Eysenck's Personality Dimensions Research Articles

Latent profile analysis of Eysenck's personality dimensions and psychological constructs in university students.

The exploration of personality traits in relation to psychological constructs has become increasingly relevant in understanding the mental health of university students (the emerging adulthood). Studies have focused on how dimensions intersect with various psychological parameters. The study aims to identify distinct personality profiles among university students based on Eysenck's personality dimensions and investigate how these profiles differ across psychological constructs. A quantitative methodology was utilized, involving 708 university students from Wenzhou and Nanjing in China as participants. The research employed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire along with other psychological measures. Latent Profile Analysis was applied to categorize the participants into distinct personality profiles. Four distinct personality profiles emerged: 'The Reserved Analyst,' 'The Social Diplomat,' 'The Unconventional Pragmatist,' and 'The Impulsive Truth-Teller.' Significant differences were found among these profiles on various psychological constructs. 'The Social Diplomat' exhibited the most adaptive psychological profile, with higher cognitive reappraisal (F = 45.818, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.163), meaning in life (F = 17.764, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.070), and positive coping (F = 40.765, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.148) compared to other profiles. Conversely, 'The Reserved Analyst' showed higher intolerance of uncertainty (F = 13.854, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.056) and state anxiety (F = 26.279, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.101). This study enriches the understanding of personality traits in relation to psychological constructs within the context of university student populations. By identifying distinct personality profiles, it lays the groundwork for developing tailored mental health strategies that cater to the specific needs of different student groups.

Coping with bullying behavior: The role of Eysenck's personality dimensions and arousability trait

Coping with bullying behavior: The role of Eysenck's personality dimensions and arousability trait

The role of personality dimensions, depressive symptoms and other psychosocial variables in predicting postpartum suicidal ideation: a cohort study.

Suicidability has been associated with neuroticism and psychoticism, but its role during perinatal period has not been analyzed. We explore the association between personality dimensions, depressive symptoms, and other psychosocial variables in postpartum suicidal ideation. A cohort of 1795 healthy Spanish women from the general population was assessed for suicidal ideation (EPDS-Item10) in early postpartum, 8 and 32 weeks postpartum. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and reproductive variables, psychiatric history, social support, stressful life-events during pregnancy, depressive symptoms (EPDS), and the Eysenck's personality dimensions (EPQ-RS) were also assessed at baseline. A major depressive episode (DSM-IV) was confirmed in women with EPDS>10 at follow-up assessments. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Adjusted logistic regression analysis was reported as odds ratio (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Seven percent of mothers reported suicidal ideation during the first 8 months postpartum. Sixty-two percent of women with suicidal ideation had a major depressive episode at 8 weeks, and 70% at 32 weeks postpartum. Neuroticism and psychoticism predicted suicidal ideation throughout the first 2 weeks after delivery (OR, 1.03; 95%CI 1.01-1.06; and OR, 1.03; 95%CI 1.01-1.05 respectively). Early postpartum depressive symptoms (OR 1.2; 95%CI 1.11-1.26), personal psychiatric history (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.33-3.27), and stressful life events during pregnancy (OR 1.88; 95%CI 1.12-3.16) also emerged as predictors of postpartum suicidal ideation. Analysis of women for postpartum suicidal ideation should include not only psychiatric symptoms but also psychosocial assessment (i.e., covering psychiatric history, stressful events, or long-standing personality vulnerabilities) in order to identify those in need of early psychosocial or psychiatric care.

Sensation seeking and impulsive traits as personality endophenotypes for antisocial behavior: Evidence from two independent samples

Sensation seeking and impulsivity are personality traits that are correlated with risk for antisocial behavior (ASB). This paper uses two independent samples of twins to (a) test the extent to which sensation seeking and impulsivity statistically mediate genetic influence on ASB, and (b) compare this to genetic influences accounted for by other personality traits. In Sample 1, delinquent behavior, as well as impulsivity, sensation seeking and Big Five personality traits, were measured in adolescent twins from the Texas Twin Project. In Sample 2, adult twins from the Australian Twin Registry responded to questionnaires that assessed individual differences in Eysenck's and Cloninger's personality dimensions, and a structured telephone interview that asked participants to retrospectively report DSM-defined symptoms of conduct disorder. Bivariate quantitative genetic models were used to identify genetic overlap between personality traits and ASB. Across both samples, novelty/sensation seeking and impulsive traits accounted for larger portions of genetic variance in ASB than other personality traits. We discuss whether sensation seeking and impulsive personality are causal endophenotypes for ASB, or merely index genetic liability for ASB.

