The relationship between Gray's and Eysenck's personality spaces
In a sample of 171 healthy volunteers, the present study examined the relationships between questionnaire measures of trait anxiety, punishment sensitivity, and impulsivity with the measures from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). This was undertaken in order to explore the relative location of the personality dimensions central to the ideas of Gray and Eysenck. Results confirmed that the behavioural inhibition personality dimension (anxiety) lies at a non-negligible angle relative to neuroticism (N) especially when measured via special purpose questionnaires. This dimension also appeared largely independent of psychoticism (P) which suggests limits on the importance of a hypoacti…
Personality and reinforcement: An exploration using a maze-learning task
A computerized maze learning task was investigated under control, reward and punishment, provided by differing financial reinforcement contingencies. The relationships between speed crossing the maze and anxiety and impulsivity personality traits were explored. Anxiety is hypothesized to reflect a behavioural inhibition system active in punishing environments; and impulsivity, to reflect an activation system active in rewarding environments. Of the measures of impulsivity taken, only one—venturesomeness from the I7—was associated significantly with increased maze crossing speed; this was found particularly in the reward condition and in males. Several anxiety variables were associated with …