THEORIES OF PERSONALITY

Eysenck’s Biologically Based

Factor Theory

Submitted by:

Arsolon, Sam Ezequiel S.

Gutierrez, Frederick B. JR

Submitted to:

Ms. Rizzi Anne B. Miñoza

The key for Eysenck was that the individual differences in people’s personalities were
biological, and not merely psychological, aspects of personality.

Like McCrae and Costa, Eysenck created a factor theory, but he only determined three, as
opposed to five, aspects of personality—extraversion/introversion, neuroticism/stability,
and psychoticism/superego—because his taxonomy was mainly based on factor analysis and
biology. The essential for Eysenck was that the individual variances in people's personalities
were biological, and not merely psychological, components of personality. We will go into
these further in depth later in the chapter. To put it another way, genetic variations affect
the anatomy of the central nervous system, including the brain, hormones, and
neurotransmitters, and these variations in biology affect the three components of
personality—extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism.

Eysenck’s Factor Theory

According to the concept, each of us possesses three significant features. Neuroticism,

extraversion, and psychoticism are these three characteristics. Everyone has a varied level of
each feature, according to Eysenck. Our personalities are made up from different degrees of
these three characteristics.

Eysenck (1977a, 1997a) argued that personality dimensions discovered through factor
analytic methods are meaningless and sterile unless it is demonstrated that they have a
biological existence. He also claimed that psychometric sophistication alone is insufficient to
measure the structure of human personality.

Criteria for Identifying Factors

 The factor's existence must be established by psychometrics.

 The factor must meet two requirements: it must be heritable and fit a recognized
genetic mechanism.
 It must show that mathematically derived factors are related to socially relevant
 variables like drug addiction, propensity for unintentional injuries, exceptional
athletic performance, psychotic behavior, criminality, and so on—though not
necessarily causally.

Hierarchy of Behavior Organization

There is a four-level hierarchy of behavior organization, according to Eysenck (1947, 1994c).
Specific behaviors or cognitions—individual actions or thoughts that may or may not be
characterized by a person—are at the lowest level. The habitual behaviors or cognitions, or
responses that repeat themselves under comparable circumstances, are found at the second
level. The third level of behavior—a trait—is formed by ingrained responses. defined traits
as “important semi-permanent personality dispositions”. Eysenck focused on the kinds or
superfactors level, which is the fourth level. A type is composed of a number of connected
qualities.

Dimensions of Personality
Eysenck’s three personality dimensions are extraversion (E), neuroticism (N), and
psychoticism (P). Although disturbed persons tend to score higher than normal people on
tests evaluating these two variables, neuroticism and psychoticism are not just present in
pathological people. All three were considered to be a normal aspect of personality structure
by Eysenck. Factor E has two poles, with extraversion at one end and introversion at the
other, and all three are bipolar. Similar to Factor P, Factor N has stability at one pole and
neuroticism at the other. Factor P also has the superego function at one pole and
psychoticism at the other.

Extraversion
The primary attributes of extraverts are sociability and impulsivity, but they also exhibit
humor, liveliness, quick wit, optimism, and other characteristics typical of people who benefit
from being with others (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1969). The opposing personality qualities of
extraverts define introverts. They can be characterized as reserved, withdrawn, unsociable,
cautious, thoughtful, pessimistic, calm, sober, and in control. The main distinctions between
extraversion and introversion are biological and genetic in origin rather than behavioral.
According to Eysenck (1997a), cortical arousal level, a physiological condition that is mostly
inherited rather than taught, is the main factor that separates extraverts and introverts.
Extraverts have larger sensory thresholds and less intense reactivity to sensory stimuli
because they are less cortically aroused than introverts.

NEUROTICISM
Neuroticism/stability, like extraversion/introversion, is heavily affected by hereditary factors.
Anxiety, hysteria, and obsessive-compulsive disorders are common in those with high neuroticism.
They typically overreact emotionally and have difficulties recovering to a normal condition
following emotional excitation. They frequently complain of bodily symptoms such as headaches
and backaches, but they may be free of psychological problems as well.

Eysenck's findings also revealed that another fundamental distinction between people was the
intensity with which they reacted to stressful situations. Eysenck discovered that certain people
are extremely sensitive to stress and hence suffer fear and anxiety. Eysenck discovered that certain
people are far less responsive to stress and hence experience much less dread and anxiety.

Eysenck defined this difference as Neuroticism (as opposed to Emotional Stability). At one end of
the spectrum, severely neurotic people experience a great deal of concern and anxiousness in
reaction to life's issues; at the other end of the spectrum, emotionally stable people experience
little of the negative feelings induced by life's stresses.