Alexithymia in fibromyalgia syndrome

The study compared alexithymia in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients and healthy individuals, and analyzed its association with clinical, emotional, and functional variables. Forty-five FMS patients and 31 healthy individuals completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, which includes the dimensions: Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF), Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), and Externally-Oriented Thinking (EOT). Participants also completed instruments assessing Eysenck's personality dimensions, pain, fatigue, sleep, anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and coping with pain. FMS patients exhibited higher scores in DIF and DDF than healthy individuals; group differences were markedly lower when depression and anxiety were statistically controlled. Patients furthermore displayed greater depression-anxiety, fatigue, sleep problems and neuroticism, lower HRQL and dysfunctional coping. Alexithymia was overall more closely related to clinical variables in healthy individuals than in patients; in patients, many associations disappeared when anxiety and depression were controlled. The data corroborate the high prevalence of alexithymia in FMS; however, they also suggest that alexithymia may play a less important role in symptom experience in patients vs. healthy individuals. This result may be discussed by considering the distinction between state and trait alexithymia; the weaker associations in patients may be ascribed to specific enhancement of state alexithymia due to illness-related affective distress.

Cognitive styles and personality

This paper investigates the relationship between cognitive styles and Eysenck personality dimensions. To measure cognitive styles, we developed a special twelve-scale questionnaire based on self-report (Field Dependence/Independence, Narrow/Wide Range of Equivalence, Flexibility/Rigidity of Cognitive Control, Impulsivity/Reflectivity, Concrete/Abstract Conceptualization, Tolerance/Intolerance of Unrealistic Experience). Two hundred and twenty eight second-year students (psychologists and teachers) took part in the study. We revealed four significant factors, one of which covered five cognitive styles and the other three included both cognitive and fundamental personality dimensions which we called “cognitive-personality complexes”. The first complex included personality trait Extraversion/Introversion and two cognitive styles Field Dependence and Impulsivity. The second complex covered Psychotic trait and such cognitive styles as Field Independence and Wide Range of Equivalence. The third complex contained Neurotic traits and one cognitive style Intolerance. Thus, we showed the existence of the factor of “authentic” cognitive styles, on the one hand, and three mixed cognitive-personality styles, on the other, in the structure of individual behavior. The data obtained are useful for understanding the nature of the cognitive styles and the sources of human individual differences.

PW01-221 - The relationship between personality traits and anxiety/depression levels in different types of substance abuse

To analyse the relationship between personality structure and emotional state of dyferent types of drug abusers, the objectives of this study were to examine: the levels of Eysenck's personality dimensions and the levels of anxiety and depression of heroin addicts and recreate drug users; the relationship between personality and emotion variables; and differences between those two groups of subjects concerning their personality traits and emotional state.During their ambulatory admission, 288 (219 males and 69 females) patients were completed Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire (EPQ R/A) and Beck's Anxiety (BAI) and Depression Inventory (BDI). 191 of them were in the group of heroin addicts and 97 of them in the group of recreate drug users identified by the DSM-IV classification. Their averaged age was 22, ranged from 14 to 44.Significantly higher levels of psychoticism, neuroticism, criminality and addiction, that were determined in the group of heroin addicts, were significantly correlated with the higher levels of anxiety and depression. Higher extraversion and social conformity were determined in the group of recreate drug users who still had dispositions to resist of developing the addiction problem. Finally, even great differences in personality structure were determined between heroin addicts and recreate drug users, and even higher depression was found in the first group, there was no significant difference in the anxiety level between those two groups. The findings implied at the used measurement instruments here as the useful diagnostic tool that could provide with advantageous treatment directions.

