Skip to main content

Issues in the Measurement of Arousability

  • Chapter
Personality Dimensions and Arousal

Part of the book series: Perspectives on Individual Differences ((PIDF))

Abstract

Some concept of arousability is central to several current theories of individual differences. Notable instances are the concepts of subjective augmentation versus reduction of stimulus intensities (Petrie, 1967), introversion-extraversion (Eysenck, 1967), reactivity (Strelau, 1983), and strength of the nervous system (Nebylistyn, 1972a). Several authors have noted the conceptual similarities among some or all of these theoretical constructs (e. g. Barnes, 1976; Davis, Cowles, & Kohn, 1983; Eysenck, 1981; Gray, 1967; Strelau, 1982). Accordingly, the term, arousability, will be used generically here when referring to common properties of these constructs or measures thereof.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Baker, A. H., Mishara, B. L., Kostin, I. W., & Parker, L. Kinesthetic aftereffect and personality: A case study of issues involved in construct validation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976, 34, 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, G. E. Extraversion and pain. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 1975, 14, 303–308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, G. E. Individual differences in perceptual reactance: A review of the stimulusintensity-modulation individual-difference dimension. Canadian Psychological Review, 1976, 17, 29–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, G. E. The Vando R-A Scale as a measure of stimulus reducing-augmenting. In J. Strelau, F. H. Farley, & A. Gale (Eds.), The biological bases of personality and behavior: Theories, measurement techniques, and development (Vol. 1). Washington: Hemisphere, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, H. S. Becoming a marihuana user. American Journal of Sociology, 1953, 59, 235–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, H. S. History, culture and subjective experience: An exploration of the social bases of drug-induced experiences. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1967, 8, 163–176.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buchsbaum, M. Neural events and psychophysical law. Science, 1971, 172, 502.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carlier, M. Factor analysis of Strelau’s questionnaire and an attempt to validate some of the factors. In J. Strelau, F. H. Farley, & A. Gale (Eds.) The biological bases of personality and behavior: Theories, measurement techniques, and development (Vol. 1). Washington: Hemisphere, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrol, E. N., Zuckerman, M., & Vogel, W. H. A test of the optimal level of arousal theory of sensation seeking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1982, 42, 572–575.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, C. A., Cowles, M. P., & Kohn, P. M. Strength of the nervous system and augmenting-reducing: Paradox lost. Personality and Individual Differences, 1983, 4, 491–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis., C. A., Cowles, M. P., & Kohn, P. M. Behavioural and physiological aspects of the augmenting-reducing dimension. Personality and Individual Differences, 1984, 5, 683–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dubreuil, D. L., & Kohn, P. M. Reactivity and response to pain. Personality and Individual Differences, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, A. L. The social desirability factor in personality assessment and research. New York: Dryden, 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, H. J. The biological basis of personality. Springfield Il.: Charles C Thomas, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, H. J. The origin and construction of the M.P.I. In H. J. Eysenck & S. B. G. Eysenck (Eds.), Personality structure and measurement. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, H. J. General features of the model. In H. J. Eysenck (Ed.), A model for personality. Berlin: Springer, 1981.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, H. J., & Eysenck, S. B. G. Manual of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. San Diego: Educational and Industrial Testing Service, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, H. J., & Eysenck, S. B. G. Manual of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. London: Holder & Stoughton, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorgione, A., & Barber, T. X. A strain gauge pain stimulator. Psychophysiology, 1971, 8, 102–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliland, K. The Temperament Inventory: Relationship to theoretically similar Western personality dimensions and construct validity. In J. Strelau, F. H. Farley, & A. Gale (Eds.) The biological bases of personality and behavior: Theories, measurement techniques, and development (Vol. 1). Washington: Hemisphere, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, D., Kohn, P. M., & Hunt, R. W. Sensation seeking, augmenting-reducing and absolute auditory threshold: A strength-of-the-nervous-system perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1983, 45, 405–419.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, J. A. Strength of the nervous system, introversion-extraversion, conditionability and arousal. Behavioral Research and Therapy, 1967, 5, 151–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, T. R., & Weintraub, D. J. Roundup time at personality ranch: Branding the elusive augmenters and reducers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1982, 42, 729–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ippolitov, F. V. Internalyzer differences in the sensitivity-strength parameter for vision, hearing and cutaneous modalities. In V. D. Nebylitsyn & J. A. Gray (Eds.), Biological bases of individual behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keuss, P. J. G., & Orlebeke, J. F. Transmarginal inhibition in a reaction time task as a function of extraversion and neuroticism. Acta Psychologica, 1977, 41, 139–150.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M. Sensation seeking, augmenting-reducing, and strength of the nervous system. In J. T. Spence & C. Izard (Eds.), Motivation, emotion, and personality: Proceedings of the XXIII International Congress of Psychology. Amsterdam: North Holland-Elsevier, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., & Annis, H. M. Validity data on a modified version of Pearson’s Novelty-Experiencing Scale. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 1975, 7, 274–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., & Coulas, J. T. Sensation seeking, augmenting-reducing, and the perceived and preferred effects of drugs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1985, 48, 99–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., Barnes, G. E., & Hoffman, F. M. Drug-use history and experience seeking among adult male correctional inmates. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1979, 47, 708–715.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., Hunt, R. W., Cowles, M. P., & Davis, C. A. Factor structure and construct validity of the Vando Reducer-Augmenter Scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 1986, 7, 57–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., Hunt, R. W., & Hoffman, F. M. Aspects of experience seeking. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 1982, 14, 13–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, P. M., Cowles, M. P., & Lafreniere, K. Relationships between psychometric and experimental measures of arousability. Personality and Individual Differences, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, J., Shumate, M., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. Is the Vando Scale a valid measure of perceptual reactance?. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1980, 51, 1035–1038.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehrabian, A. A questionnaire measure of individual differences in stimulus screening and associated differences in arousability. Environmental Psychology and Nonverbal Behavior, 1977, 1, 89–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. A measure of arousal seeking tendency. Environment and Behavior, 1973, 5, 315–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milham, J., & Jacobson, L. The need for approval. In H. London, & J. E. Exner (Eds.), Dimensions of personality. New York: Wiley, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishara, B. L., & Baker, A. H. Kinesthetic aftereffect scores are reliable. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1978, 2, 239–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, A. H., & Hilgard, E. R. The lack of retest reliability in individual differences in the kinesthetic aftereffect. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1972, 32, 871–878.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nebylitsyn, V. D. Fundamental properties of the human nervous system. New York: Plenum Press, 1972. (a)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nebylitsyn, V. D. The problem of general and partial properties of the nervous system. In V. D. Nebylitsyn & J. A. Gray (Eds.), Biological bases of individual behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1972. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Paisey, T. J. H., & Mangan, G. L. The relationship of extraversion, neuroticism and sensation seeking to questionnaire-derived measures of nervous-system properties. Pavlovian Journal of Biological Science, 1980, 15, 123–130.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, P. H. Relationships between global and specified measures of novelty seeking. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1970, 37, 23–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrie, A. Individuality in pain and suffering. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, O. Drugs, society and human behavior. Saint Louis: Mosby, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reason, J. T. Individual differences in auditory reaction time and loudness estimation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1968, 236, 1089–1090.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, D. W., & Ware, E. E. Multidimensionality of internal versus external locus of control: Addition of a third dimension and nondistinction of self versus others. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 1974, 6, 131–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocklin, T., & Revelle, W. The measurement of extraversion: A comparison of the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. British Journal of Social Psychology, 1981, 20, 279–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sales, S. M. Need for stimulation as a factor in social behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1971, 19, 124–134.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sales, S. M. Need for stimulation as a factor in preference for different stimuli. Journal of Personality Assessment, 1972, 36, 56–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sales, S. M., & Throop, W. F. Relationship between kinesthetic aftereffect and “strength of the nervous system.” Psychophysiology, 1972, 9, 492–497.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stelmack, R. M., Kruidenier, B. G., & Anthony, S. B. A factor analysis of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Strelau Temperament Inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 1985, 6, 657–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strelau, J. A diagnosis of temperament by nonexperimental techniques. Polish Psychological Bulletin, 1972, 3, 97–105. (a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Strelau, J. The general and partial nervous system types—data and theory. In V. D. Nebylitsyn & J. A. Gray (Eds.), Biological bases of individual behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1972. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Strelau, J. Biologically determined dimensions of personality or temperament. Personality and Individual Differences, 1982, 3, 355–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strelau, J. Temperament, personality, activity. New York: Academic Press, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strelau, J., & Terelak, J. The alpha index in relation to temperamental traits. Studia Psychologica, 1974, 16, 40–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vando, A. A personality dimension related to pain tolerance. Dissertation Abstracts International, 1970, 31, 2292B–2293B. (University Microfilms No. 70-18, 865)

