Research article summary (published 29 Sep 2002):

Memories and traces. From Jewish exilists' authoritarian personality research via Cloninger's psychobiology of personality traits to a neurobiological approach to conflict management.

Full Abstract

Research on personality as a useful construct to understand people's behavior in conflict situations was traced over more than fifty years, and an attempt was made to add neurobiological parameters to psycho-socio-cultural approaches. As a starting point, scientists in exile have been called to mind who had been expelled from Nazi Germany for their Jewish origins. Among them were Adorno and Frenkel-Brunswik whose extensive studies on the authoritarian personality structure were quoted. In their work, personality was defined as a more or less enduring organisation of forces within the individual helping to determine responses in various situations, which is responsible for consistency in behavior. As a next step, Cloninger's psychobiology of personality traits was presented. In his personality concept, four temperamental traits (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependency and persistence) and three character dimensions are included. Temperamental traits are heritable, developmentally stable, emotionally based, uninfluenced by social learning, and linked to specific brain biological features. The temperaments have a certain neuroendocrinological feature which can be determined. Character dimensions develop in a stagelike process from infancy to adulthood and are influenced by temperament, social learning, genetic factors, and random life events. Personality is still considered a useful theoretical approach to conflict management research and practice. A neurobiological point of view seems to be a useful supplementation in addition to traditional psycho-socio-cultural approaches. Measuring biological compounds can supply the conflict manager with an additional tool of knowledge enhancing the ability to understand and anticipate conflict behavior.

Author information

Author/s: Hassler, Marianne (M);

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Editorial

Journal: Neuro endocrinology letters (Neuro Endocrinol Lett), published in Sweden. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2002 Oct-Dec; vol 23 (issue 5-6) : pp 379-84

Dates: Created 2002/12/24; Completed 2003/03/06; Revised 2005/11/17;

PMID: 12500156, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Authoritarianism Conflict (Psychology) Humans Jews - psychology Memory - physiology

Memory - physiology Neurotransmitter Agents - physiology Personality - physiology Psychoanalytic Theory Temperament - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Neurotransmitter Agents (0)

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