73% of the participants, respectively. By using the nuance level of personality, we correctly identified the nationality of 89% of the participants. This pattern of results explains the lack of measurement invariance in cross-cultural studies. We discuss implications for cross-cultural personality research and whether the high degree of cross-cultural item-level differences compromises the universality of the personality structure.

‘Fear’ of Crime: Role of Defensive Personality Factors for Concern About Crime

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam Satchell ◽  
Oliver Waddup ◽  
Alison Bacon ◽  
Philip Corr
Keyword(s):  
High Intensity ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory ◽  
The Past ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Sensitivity Theory ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity ◽  
The Relationship

Research into ‘fear of crime’ often interchangeably uses the terms ‘anxiety’, ‘fear’ and ‘worry’. However, neuropsychological and personality research makes a crucial distinction between fear, anxiety and worry. Theoretically, it is likely that anxiety (rumination on the past and worry about the future) rather than fear (i.e., immediate reaction to high intensity threat) is a better predictor of ‘fear’ of crime. We studied the relationship between anxiety, fear and anger (using measures from Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory) and concerns about becoming a victim of crime. We also investigated the relationship between responses to hypothetical threat scenarios and general concerns about crime. In our sample (N = 250), we found, contrary to our predictions, that personality traits related to general fearfulness were predictive of concerns about crime – more so than traits related to anxiety or anger. Responses to hypothetical threat scenarios were predictive of concerns about crime, but less so than trait fear. Overall, our results suggest that it may, after all, be correct to suggest that concerns about becoming a victim of crime are more to do with being afraid than anxious or angry and we discuss the theoretical implications of this effect.

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