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Knorring, L., Monakhov, K., & Perris, C. Augmenting/reducing: An adaptive switch mechanism to cope with incoming signals in normal and psychiatric subjects. Neuropsychobiology, 1978, 4, 150–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weintraub, D. J., Green, G. S., & Herzog, T. R. Kinesthetic aftereffects day by day: Trends, task features, individual differences. American Journal of Psychology, 1973, 86, 827–844.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weintraub, D. J., & Herzog, T. R. The kinesthetic aftereffect: Ritual versus requisites. American Journal of Psychology, 1973, 86, 407–423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. Dimensions of sensation seeking. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971, 36, 45–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. Sensation seeking: Beyond the optimal level of arousal. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. Sensation seeking: The initial motive for drug abuse. In E. Gotheil, K. A. Druley, T. E. Skoloda, & H. M. Waxman (Eds.), Etiological aspects of alcohol and drug abuse. Springfield, Il.: Charles C Thomas, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Buchsbaum, M. S., & Murphy, D. L. Sensation seeking and its biological correlates. Psychological Bulletin, 1980, 88, 187–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Murtaugh, T., & Siegel, V. Sensation seeking and cortical augmenting-reducing. Psychophysiology, 1974, 11, 535–542.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kohn, P.M. (1987). Issues in the Measurement of Arousability. In: Strelau, J., Eysenck, H.J. (eds) Personality Dimensions and Arousal. Perspectives on Individual Differences. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2043-0_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2043-0_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2045-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2043-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics