The influence of psychoticism and extraversion on classical eyelid conditioning using a paraorbital shock UCS

An experiment is described in which the effects of Psychoticism and Extraversion on classical eyelid conditioning were examined using a balanced design involving two levels of paraorbital shock intensity and two levels of response threshold. Questionnaire measures of Anxiety and Impulsivity were also analysed together with subjective ratings of the UCS. Results were broadly consistent with Eysenck's personality theory in that subjects scoring high on Psychoticism demonstrated lower levels of conditioning.     

Personality variations as an effect of pre-menstrual tensions

The present work on pre-menstrual tension (PMT) was conducted on 32 females—16 married and 16 unmarried. These subjects were administered the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MMDQ) and Eyesenck's PEN Questionnaire once immediately before, and a second time after finishing, the period of menstruation. The results showed that there were significant differences on Psychoticism (P) and Neuroticism (N) in low and high PMT females; the former scoring low on both dimensions. There was a significant decline in the scores of both N and P in the post-menstrual phase of the high PMT group. In both the groups there were significant changes on Extraversion (E/I) but the direction was opposite. The high PMT group showed an increase in E/I and the low PMT group showed a decrease in E/I in the post-menstrual phase.     

Do extraverts ‚like to laugh’︁?: An analysis of the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire (SHRQ)

This study was an attempt to determine whether the degree of laughing in a variety of situations is related to Extraversion. In order to measure smiling and laughing, the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire (SHRQ) (Martin and Lefcourt, 1984) was given to 165 German university students and non-students and to 118 American university students. Extraversion and also Psychoticism, Neuroticism, and Social Desirability were measured by the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R; Eysenck, Eysenck and Barrett, 1985). SHRQ scores correlated 0.52 and 0.36 with Extraversion, 0.26 and 0.26 with Psychoticism, and negligibly with Neuroticism in the German and American samples, respectively. The positive correlations between Extraversion and laughing propensity were interpreted as confirming the hypothesis that the ?tendency to laugh’? is a characteristic of extraverts. This tendency generalizes across situations and is not just limited to humorous ones. The SHRQ items correlating significantly with Psychoticism were interpreted as reflecting different evaluations of these particular situations by high and low P scorers rather than as determining a general tendency to laugh.     

Relationships between psychoticism and a number of personality measures: a comparison between the original and revised versions of the Psychoticism scale

A correlational study was carried out using a sample of 123 secondary school students in order to assess the differences between the original and the revised version of the Psychoticism scale, regarding their relationships to a number of personality variables. Extraversion, Neuroticism, Social Desirability, Sensation Seeking, Schizotypal Personality, Borderline Personality, Susceptibility to Punishment and Impulsiveness scales were administered along with the items from the two Psychoticism scales. Both scales showed similar patterns of relationships, indicating that the revised Psychoticism scale, which has been found to improve the psychometric properties of the original Psychoticism scale, does not differ greatly from its predecessor in its relationship to other personality variables.     

Extraversion and attitude towards capital punishment

Male and female Canadian undergraduate students identified as extraverts or introverts on the basis of the Eysenck Personality Inventory were administered a questionnaire measuring attitude towards Capital Punishment. Both effects of sex and personality were significant, males and extraverts reporting stronger beliefs in Capital Punishment than females and introverts. These results were interpreted as providing support for Eysenck's proposal that the social attitude dimension of Toughmindedness reflects the personality trait of Extraversion.     

Personality and modulation of the startle reflex by emotionally-toned filmclips

Several researchers have found that pleasant foreground stimuli attenuate the eyeblink component of the startle reflex while unpleasant foreground stimuli potentiate it. The effects of personality factors on such modulation of the eyeblink response, as measured by electromyographic (EMG) activity in reaction to loud acoustic startle probes, were examined in subjects viewing emotionally-toned (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral) filmclips. During the main part of the experiment, introverts had higher baseline EMG activity and lower response probability than extraverts; no differences were observed at the beginning of the experiment, during an acclimatization session. Reflex modulation, as measured by response latency, was influenced by the Psychoticism (P) factor of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire: subjects high on P showed longer latencies to eyeblink onset when probed during viewing of pleasant filmclips than subjects low on this dimension; no significant differences were observed between subjects low and high on P for neutral and unpleasant filmclips. No influence of personality factors was found on affective modulation as measured by response amplitude/magnitude. The results are discussed in relation to Gray's and Eysenck's theories of personality.     

