the study of the nature of intelligence. It draws on multiple empirical disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics, anthropology, computer science, sociology and biology.
- Wikipedia, 2009
the study of the precise nature of different mental tasks and the operations of the brain that enable them to be performed, engaging branches of psychology, computer science, philosophy, and linguistics.
Dictionary.com unabridged, based on the Random House Dictionary © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Each primary trait in the Five-Factor Model reflects how a unique stimulus triggers the body’s arousal system into action.
Need for Stability: stress triggers your automatic nervous system, or fight-or-flight response. A period of arousal is followed by a return to normalcy and calm. Individuals with higher N scores have a shorter trigger and can’t take a lot of stress before feeling it. People with lower N scores are able to take abundant amounts of stress before feeling it.
Extraversion: sensation, or the five senses, is the trigger. Your E score is an estimate of the point when your motoric nervous system is aroused, becomes saturated with sensation and craves relief. While Extraversion is traditionally associated with sociability, that is because other people are the most common source of stimulation. People with higher E scores can take more sensation before becoming saturated.
Originality: novelty is the trigger. Dopamine is widely considered the “creativity” chemical, with levels of dopamine and dopamine receptors related to one’s ability to hold visual images in the mind. Your O score represents the point at which you have used up your available dopamine in your pursuit of novelty and your system says “no more novelty or complexity. Take me aback to the simple and familiar, the tried and true.”
Accommodation: the trigger is dominance. The arousal system consists of sex hormones (such as testosterone and estrogen) and serotonin, the neurotransmitter involved in sleep, depression and memory. For people with a relative abundance of male hormones and a relative deficit of female hormones defiance is the norm. Someone with an opposite balance of hormones would normally be submissive. You’re a score is an estimate of the point when you tire of being defiant and turn submissive.
Consolidation: distractions are the trigger. The arousal system supporting C behaviors is attentional focus, greatly impacted by levels of testosterone. High levels of testosterone are associated with a greater capacity for sustained, repetitive, goal-focused behavior. Distractions trigger the attentional system, causing loss of focus. Your C score is an estimate of the point when you finally say, “That’s enough focusing for now. Time for a break.”