Eysenck's Theory of Personality

Eysenck based his theory focusing on physiology and genetics. While he believed that learned habits are important, he felt that personality stems from genetic influence or' what we are born with.

Eysenck was a psychologist at Mill Hill hospital during World War Two, where he conducted research concerning the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis. His findings found two major areas of personality - neuroticism and introversion-extroversion. An explanation of each of these areas follows below.

Neuroticism is the factor that Eysenck determined encompassed people who are calm and collected to those who are high strung or nervous. He felt that since most people fell into this category that this was a genetic based dimension of personality and therefore he based his research on physiological properties.

A primary example of this is a person's response to emergencies. Some people are calm and able to deal with things, some are fearful and emotional, and still other are reduced to masses of quivering jelly. This is often referred to as the fight or flight reaction. Eysenck felt that the quivering masses of jelly personas were prime candidates for neurotic disorders.

A panic attack is also an offshoot of this personality dimension. Most people suffer from these attacks, albeit in varying degrees. Most people feel apprehension at crossing a rickety bridge and this is quite normal.

This can be carried to a point where a person is more afraid of being afraid that of actually crossing the bridge. This could consequently be labeled as neurotic.

Introversion-Extroversionis also a factor that is found in all people, running the gamut from the 'wallflower' at the school dance to the 'big man or woman on campus' who has a date every night.

This is classical theorized by the idea of a balance of excitation and inhibition. Pavlov used the terms to label reactions of his dogs to stressful situations.

Pavlov defined excitation as the brain getting itself into a state ready to learn and being alert. He defined inhibition as the brain's ability to shut itself down, as though going to sleep.

Dr. C. George Boeree, in his 1998 article titled 'Hans Eysenck and other Temperament Theorists', he summarized that Eysenck's hypothesis of excitation and inhibition by the following:

"An extrovert is someone who, when faced with a trauma, such as a car crash is 'numbed' to the experience. He remembers little of the circumstances of the accident and needs details to be supplied to him. As he remembers nothing, he continues to be unaffected and learns very little from his mistakes. An introvert, however, would remember everything about the crash in minute detail and is unlikely to carry on the activity as normal - he learns from his mistakes."

Boeree also noted that Eysenck discussed the idea that violent criminals tend to be 'non-neurotic' extroverts. This would support the theory that habitual criminals continually repeat their crimes, mistakes and all. Introverts would be seemingly hard pressed to follow in such a manner, however, there are many areas of criminal activity in which they may excel.

The two dimensions of neuroticism and extroversion-introversion can be intertwined. Introverts will avoid panic situations to the extreme that the will often develop phobias or obsessions about a particular subject. Extroverts will often ignore a situation that is 'larger than they are'. They will deny or repress emotions or problems.

A case in point would be the author of this paper. As a child she was made to accompany her stepfather and siblings on numerous fishing trips and was subjected to the idea that she 'must be like her brothers' and catch fish that would then be served at the next family meal. She didn't like to fish from the outset of these trips, but this fact was ignored.

As a result, she has developed a loathing of any seafood or fish and the smell associated with this type of food and will not eat these things in any form. She also suffers from a phobia of fish, such as guppies or goldfish. Looking at them or being around them caused her to experience panic attacks, hyperventilation and nightmares. These things are, of course, avoided at all costs.

At a latter stage in his research, Eysenck added a third dimension to his theories p that of pyschoticism. This grouping of people seems to encompass what is commonly termed 'social misfit'. These people are of ten found to be cruel, insensitive and have no care for other people's feelings or existence.

Eysenck's theory of personality most certainly can be used to describe most any human being. His perceptions of these traits have become a hallmark of psychology.

While I would argue that no one should be or can be one hundred percent labeled in a particular group, I feel that Eysenck has encapsulated the theory enough so that educational methods can be brought into line and combined with other disciplines to help make us a bit more aware of who and what we are and improve what we have already become.