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Revisiting Eysenck: The Association Between Personality and Acute Stress Reactivity
Max J Marshall1, Katlyn Peck1, Robin Hunter1
1Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2024
Summary
Extraversion is linked to heightened physiological stress responses, particularly in women, measured by galvanic skin responses (GSR). However, this personality trait did not correlate with cortisol levels in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychophysiology
- Personality Science
Background:
- Eysenck's biopsychological model links extraversion-introversion to arousal thresholds influencing stress responses.
- Previous research on personality and stress reactivity has yielded inconsistent findings.
- Contemporary studies require re-evaluation of Eysenck's model with modern stress induction protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between personality dimensions (extraversion-introversion, neuroticism-stability) and stress reactivity.
- To re-examine Eysenck's biopsychological model of stress using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).
- To explore sex differences in the relationship between personality and stress responses.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 122 participants aged 18-80 years.
- Administered personality questionnaires and exposed participants to the TSST.
- Measured salivary cortisol and galvanic skin responses (GSR) during the TSST.
Main Results:
- Higher extraversion scores were associated with increased GSR, indicating heightened physiological arousal.
- This association between extraversion and GSR was predominantly observed in female participants.
- No significant correlations were found between personality dimensions and cortisol levels or between neuroticism-stability and stress reactivity.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a nuanced relationship between personality and stress reactivity, emphasizing the role of specific physiological measures.
- Extraversion may be linked to specific stress-sensitive systems, like electrodermal activity, particularly in women.
- Future research should consider the chosen stress induction method and the specific physiological systems being measured when examining personality-stress links.
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