The Origins of Neuroticism

Abstract

In this article, we provide a fresh perspective on the developmental origins of neuroticism--a dimension of temperament marked by elevated stress reactivity resulting in the frequent experience of negative emotions. This negative affectivity is accompanied by a pervasive perception that the world is a dangerous and threatening place, along with beliefs about one's inability to manage or cope with challenging events. Historically, neuroticism has been viewed as a stable, genetically based trait. However, recent understanding of ongoing gene-environment interactions that occur throughout the life span suggests there may be a more complex and dynamic etiology. Thus, the purpose of this article is to offer a theory for understanding the development of neuroticism that integrates genetic, neurobiological, and environmental contributions to this trait. Given the strong correlation between neuroticism and the development of negative health outcomes--most notably, the full range of anxiety and mood disorders--an enhanced understanding of how neuroticism originates has implications for the treatment and prevention of a broad range of pathologies and, perhaps, even for the prevention of neuroticism itself.

The Neurobiology of Dispositional Negativity and Attentional Biases to Threat: Implications for Understanding Anxiety Disorders in Adults and Youth

“…Conversely, there is growing evidence that cognitive-behavioral (Barlow et al, 2013; Bennett et al, 2015; Mihalopoulos et al, 2015) and pharmacological interventions for anxiety and depression (Barlow et al, 2013; Knutson et al, 1998; Soskin, Carl, Alpert, & Fava, 2012) can produce lasting reductions in dispositional negativity. This plasticity raises the possibility of developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies (Barlow, Ellard, Sauer-Zavala, Bullis, & Carl, 2014; Barlow et al, 2013; Bennett et al, 2015; Chronis-Tuscano et al, 2015; Hudson & Fraley, 2015; Magidson, Roberts, Collado-Rodriguez, & Lejuez, 2014; Mihalopoulos et al, 2015). …”

“…Like the internalizing disorders, dispositional negativity is a complex, multidimensional phenotype that encompasses individual differences in feelings, neuroendocrine activity, peripheral physiology, attention, memory, and behavior (Barlow et al, 2014; Barlow et al, 2013; Cavanagh & Shackman, 2015; Fox & Kalin, 2014; Grupe & Nitschke, 2013; LeDoux, 2015; Okon-Singer et al, in press; Oler et al, 2016; Shackman et al, 2013). An important challenge is to identify the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie each of these core features and understand how they confer increased risk for psychopathology.…”

Stress and depression: old questions, new approaches

“…Joining the list of prime predictors of depression or moderators of the stress-depression link, neuroticism is a core human trait reflecting the tendency to interpret the world as dangerous and threatening, coupled with negative emotional reactions in response to stress [38] and is highly predictive of mood and anxiety disorders [39,40]. Certain personality traits or interaction styles potentially predictive of dysfunctional (and stressful) interpersonal relationships have also been linked with depression outcomes, including excessive reassuranceseeking, dependency, rejection sensitivity, insecure attachment style, and related dispositions ( [33]; see also [10]).…”

A preliminary investigation of the effects of the unified protocol on temperament

“…Temperament refers to a biologically based tendency to experience a particular constellation of emotions, as well as characteristic levels emotional intensity and reactivity to specific types of stimuli (Allport, 1937; Barlow, Sauer-Zavala, Carl, Ellard, & Bullis, 2013). Contemporary research suggests overlap between temperament and two higher order dimensions of personality that reflect fundamental emotional tendencies, namely: neuroticism and extraversion (Clark & Watson, 1999).…”