Personality and psychopathology of drug addicts in Puerto Rico

Drug abuse is one of the most pressing sociomedical problems of society. The purpose of this study was to examine the personality and psychopathology of addicts. 229 addicts in treatment programs scored high on Neuroticism and on the Lie Scale and low on Psychoticism and Extraversion on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire for Puerto Rico. An Addiction Scale, based on a factor analysis, showed a high component of Neuroticism items.     

Validity of self-efficacy scale scores for a Spanish sample

This study analyzed the validity of the Sherer, et al. Self-efficacy Scale for a Spanish sample of 555 subjects, 257 men and 298 women. 415 were from the general population; 34 schizophrenics and 45 with eating disorders were from a clinic, plus 61 drug addicts from two centers. All met DSM-IV-R criteria. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Assertiveness Inventory, and the Self-control Questionnaire were administered. The reliability for total scores, general factor were high even when social self-efficacy was low. A bidimensional factor structure seemed more acceptable. The Self-efficacy scale scores correlated with those on the Self-control Questionnaire and the Assertiveness Inventory. Extraversion scores on the Sincerity dimension of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire correlated with scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Eysenck's Neuroticism and Psychoticism scales. Significant mean differences appeared between the general population group and the three clinical groups. These analyses support the usefulness of the scale for clinical practice and research with Spanish samples.     

Personality differences in high risk sports amateurs and instructors

This study investigated the personality differences of 21 amateurs and 20 instructors who participated in the high risk sports of skydiving, hang-gliding, paragliding, scuba diving, microlighting, and rock climbing, versus those who did not. 38 men and 28 women (M age=32.6 yr., SD= 10.0) were assessed using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, the General Health Questionnaire, the Generalised Self-efficacy Scale, and a Type A/B personality measure. Instructors and Amateurs scored significantly higher on Extroversion and lower on Neuroticism than Nonparticipants; however, they differed from each other on the General Health Questionnaire and Type A/B personality scores. Amateurs scored significantly higher on Psychoticism and Self-efficacy than Instructors and Nonparticipants. In conclusion, these test scores suggest that people who are attracted to high risk sports tend to be at the extroverted and emotionally stable end of the scale, with a tendency to exhibit Type A characteristics; however, Instructors' scores on Psychoticism and Self-efficacy are more akin to those of Nonparticipants.     

A comparative study of personality in adults and children: Hong Kong vs England

The 90-item adult version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was translated into Chinese and administered to 270 male and 462 female subjects in Hong Kong. In a second study the 81-item version of the Junior EPQ (JEPQ) was translated into Chinese and given to 698 boys and 629 girls.Reasonably valid scales for use in Hong Kong are suggested for both adult and junior forms of the questionnaire. In a direct comparison of British and Chinese (Hong Kong) groups, using reduced scales comprising only items both scoring keys had in common. Hong Kong adults scored higher on Psychoticism and Social Desirability and lower on Extraversion than the British while children from Hong Kong scored lower on Extraversion and Neuroticism but higher on Social Desirability than their British counterparts. Indices of factor comparison were universally high, indicating that the major dimensions of personality were very similar in Hong Kong Chinese as in British subjects.     

Impulsivity and speed and errors in a reaction time task: a contribution to the construct validity of the concept of impulsivity

Acting on the spur of the moment without considering the effects is one of the core attributes of the extraversion-impulsivity concept. Performance in a choice-reaction time task may reflect this tendency. Reaction time and number of errors were studied in a group of 55 boys (15–17 years). Extraversion-impulsivity, anxiety proneness and some other personality characteristics were measured by inventory scales. As hypothesized more impulsive subjects had shorter reaction times and made more errors than less impulsive. This relationship was rather stable over a period of one month. Subjects with higher scores in the Psychoticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire tended to make more errors. A considerable amount (36%) of the variance in the number of errors variable could be predicted from the three personality variables Impulsiveness, Muscular Tension and Psychoticism.     

Personality and mood: State-trait relationships

The scores of 33 subjects of the neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire correlated more highly with mood levels averaged over the 12 occasions studied than, on average, with mood scores on single occasions, and more highly with mood described in global terms than with scores on each of the original 18 mood scales. Subjects with high neuroticism scores had poorer mood on average and showed greater variation in mood pattern from one occasion to another than did more stable subjects. It is suggested that forms of relatively poor mood may be more varied than forms of good mood, and that, although neuroticism makes a poor mood more likely, the precise composition of this mood on any occasion may be determined by the combination of situation characteristics and person variables. Psychoticism scores correlated significantly, though weakly, with the average scores for some mood scales independently of neuroticism.     

Reward sensitivity and substance abuse in middle school and high school students

In this study, the authors investigated the relation between reward and punishment sensitivity and adolescent substance use. The sample (N = 216; 130 girls, 85 boys) was drawn from high school and middle school students enrolled in a Midwestern suburban school district. Participants completed a substance use questionnaire and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (R. Torrubia, C. Avila, J. Molto, & X. Caseras, 2001). For 13 of 15 types of substance abuse, students with high reward sensitivity and low punishment sensitivity showed the highest levels of use. This finding supports the hypothesis of an interaction effect between reward sensitivity and punishment sensitivity and suggests that individuals who are high in reward sensitivity but low in sensitivity to punishment may be at a higher risk for substance abuse.     

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

ABSTRACT 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.     

Comparison of special education and regular students in Puerto Rico on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire for Children have been standardized for Puerto Rico. In this study the latter test was administered to 24 14-yr.-old boys in special education. No significant differences in scores on Neuroticism or Psychoticism were observed for these boys and 405 12-yr.-old regular students. Results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of the special education program in Puerto Rico.     

Notes and shorter communications: Psychoticism and unemployment

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was given to male skilled and semi-skilled workers facing redundancy, in an attempt to ascertain whether any of the factors measured contributed towards a predispositional tendency for unemployment. Psychoticism was found to be a sound predictor of future work status for the school group, whilst no differences of merit were noted for any variable for the redundant group. The results are discussed in relation to other findings with regard to EPQ trait factors, and in particular to Psychoticism.     

Comparison of characteristics of Vietnam veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder

Characteristics of 107 Vietnam veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), who had been exposed to varying levels of combat, were compared. Severity of psychopathology as assessed on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, locus of control orientation as measured by the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale, and ability to have provided structure and meaning to the Vietnam experience were examined. Compared to veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, those without the disorder had lower Neuroticism and Psychoticism scores, were more internal in their locus of control orientation, and were more likely to have shown ability to provide structure to the Vietnam experience. The additional finding that veterans with high combat experience but without PTSD evidenced less neuroticism than low combat veterans without PTSD provides evidence that those who did not develop the disorder despite high exposure to combat stress are individuals with exceptional emotional strength and resilience.     

Psychoticism and creativity

Eysenck and Eysenck (1976) cited a number of studies showing that creativity and originality are associated with high scores on their Psychoticism factor, P. In this study, we examined the generality of this claim by using a different set of creativity measures, scales from the Comprehensive Ability Battery (Hakstian & Cattell, 1976) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975), with a sample of 173 students. No appreciable overlap was found between the creativity scales and P. A number of possible explanations for this result are discussed, and we concluded that this finding may cast doubt on the generality of the link between creativity and P.     

Obsessions and compulsions: Dimensional structure, reliability, convergent and divergent validity of the padua inventory

This study presents data on dimensional structure, reliability, convergent and divergent validity of the Padua Inventory (PI). In a sample (n = 430) of normal Dutch subjects. The dimensional structure and the strength of the factors were comparable to those found in the Italian sample. The reliability of the PI was found to be satisfactory. As hypothesized substantial correlations were found between the PI and related scales of the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and between the PI and the subscales Sensitivity, Hostility and Depression of the revised version of the Symptom Checklist. Low correlations were found between the PI on the one side and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire revised Extraversion, Psychoticism and Social Desirability scale on the other side. Finally, the mean score of the PI differs across the Italian, American and Dutch samples. This is of theoretical interest and deserves further study.     

The spiral aftereffect and personality

Reported duration of the spiral aftereffect was correlated with scores on the four scales of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and with the Psychoticism (P) scale from the unpublished PEN Inventory. There was a strong positive correlation between PEN P and duration. None of the other correlations approached statistical significance.