Agreeable smellers and sensitive neurotics--correlations among personality traits and sensory thresholds

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Correlations between personality traits and a wide range of sensory thresholds were examined. Participants (N = 124) completed a personality inventory (NEO-FFI) and underwent assessment of olfactory, trigeminal, tactile and gustatory detection thresholds, as well as examination of trigeminal and tactile pain thresholds. Significantly enhanced odor sensitivity in socially agreeable people, significantly enhanced trigeminal sensitivity in neurotic subjects, and a tendency for enhanced pain tolerance in highly conscientious participants was revealed. It is postulated that varied sensory processing may influence an individual's perception of the environment; particularly their perception of socially relevant or potentially dangerous stimuli and thus, varied with personality.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere18701
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume6
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 27 Apr 2011
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 79955691130
researchoutputwizard legacy.publication#42580
PubMed 21556139
PubMedCentral PMC3083394
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/146645182

Keywords

Keywords

  • Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neurotic Disorders/physiopathology, Personality, Sensory Thresholds, Smell, Surveys and Questionnaires, Trigeminal Nerve/physiology