Personality, affect and EEG: predicting patterns of regional brain activity related to extraversion and neuroticism

An integration of Heller's model of brain activity based on the affect circumplex and findings from personality research resulted in predictions for patterns of frontal and posterior EEG alpha related to basic dimensions of personality, extraversion and neuroticism (Heller, 1990, 1993). Extraversion was predicted to be associated with greater relative left frontal and increased right posterior region activity, and introversion with greater relative right frontal and decreased right posterior region activity. Neuroticism was predicted to be associated with greater relative right frontal and increased right posterior region activity, and emotional stability with greater relative left frontal and decreased right posterior activity. Measures of extraversion and neuroticism (NEO-PI-R) were collected, and resting EEG was recorded for males and females on one occasion for eight 60-s periods. Mean log-transformed alpha power was extracted from the EEG for each electrode site and repeated-measures multiple regression analyses were conducted. As predicted, neuroticism was associated with greater relative right posterior activity. Predicted effects for neuroticism with frontal regions and for extraversion with brain activity were not significant. Results partially support the model of brain activity and affect proposed by Heller (1990, 1993), and suggest that it may be extended to include basic dimensions of personality such as neuroticism. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.