Genetic and environmental determinants of the lability of trait neuroticism and the symptoms of anxiety and depression
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A genetic analysis was conducted on trait neuroticism and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a five-wave study of 462 twin pairs. Models that assessed the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors to the lability (within-individual variability over time) of these measures were fitted to the data. Previous results concerning the substantial genetic involvement in the level of neuroticism and symptoms were confirmed. However, it was found that neither genes nor the shared environment of the twins was a significant cause of lability of these measures. An attempt was therefore made to identify aspects of individuals' environments that might be responsible for lability of neuroticism and symptoms. Adverse life events were found to predict variability of symptoms, but not of neuroticism. The availability of close social ties or having affectionless control in childhood did not contribute to lability.Keywords:
Lability
Trait
Depression
Malaise
Trait
Trait theory
Affect
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Trait
Trait theory
Affect
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Firstborn
Psychological control
Parenting styles
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Trait
Hand preference
Trait theory
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Amotivation
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Affect
Low arousal theory
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This study examined relationships between individual differences in the spontaneous fluctuation rate of electrodermal activity (EDA lability) and a battery of personality measures. In contrast to previous work, which emphasizes cognitive correlates of EDA lability, in this study a broad-band personality inventory and specific emotion-relevant personality dispositions were administered. A sample of 62 male and female undergraduates completed a battery of personality questionnaires and a laboratory session where spontaneous, nonspecific skin conductance responses were recorded while the subject was at rest in a sound attenuated and dimly lit room. The strongest personality correlate of resting EDA lability, consistent across sexes, was neuroticism (N), with a high N Ss exhibiting more spontaneous sympathetic nervous system activity than low N Ss. Beyond Neuroticism, other results reveal a different pattern of personality correlates of EDA lability in men and women. Discussion focuses on possible sources for this sex difference.
Lability
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Trait
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Moderation
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Abstract Objective Personality dispositions predict how individuals perceive, interpret, and react to social interactions with others. A still unresolved question is (a) whether these personality‐congruent interpersonal perceptions reflect perception biases, which occur when perceivers' dispositions systematically predict deviations between perceivers' and other people's perceptions of the same interaction, and/or selection effects, which occur when perceivers' dispositions predict their selection of interaction partners, and (b) whether these effects feed back into perceivers' personality. Method Data from 110 psychology freshmen involving repeated assessments of Neuroticism and repeated interpersonal perceptions of social interactions with fellow students were analyzed to address these questions, focusing on Neuroticism. Results There is evidence for a Neuroticism‐related positivity bias in interpersonal perceptions (i.e., perceivers high in Neuroticism tended to make more positive judgments of others' sociability and warmth), but little evidence for personality‐congruent selection effects (i.e., Neuroticism‐related preferences for interaction partners). The positivity bias did not predict intrapersonal changes in Neuroticism over time, but the selection of specific interaction partners did. Conclusions These findings help to shed light on the interpersonal perception dynamics of Neuroticism in a real‐life context and add to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying the interplay of personality and interpersonal perceptions.
Interpersonal perception
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