The Neuroscience of Personality

The Neuroscience of Personality

Lydia Field

Parietal Lobe

Parietal Regions

C3: Motions and sensation on the right side of the body, recalling of facts (dates, percentages, proper names, etc.) and physical action steps

C4: Motions and sensations on the left side of the body, recalling aesthetic qualities and whole-body experiences

P3: Integration of visual-kinesthetic data, object identification, motor skills, mathematical calculation using a grid

P4: Holistically weigh the numerous pros and cons of risky factors or options at once to arrive at a single result

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Five Factor Model (FFM)

Extravert (E) or Introvert (I)

Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)

Feeling (F) or Thinking (T)

Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

Extraversion

Openness/Intellect

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness

Neuroticism

Occipital Lobe

Frontal Lobe

Occipital Regions

Pre-Frontal Regions

O1: Handles images which enter through the right eye, manipulates images analytically

O2: Handles images which enter through the left eye, interprets images in a holistic way, processes abstract visual impressions

These two anterior regions of the neocortex act as superb managers

Fp1: Active when a person is explaining, picks amongst options, or explains a meaning, also screens out negative information which could serve as an emotional distraction

Fp2: Active when a person deals with new information or has reached maximum capacity to generate ideas, also this region admits negative input and mutes emotional responses to allow reflection on input

Frontal Regions

F7: Mirroring others' behaviors (especially physical), engage in mental rehearsal, and infer likely details according to context

F3: Arriving at linearly derived solutions using verbal/symbolic reasoning

F4: Categorize and define concepts in a holistic way, through spatial-kinesthetic best-fit

F8: Evaluation of people and situations in terms of personal importance (spectrum of like to dislike), attending to literal details rather than inferring based on the situation

The Brain

Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world? (Extravert vs. Introvert)

Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning? (Sensing vs. Intuition)

When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at the people and special circumstances or logic and consistency? (Feeling vs. Thinking)

In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to decide things or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? (Judging vs. Perceiving)

Si, Ti, Ni, Fi, Se, Te, Ne, Fe

Temporal Lobe

Temporal Regions

Extraversion

My Family: A Case Study

Openness/Intellect

Dad: ESTP

Mom: ISFJ

Neurology and Genetics of The Five Factor Model

T3: Analytical approach to spoken language (focuses on specific words, correct grammar, proper usage, and effective diction)

T4: Holistic approach to language (tone of voice and other affective qualities of speech

T5: Allows us to act in a socially appropriate manner, source of the feeling of embarrassment and shame which cause us to respond quickly and appropriately meet the social expectations of others, also aids males in recognizing and analyzing facts

T6: Active when thinking about what will occur in the future by projecting how a situation will play out around us, also it gives symbolic meaning to images, aids women in recognizing and evaluating faces

• Dopamine
• Dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex: ability to solve novel problems
• Dopamine strongly modulates the functions of the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex
• Variation in the Catechol-O-methyltransferasee (COMT)
• Regulates dopamine in the pre-frontal cortex

Se

Ti

Fe

Ni

Si

Fe

Ti

Ne

• Dopamine
• Extraverts have a lower baseline level of cortical arousal
• Testosterone is also positively associated with Extraversion
• Introverts have more blood flow to the frontal lobes and anterior thalamus
• Extraverts have more blood flow to the anterior cingulate gyrus, temporal lobes, and posterior thalamus
• Extraversion associated with decreased latent inhibition

And I hope that was helpful!

Me: INFJ

Ni

Fe

Ti

Se

• Low-level cognitive phenomenon mediated by dopamine

Neuroticism

Agreeableness

Consciousness

Just how powerful is Nature vs. Nurture?

• Serotonin
• Higher baseline levels of cortisol
• Greater activation of the right frontal lobe
• Right hemisphere is thought to be involved in emotions
• Variation in the serotonin transporter gene

• Serotonin
• Variation in the monoamine oxidase-A gene
• Variation in the serotonin transporter gene
• Empathy = mirror neuron system
• Oxytocin, testosterone, and estrogen
• Higher exposure to testosterone reduces Feeling

• Serotonin
• Impulsiveness: high Extraversion and lower Conscientiousness
• Impulse Sensation Seeking associated with high levels of dopamine function, and low serotonin function
• Glucose metabolism: blood-glucose depleted by acts of self-control
• Individuals whose metabolism provides brain ample and steady glucose are likely to be less impulsive
• Pre-frontal cortex: involved in planning and voluntary control behaviors, has a high consumption of glucose

That's All, Folks!