Does Internet use reflect your personality? Relationship between Eysenck’s personality dimensions and Internet use

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between three Eysenckian personality dimensions – psychoticism, extroversion and neuroticism – and the Internet use. A sample of 427 Turkish university students completed the Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire, an Internet survey which contained questions about interpersonal motives for Internet use and a scale for measuring the tendency for expressing one’s “true” self on the Internet. The results indicated that psychoticism was the only personality dimension related to establishing new relationships and having “Internet only” friends; and extroversion was the only personality dimension that is related to maintaining long-distance relationships, and supporting daily face-to-face relationships. The results supported the idea that for some individuals, Internet can be used as social substitute for face-to-face social interactions while for some others it can be used as a tool of social extension, depending on the user’s personality characteristics. Also, psychoticism and neuroticism were found to be positively associated with the expressing “true self” on the Internet, and it was shown that the relationship between psychoticism and Internet uses as social substitute is mediated by the tendency to express one’s true self on the Internet.

Greek EPQ-J: Further Support for a Three-Factor Model of Personality in Children and Adolescents

This study aimed to investigate the validity of the Eysenckian personality dimensions in 1,368 children and adolescents who completed the Greek Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Junior (EPQ-J). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed. Controversial issues regarding the Lie and Psychoticism scales were also investigated. Finally, the predictive validity of the EPQ-J was assessed using Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analytic results supported the four-factor structure of the scale. Results provide support for the appropriateness of the EPQ-J with Greek speaking samples and add to the international literature regarding the three-factor model of personality in children and adolescents.

Why Do Young Adults Develop a Passion for Internet Activities? The Associations among Personality, Revealing “True Self” on the Internet, and Passion for the Internet

This study examines the associations of harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP) for Internet activities with Eysenckian personality dimensions in a sample of 421 university students. Results show that psychoticism correlates positively with both HP and OP; extroversion correlates positively with HP only; and neuroticism has no correlation with passion for Internet activities. Additionally, the study examines participants' tendency to express their "true self" on the Internet, and the results reveal that this tendency has a positive association with psychoticism, neuroticism, and both types of passion for the Internet. Moreover, the relationship between psychoticism and passion (both harmonious and obsessive) is mediated by the tendency to express true self on the Internet. The results were interpreted from the media dependency perspective.

A Genome‐Wide Scan for Eysenckian Personality Dimensions in Adolescent Twin Sibships: Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Lie

We report the first genome-wide scan of adolescent personality. We conducted a genome-wide scan to detect linkage for measures of adolescent Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Lie from the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Data are based on 1,280 genotyped Australian adolescent twins and their siblings. The highest linkage peaks were found on chromosomes 16 and 19 for Neuroticism, on chromosomes 1, 7, 10, 13 m, and 18 for Psychoticism, and on chromosomes 2 and 3 for Extraversion.

The relationship between early personality and midlife psychological well-being: evidence from a UK birth cohort study

Individual differences in personality influence the occurrence, reporting and outcome of mental health problems across the life course, but little is known about the effects on adult psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to examine long range associations between Eysenck's personality dimensions and psychological well-being in midlife. The study sample comprised 1,134 women from the 1946 British birth cohort. Extraversion and neuroticism were assessed using the Maudsley Personality Inventory in adolescence (age 16 years) and early adulthood (age 26). Psychological well-being was assessed at age 52 with a 42-item version of Ryff's Psychological Well-being Scale. Analyses were undertaken within a structural equation modelling framework that allowed for an ordinal treatment of well-being and personality items, and latent variable modelling of longitudinal data on emotional adjustment. The contribution of mental health problems in linking personality variations to later well-being was assessed using a summary measure of mental health (emotional adjustment) created from multiple time-point assessments. Women who were more socially outgoing (extravert) reported higher well-being on all dimensions. Neuroticism was associated with lower well-being on all dimensions. The effect of early neuroticism on midlife well-being was almost entirely mediated through emotional adjustment defined in terms of continuities in psychological/ psychiatric distress. The effect of extraversion was not mediated by emotional adjustment, nor attenuated after adjustment for neuroticism. Individual differences in extraversion and neuroticism in early adult life influence levels of well-being reported in midlife.

