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Neuroticism as mental noise: Evidence from a continuous tracking task.
Robert J Klein1, Michael D Robinson1
1Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota.
Journal of Personality
|February 26, 2019
Summary
High Neuroticism is linked to poorer self-control, even without external threats. This cognitive instability, or "mental noise," affects daily emotional well-being and performance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Neuroticism theories often focus on threat sensitivity.
- An alternative view suggests Neuroticism may cause cognitive instability or "mental noise."
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between Neuroticism and cognitive instability.
- To explore if cognitive instability affects self-regulation and negative affect.
Main Methods:
- Four studies involving 541 participants.
- Continuous tracking tasks assessed momentary monitoring and control.
Main Results:
- Neuroticism consistently correlated with performance deficits.
- These deficits occurred irrespective of external threat cues.
- Deficits predicted higher daily negative affect.
Conclusions:
- Higher Neuroticism is associated with noisier momentary self-regulation.
- Cognitive instability may be a key mechanism underlying Neuroticism's effects.
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