hydroxylase, cortisol and noradrenaline in cerebrospinal fluid may also be involved.
In his last work Eysenck (1998) suggests that the P dimension may also based on the
cortical arousal level in the central nervous system and, therefore, high P-scorers,
like high E-scorers, have a low level of cortical arousal.
Many people confuse Neuroticism with neurosis and Psychoticism with psychosis. However,
even though he first began to identify Psychoticism in 1952 through work with psychiatric
patients, Eysenck (1995) was at pains to stress that N and P may only represent a
potential predisposition - a diathesis - to develop psychological disorders. However,
Gordon Claridge (1985) asserts that, under extreme stress, the predisposition can
become a psychiatric illness.
Eysenck linked high Psychoticism, Extraversion and Neuroticism to a strong potential
to develop a ‘criminal personality’.
The Relevance of Temperament
The work of Eysenck and others in this field, such as Jerome Kagan, is vital to our
understanding of the human psyche and the development of Integrated SocioPsychology.
Beneath the schemas and meta-states, which can be worked on with Cognitive and NLP-type
therapies, lie innate temperamental dispositions. People can be conditioned to go
beyond their innate dispositions and higher vMEMES may lead them to want to go beyond
them; but essentially a shy person is always going to be a shy person. They may be
less shy with some people in certain circumstances - learned or motivational response
- but they have a default shyness (temperamental).
Moreover, it would appear, from the work of the likes of N N Trauel, that our temperamental
dispositions can influence our preferences in ascending the Spiral and, from the
work of Julian Rotter (amongst others), the manner of attribution in forming meta-states.
So, for anyone dealing with people, from parents to therapists to managers, etc,
understanding temperamental dispositions and dealing with their less-helpful aspects
is a must!
*Note: Eysenck referred to his model as ‘Dimensions of Personality’. ‘Dimensions
of Temperament’ is preferred here for clarity. There is considerable debate amongst
psychologists as to the precise meaning of ‘personality’ whilst ‘temperament’ seems
to be universally understood.
Click here to learn about Integrated SocioPsychology ‘open’ workshop programmes which
use Dimensions of Temperament as a key structure.
Temperament Links
Part 2
A Third Dimension of Temperament
Hans Eysenck later (with his wife, Sybil, 1976) identified a third natural Dimension,
Psychoticism (P) - not to be confused with psychosis, though they may share characteristics.
People who are very high in Psychoticism are likely to be impulsive, compulsive,
totally self-focused, reckless, aggressive, and may display anti-social behaviour
and be sexual predators. According to Eysenck & Eysenck, “A high scorer...may be
described as being solitary, not caring for people, he is often troublesome, not
fitting in anywhere. He may be cruel and inhumane, lacking in feelings and empathy,
and altogether insensitive, He is hostile to others, even his own kith and kin, and
aggressive even to loved ones...he likes to make fools of other people and to upset
them.”
At the other extreme (which Eysenck sometimes termed Impulse Control), those who
are very low in Psychoticism are likely to be very empathetic and caring but may
be indecisive and servile to the point of abasement.
If this sounds like there may be a gender element to the extremes of Psychoticism,
then that would be reflected in Eysenck's attribution of Psychoticism to the amount
of testosterone released into the body via the endocrine system. Testosterone is
the most prominent of the male sex hormones - associated with sex drive and aggression
- so no surprise that Eysenck found the vast majority high in Psychoticism were male.
However, females do have testosterone in their bodies - and some more than others
(from hormone washes in the womb and during puberty, plus oestregen converts to testosterone
during sexual activity and quite markedly in some women during and after the menopause).
Which explains the small(-ish) number of women high in Psychoticism.
D Lester (1989) linked Psychoticism to levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.(which
has also been linked to psychosis and Schizophrenia). Eysenck himself (1992) implicated
low levels of platelet monamine oxidase; and there have been suggestions that beta-