Étude exploratoire d’un questionnaire sur les troubles de la personnalité

This exploratory study combined a preliminary evaluation of the French version of Hyler's [Hyler S.E. Personality Questionnaire (PDQ-4 plus). New York: New York State Psychiatric Institute; 1994] Personality Diagnostics Questionnaire (PDQ-4 plus) with an investigation into whether Eysenck's personality dimensions allow us to differentiate between subjects diagnosed by the PDQ-4 plus as showing at least one personality disorder (PD) and control subjects.A group of 129 French undergraduate students completed the PDQ-4 plus, a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the 12 PDs of the DSM-IV (10 PDs and two additional diagnoses included in the appendix of the DSM-IV), and, at the same time, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated (EPQ RA).The PDQ-4 plus diagnoses were scored using a two-stage process in which students with questionnaire scores at or above the threshold level for at least one PD (82 students=63.56%) were asked to complete individual interviews about the PDs concerning them. In order to minimize the number of false positives generated, these interviews were scored using the Clinical Significance Scale. Following these interviews, 35 students (27.13%) were classified as showing one or more PDs. The remaining 84 students (72.87%) were classified as control subjects (no PDs). In the population as a whole, studies have shown the prevalence of any DSM-IV defined personality disorder to be between 9 and 15%; however, personality disorders are much more frequently diagnosed in younger subjects (Ekselius L., Tillfors M., Furmark T., & Fredrikson M. Personality disorders in the general population: DSM-IV and ICD-10 defined prevalence as related to sociodemographic profile. Personality and Individual Differences, 2001, 30: 311-320). The second step in the study was to compare EPQ RA scores for the control subjects, subjects showing a particular PD and subjects showing the other PDs.For all the PDs studied, the control subjects attained lower scores on the Neuroticism scale than the subjects showing one or more PDs. Subjects showing depressive or schizotypal PDs attained particularly high scores on the Neuroticism scale: a result that differentiates these subjects from the control subjects and from subjects showing other PDs. Scores on the Extraversion scale were similar for all the subjects with the exception of those showing depressive or schizotypal PDs. Subjects with a depressive or a schizotypal PD were generally more introverted than the control subjects and the subjects showing other PDs. Significant differences between all three groups of subjects were noted on the Psychoticism scale, at least for the PDs studied here. Psychoticism scale scores were generally higher for the subjects showing one or more PDs than for the control subjects, except in the cases of the subjects showing compulsive-obsessional and paranoiac PDs, whose Psychoticism scores were not significantly different from those of the control subjects. The Psychoticism scores for the subjects with antisocial (cluster B) or schizotypal (cluster A) PDs were statistically higher than the scores for the control subjects and for the subjects showing other PDs. In summary, Neuroticism was more prevalent among the subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs. In terms of extraversion, only subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs could be differentiated from the control subjects and from the subjects showing other PDs. Psychoticism was more prevalent amongst the subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs.In order to verify the results of this preliminary study, which was carried out using a relatively small group of subjects, this work must be replicated using a larger and more representative group of subjects.

The role of personality, culture, and economy in unintentional fatalities: An aggregated level analysis

The aim of the present study was to test whether different types of unintentional injuries form a general factor and to investigate the relationship between Eysenckian personality dimensions, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Schwartz’s values, GNP per capita per country and unintentional injuries. The data consisted of different types of unintentional injuries, GNP per capita personality factors, and cultural dimension value scores for 46 nations. The results of the factor analysis indicated that unintentional fatalities were composed of three components, which were named as “safety of daily life”, “work safety”, and “traffic safety”. The results of the regression analyses showed that GNP per capita had a negative relationship to work and traffic fatality rates. Uncertainty avoidance and neuroticism were positively related to the traffic fatality rate.

