Eysenck's Personality Theory

• Eysenck came up with these types of personalities:

  • Extraversion = arousal in the nervous system - under-aroused and seeks simulation
  • Introversion = innately over-aroused and reducing or avoiding stimulation
  • Neuroticism = reacts quickly, vigilant for threats in the environment
  • Stability = calm under pressure, underactive SNS
  • Psychoticism = higher levels of testosterone, so men are more likely to be psychotic
• Eysenck's research (1947)

  • 700 servicemen completed a questionnaire which was analysed using factor analysis
  • He identified the dimensions seen as a wheel that showed the personality traits of "unstable", "extroverted", "stable", and "introverted"
  • Eysenck stated our personality is made up of 2 dimensions: Extraversion vs Introversion and Neuroticism vs Emotional Stability
• Extraversion vs Introversion (social vs reserved)

  • concerns the amount of stimulation a person needs
  • extroverts are sociable but become bored very easily
  • introverts need very little stimulation and are often in control of their stimulations
• Neuroticism vs Stability (anxious vs calm)

  • neurotics are often anxious and irrational
  • whereas stable personalities worry less and are more emotionally well-adjusted
• Eysennck later added another personality trait - Psychoticism

  • these people are cold, uncaring, and aggressive to others and will further indicate a tendency to criminality
• His theory predicts that criminals will be people with personalities that are extroverted, neurotic, and psychotic. Therefore criminals are impulsive, thrill-seeking, unstable, and unable to accept/understand the rules of society.
• Eysenck - Evaluation

  • Strengths = one of the first theories that attempted to quantify criminal personality and used tools to measure traits, other studies support this theory
  • Limitations = relies on the accuracy of the questionnaires which are self-reported, evidence on prisoners does show a correlation but this does not mean that the personality type causes criminality