Thayer

By factor analyzing responses to an adjective checklist, Thayer (1978a, 1978b, 1986; Eysenck, 1990) derived two factors: energetic arousal (vigorous, lively, full of pep, active, happy, and activated), and tense arousal (anxious, jittery, clutched up, fearful, intense, and stirred up). Unlike extraversion and neuroticism, energetic and tense arousal are states, not traits. Extraverts are usually high on energetic arousal, whereas neurotics are usually high on tense arousal.

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Psychoticism

Thayer

Energetic ArousalTense Arousal
Atkinson
1		Approach Motivation / Need for Achievement / Joy of SuccessAvoidance Motivation / Fear of Failure / Pain of Failure

Barratt

Action OrientationAnxiety

Cloninger

Behavioral Activation / Novelty SeekingBehavioral Inhibition / Harm AvoidanceBehavioral Maintenance / Reward Dependence

Davidson

Approach / (Non-) DepressionAvoidance / Inhibition / Depression

Depue

Behavioral Facilitation / Mania / Positive EmotionalityBehavioral Inhibition
Dollard and Miller
2		ApproachAvoidance

Eysenck

Extraversion / Arousal / Positive AffectNeuroticism / Activation / Negative AffectPsychoticism / Anger

Fowles

Behavioral Activation / Impulsivity / Positive AffectBehavioral Inhibition / AversionNon-Specific Arousal

Gray

Behavioral Approach / Impulsivity / Positive AffectBehavioral Inhibition / Anxiety / Negative AffectFight vs. Flight / Aggression

Kagan

 Behavioral Inhibition

Newman

Impulsivity / Positive AffectAnxiety / Negative Affect

Revelle

Approach / Instigation of BehaviorAvoidance / Inhibition of BehaviorAggression

Simonov

"Strong" Type (Choleric) vs. "Weak" Type (Melancholic)

Tellegen

Positive Affectivity / Positive AffectNegative Affectivity / Negative AffectConstraint Avoidance

Watson and Clark

Positive AffectivityNegative Affectivity

Zuckerman

Extraversion / Positive AffectNeuroticismPsychoticism / Impulsivity / Sensation Seeking / Aggression-Anger

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Psychoticism

(This table is adapted from Revelle [1997], and Eysenck [1990].)

References

Eysenck, H. J. (1990). Biological dimensions of personality. In L. A. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (pp. 244-276). New York: Guilford.

Revelle, W. (1997, August 12). Three fundamental dimensions of personality [WWW document]. URL http://personality-project.org/perproj/theory/big3.table.html

Thayer, R. E. (1978a). Factor analytic and reliability studies on the Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List. Psychological Reports, 42, 747-756.

Thayer, R. E. (1978b). Toward a psychological theory of multidimensional activation (arousal). Motivation and Emotion, 2, 1-34.

Thayer, R. E. (1986). Activation (arousal): The shift from a single to a multidimensional perspective. In J. Strelau, F. Farley, & A. Gale (Eds.), The biological basis of personality and behavior, Vol. 1 (pp. 115-127). London: Hemisphere.

Last modified January 1999
Visited times since July 2001
Comments?

Home to PEN Model

Home to Great Ideas in Personality