Tolerance of uncertainty, extroversion, neuroticism and attitudes to randomized controlled trials among surgeons and physicians

Surgeons have a reputation for decisiveness and self-confidence, which suggests that they may tolerate uncertainty poorly and therefore be less capable than other doctors of experiencing clinical equipoise. Their 'typical' behaviour is characteristic of the stable extrovert personality and so they may prefer spontaneous clinical judgement over randomized trials. The aim of this study was to compare personality dimensions and tolerance of uncertainty among surgeons and hospital physicians, to determine whether differences in either property might help to explain the apparently poor performance of surgeons in conducting randomized controlled trials. This was a postal questionnaire study of 1000 consultant general surgeons and 1000 consultant physicians. Respondents completed a short self-assessment of Eysenck personality dimensions, Budner's Intolerance of Ambiguity scale and a short questionnaire about attitudes to randomized trials. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed. The response rate was 36.5 per cent. Physicians were more likely to be women (P < 0.001) and had spent 1 more year in academic posts than surgeons (P < 0.030). Surgeons were significantly more extrovert (P < 0.001) and less neurotic (P < 0.001) than physicians. Surgeons were significantly more intolerant of uncertainty than physicians (P = 0.007). Multivariate analysis identified age (P < 0.030) and sex (P = 0.015) as independent predictors of intolerance of uncertainty. The attitudes of surgeons and physicians to randomized trials were no different. Surgeons are not prejudiced against randomized trials, but their intolerance of uncertainty may inhibit them from deciding that an individual patient is suitable for trial entry. If more surgeons were female, this difference between surgeons and physicians might disappear.

Eysenck's BIG THREE and communication traits: three correlational studies

Over the past decade, communication scholars have increasingly considered biological contributions to the ways in which we communicate. One approach to exploring the links between biology and communication involves analysis of relationships between communication variables and variables containing strong biological underpinnings. The present study was designed to provide an examination of the relationship between Eysenck's personality dimensions and communication variables. This essay reports the results of three separate studies that encompass more than a dozen communication variables. The results seem to indicate that non-neurotic extraverts are not shy or apprehensive about touch, tend to perceive themselves as more competent, view themselves as assertive and responsive, and express greater degrees of self-acceptance. Neurotic introverts report apprehension about communication, perceive themselves as less immediate, rate themselves as having a lower affect orientation, and somewhat higher levels of verbal aggressiveness. Neurotic participants report less self-acceptance. Neurotic non-psychotics report a greater degree of affect orientation, more apprehension about communication, and lower verbal aggression. Neurotic psychotic extraverts tend to be compulsive communicators and report greater tolerance for disagreement. Psychotics are non-responsive, and tend to report higher levels of verbal aggressiveness, argumentativeness and assertiveness. Finally, psychotic non-neurotics tend to have a greater tolerance for disagreement and are less likely to identify themselves as compulsive communicators. Possible directions for future research are suggested.

The Relationship Between Spirituality and Eysenck's Personality Dimensions: A Replication Among English Adults

(2001). The Relationship Between Spirituality and Eysenck's Personality Dimensions: A Replication Among English Adults. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 162, No. 1, pp. 119-122.

Comparing Cattell's personality factors and Eysenck's personality dimensions among adolescents

A sample of 106 young people between the ages of 11 and 17 years completed both the High School Personality Questionnaire and the short fonn Revised Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. The data demonstrate how the 14 primary scales and the 4 second order factors proposed by Cattell map onto the 3 major dimensions of personality proposed by Eysenck.

Social Interests and Eysenck's Personality Dimensions

The relationship between Adler's concept of social interest and Eysenck's personality dimensions was investigated among 224 English undergraduates (85 men and 139 women). The present study links Adlerian and Eysenckian theories by finding that scores on the Social Interest Scale are significantly negatively associated with scores on Psychoticism and Neuroticism.

The relationship between Eysenck's personality dimensions and Bem's masculinity and femininity scales revisited

A sample of 86 male and 93 female students in Wales completed the short form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire together with the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The data indicate that high scores on the scale of masculinity are associated with high extraversion and low neuroticism, but unrelated to either psychoticism or the lie scale, while high scores on the scale of femininity are associated with low psychoticism, high neuroticism and high lie scale scores, but unrelated to extraversion.