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Personality in the third dimension: A psychobiological approach

1989; Elsevier BV; Volume: 10; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0191-8869(89)90004-4

1873-3549

Marvin Zuckerman,

Behavioral Health and Interventions

An attempt is made to define the P dimension of personality in terms of its constituent traits, biological correlates, genetic bases, and relation to forms of psychopathology. Factor analyses revealed a coherent P supertrait incorporating the narrower traits of impulsivity, sensation seeking, lack of socialization and responsibility, autonomy, and aggression. Biological correlates of P dimension traits and some of the related types of psychopathology include poor conditionability, augmenting of the cortical evoked potential (EP), and low levels of the monoamine regulating enzymes monoamine oxidase (MAO) and dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), the serotonin metabolite (5-HIAA), norepinephrine in the cerebrospinal fluid, and cortisol. P is related to high levels of gonadal hormones in males. More than half of the variance in P psychological traits and more than 80% of the variance in the correlated enzymes MAO and DBH is determined by heredity.