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Personality from Top (Traits) to Bottom (Genetics) with Stops at each Level Between

  • Chapter
Foundations of Personality

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 72))

Abstract

The Alternative Five Factor model was developed from factor analyses of questionnaire scales believed to measure basic personality factors and it includes the following trait factors: Sociability, Neuroticism-Anxiety, Impulsive Unsocialized Sensation Seeking, Aggression-Hostility, and Activity. Associated with each trait are characteristic desired and avoided goals, typical generalized expectancies and affective traits. I review the various biological “levels” underlying the traits, including the psychophysiological, psychopharmacological, neurological, and genetic levels. Certain biological traits, such as the augumenting or reducing of the cortical evoked potential, gonadal hormones, and the enzyme monoamine oxidese (MAO), have shown relatively consistent relationships with personality traits like impulsive sensation seeking and sociability, although there is no simple isomorphism between single biological markers and traits. The experimental literature on the behavioral functions of brain monoamine systems in other species, and the findings of biological psychiatry suggest a model for the biological basis of personality.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Marvin Zuckerman

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  1. Marvin Zuckerman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tilburg University, The Netherlands

    Joop Hettema

  2. University of Edinburgh, UK

    Ian J. Deary

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Zuckerman, M. (1993). Personality from Top (Traits) to Bottom (Genetics) with Stops at each Level Between. In: Hettema, J., Deary, I.J. (eds) Foundations of Personality. NATO ASI Series, vol 72. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1660-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1660-2_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4725-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1660-2

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