Individual differences in Neuroticism, according to Eysenck, were mediated by brain parts known
as the limbic system. One of the limbic system's functions is to manage stress responses. To the
extent that one's limbic system is overwhelmed by stressful stimuli, one has a neurotic personality;
to the extent that one's limbic system can handle such pressures, one has a stable personality.
  DIATHESIS-STRESS MODEL

The diathesis-stress model is a psychiatric and psychopathological paradigm that supplies a

framework for how psychological problems develop. Diathesis can manifest itself in a variety of
ways and characteristics that put some persons at a higher risk or vulnerability to specific diseases.
Among them are genetic, biological, physiological, cognitive, situational, physical, and personality-
related factors.

Eysenck adopts the diathesis-stress concept, which says that some people are more prone to
disease due to inherited factors or learned weaknesses. Eysenck's inventory evaluates extraversion
and neuroticism independently with absolutely no association. This backs with the fact that those
with neuroticism have a limited tolerance for stress and are also averse to stimuli. Individuals with
high neuroticism often see everyday circumstances as dangerous and minor unpleasant situations
as hopeless challenges.

PSYCHOTICISM

Psychoticism/superego is the most recent and weakest of Eysenck's personality elements. Anxiety,
hysteria, egocentricism, nonconformance, aggression, impulsiveness, hostility, and obsessive-
compulsive disorders can all be associated with high psychotic scores.

This dimension, according to Eysenck, encompassed features such as aggression, manipulation,

tough mindedness, risk taking, irresponsibility, and impulsivity versus their opposites. He proposed
that high levels of Psychoticism were linked not just to criminal behavior, but also to a variety of
mental diseases including manic depression and schizophrenia and even creativity.

In terms of the biological basis of the Psychoticism dimension, Eysenck proposed that people with
high levels of Psychoticism had high levels of the hormone testosterone and low levels of a chemical
called monoamine oxidase, which modulates neurotransmitter levels.
MEASURING PERSONALITY

The Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI; H. J. Eysenck & Knapp, 1962) was the first published scale
in this field, measuring two personality traits: neuroticism (N) and extraversion (E). Following the
release of the MPI, a lie scale and two alternate versions were developed, resulting in the Eysenck
Personality Inventory (EPI; H. J. Eysenck & Eysenck, 1964).

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) is a self-report instrument based on Eysenck's

personality theory. The EPQ was created by one of the most influential personality theorists, Hans
J. Eysenck, and Sybil B. G. Eysenck, and is part of a series of scales created by Eysenck and his
associates.

Later, a third personality dimension, Psychoticism (P), was added, giving rise to the Eysenck
Personality Questionnaire. The psychoticism subsacle has unsatisfactory psychometric qualities
and has been criticized for its low reliability, narrow scoring range, and skewed distribution. In
response, the scale was altered in 1985, with certain items removed from the P scale and other
items added to the P, N, and E scales. The EPQ-R is the current form of the questionnaire and is a
prime measure of Eysenck's personality dimensions (S.B.G. Eysenck, Eysenck, & Barrett, 1985).

BIOLOGICAL BASES OF PERSONALITY

Three lines of evidence supporting a major biological component in personality were mentioned
by Eysenck (1990). First, researchers (McCrae & Allik, 2002) discovered essentially identical factors
among people in diverse parts of the world, including Uganda, Nigeria, Japan, China, Russia, and
other African and European countries. Second, data (McCrae & Costa, 2003) suggests that
individuals tend to hold their position on the various dimensions of personality across time.
Third, twin studies (Eysenck, 1990) reveal that identical twins had higher concordance than same-
gender fraternal twins reared together, implying that genetic variables have a dominating role in
shaping individual differences in personality.

PERSONALITY AS A PREDICTOR

According to Eysenck's complex model of personality, the psychometric qualities P, E, and N can
combine with genetic factors, biological intermediates, and experimental research to predict a
wide range of social actions, including those that contribute to disease.

PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOR

P, E, and N, according to Eysenck's model, should predict both proximal and distal outcomes, and
he and his colleagues cited studies that predicted behavior in both laboratory experiments and
social behavior studies. They discovered a link between super factors and a wide range of behaviors
and processes, including academic performance, creativity, antisocial conduct, and behaviors that
may lead to disease.

PERSONALITY AND DISEASE

Eysenck spent several years studying the association between personality traits and disease. He
collaborated with Ronald Grossarth-Maticek to investigate the relationship between personality
traits and cancer and cardiovascular disease. persons who have a helpless/hopeless mentality are
more likely to die from cancer, whereas persons who react to frustration with fury and emotional
arousal are considerably more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases.
References:

Feist,J.,Feist,G.J.,&Roberts,T.-A.(2018).TheoriesofPersonality(NInthed.).McGraw-Hill.