Helen Fisher, PhD

Four Primary Temperament Dimensions Based on Neurochemistry

Fisher, HE, J Rich, HD Island, D Marchalik, L Silver and D Zava (2010)
Poster in Session Division 06, # ind100247, at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association San Diego, August 14, 2010

We investigated the hypothesis that specific suites of co-varying heritable temperament traits are associated with broad yet specific human neural systems. Personality is composed of two basic types of traits: traits that an individual acquires, dimensions of character; and traits with biological underpinnings, dimensions of temperament (Cloninger 1987). This paper examines only those traits the current literature associates with traits of temperament. Many traits of temperament are heritable, relatively stable across the life course and linked to specific gene pathways and/or hormone or neurotransmitter systems.

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