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Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

Some Metatheoretical Principles for Personality Neuroscience.

Neil McNaughton¹, Luke D Smillie²

¹Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Personality Neuroscience

|May 22, 2020

Summary

This study proposes that phylogenetically old, neural-level traits conserved across vertebrates are fundamental to personality neuroscience. Understanding these conserved neural mechanisms, like hormones and neurotransmitters, is key to advancing trait psychology.

Keywords:

Anxiety/fear Hormones Personality Psychopathology (general)Systematic review evolution hormones monoamines personality traits

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Personality theories must integrate psychological and neural levels of explanation.
Current personality neuroscience often conceptualizes traits at a psychological level, even when neurally oriented.
A gap exists in understanding the neural underpinnings of conserved, evolutionarily ancient traits.

Purpose of the Study:

To argue for the existence of phylogenetically old, neural-level traits conserved across vertebrate species.
To identify neural mechanisms controlling trait-like properties.
To derive metatheoretical principles for developing neuroscience-based personality trait constructs.

Main Methods:

Examining known mechanisms controlling trait-like properties in neural systems.
Focusing on the roles of hormones, GABA_A receptors, and amine neurotransmitter systems.
Deriving principles from neuronal modulation sources to guide trait theory development.

Main Results:

Identified hormones, GABA_A receptor, and amine neurotransmitters as key modulators of neural trait properties.
Proposed that neural-level traits are conserved across many vertebrate species.
Suggested that current descriptive trait approaches (e.g., Big Five) may not directly map to neural mechanisms.

Conclusions:

Neural-level trait constructs are essential for a comprehensive personality neuroscience.
Future research should focus on conserved neural mechanisms underlying personality traits.
A neuroscience-based approach to traits offers a deeper understanding beyond descriptive psychological models.