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Some biological and behavioral features associated with clinical personality types
1Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|September 1, 1990
Summary
This review explores evidence for two personality prototypes linked to personality clusters. Differences in traits and biological measures suggest potential links to serotonin and catecholamine activity.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R) categorizes personality disorders into clusters.
- Existing classifications may not fully capture the complexity of personality variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence supporting two distinct personality prototypes.
- To explore the biological underpinnings of these prototypes.
- To suggest a supplemental classification axis for personality.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of supporting evidence for personality prototypes.
- Analysis of trait dimensions and biological measures associated with prototypes.
- Discussion of neurochemical (serotonin, catecholamine) influences.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests two personality prototypes align with DSM-III-R clusters.
- These prototypes exhibit extreme trait variations and biological differences.
- Potential links between serotonin/catecholamine activity and prototype features are discussed.
Conclusions:
- The proposed personality prototypes offer a novel conceptualization.
- Biological factors, including neurotransmitter activity, may play a role.
- This framework could serve as a supplemental axis in personality classification.