Resting Frontal Eeg Asymmetry and Personality Traits: A Meta–Analysis

Abstract

Frontal asymmetry has been widely used as a marker of emotion, motivation, and psychopathology. When assessed during the resting state, it is regarded as an index of trait approach and withdrawal motivation. However, the replicability of these associations with personality is currently unclear. The present meta-analysis seeks to provide a comprehensive quantitative review of the relationship between personality traits and resting electroencephalographic (EEG) frontal asymmetry. We distinguished five personality clusters: extraversion, neuroticism, impulsivity, anger, and defensiveness. Data from 79 independent samples with overall 5700 participants were included in the metaanalysis. The results revealed that less than 0.4% of the variance in extraversion and neuroticism could be explained by resting frontal asymmetry. Similarly, a small effect was observed for trait anger, and a small-sized to medium-sized effect was observed for defensiveness, although the number of studies was very low. No significant effect emerged for impulsivity. The effects were further reduced after adjustment for publication bias. Given some evidence for heterogeneity, sub-traits were analysed, and methodological moderators were investigated. Based on the results, we conclude that the validity of resting frontal asymmetry as a marker for personality is not supported. Finally, recommendations are given to increase the replicability of frontal asymmetry research.

Revenge is sweet: Investigation of the effects ofApproach‐Motivatedanger on theRewPin the motivated anger delay (MAD) paradigm

“…Increases in left frontal alpha asymmetry have consistently been found to be a reliable biomarker of approach‐motivated anger (d'Alfonso, van Honk, Hermans, Postma, & de Haan, 2000; Harmon‐Jones & Gable, 2018; Jensen‐Campbell et al, 2007; Kelley, Eastwick, Harmon‐Jones, & Schmeichel, 2015; Verona et al, 2009). However, a recent meta‐analysis found small effect sizes for the relationship between frontal asymmetry and anger (Kuper, Käckenmester, & Wacker, 2019), suggesting that the relationship between frontal asymmetry and anger may not exist across all contexts for all individuals. For example, when anger is not able to be expressed, some individuals do not show a relationship between left frontal alpha asymmetry and anger (Zinner, Brodish, Devine, & Harmon‐Jones, 2008).…”

From Description to Explanation: Integrating Across Multiple Levels of Analysis to Inform Neuroscientific Accounts of Dimensional Personality Pathology

“…Others have similarly found that, in both healthy and depressed participants, symptoms of depression associated with low motivation (which typically load on the low pole of Extraversion) were associated with decreased relative left frontal cortical activity, but only during reward anticipation (Nelson, Kessel, Klein, & Shankman, 2018). In contrast, recent meta-analyses have repeatedly found that Extraversion is unrelated to left frontal asymmetry at rest (Kuper, Käckenmester, & Wacker, 2019;Wacker, Chavanon, & Stemmler, 2010).…”

EEG Resting Asymmetries and Frequency Oscillations in Approach/Avoidance Personality Traits: A Systematic Review

“…Thus, brain alpha oscillations can be considered as the measure of latent individual disposition to a specific style of behavior. However, the replicability of these associations with approach/avoidance personality traits is still unclear [7]. The same can be 1.…”