Comment – Genes and temperament, a shortcut for unravelling the genetics of psychopathology?

Abstract

Personality is complex and unique, in that people differ greatly from one another in multiple components of personality. Nevertheless, personality can be measured and dissected into a number of quantitative traits. One of the more recent tools is the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which is a self-report personality questionnaire based on Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality (Cloninger et al., 1994). This model consists of four dimensions of temperament and three dimensions of character. Temperament dimensions (novelty-seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence) refer to automatic emotional responses to stimuli and are moderately heritable, relatively stable throughout life, and invariant despite sociocultural influences (Svrakic et al., 1996). Individuals high in novelty-seeking tend to be quick-tempered, excitable, exploratory, curious, enthusiastic, impulsive and disorderly. Individuals high in harm avoidance tend to be cautious, careful, fearful, tense, apprehensive, nervous, discouraged, insecure, negativistic and pessimistic, even in situations which do not worry other people. People scoring high on reward dependence seek social contact and are open to communication with other people; they are tender-hearted, sensitive, dedicated and sociable. Highly persistent individuals tend to be industrious, hard-working, persistent, and stable, despite frustration and fatigue. The character dimensions (self- directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence) involve differences in social goals and values and seem to be moderately influenced by family environment (Cloninger et al., 1994). Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality shows correlations to other factor models of personality, like the NEO five-factor model. The TCI dimension of novelty-seeking shows positive loading on NEO conscientiousness (Cloninger et al., 1994).