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Psychological traits and their explanation: a 20-year perspective from Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Psychological traits and their explanation: a 20-year perspective from Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory

Philip J. Corr and Neil McNaughton
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 106926
25/08/2026
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/10523/52341

Abstract

Neurology of traits Personality explanation Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory
Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) attributes certain personality traits to sensitivities of neural systems based on a detailed long-lasting neuropsychology of state control. (First book-length edition, 1982, 3rd edition, 2024). However, for trait system sensitivities, within-system details can largely be ignored. Here we provide an overview of the systems for personality researchers. We also extended the underdeveloped personality aspects of the neuropsychology. In the process of producing this extension, we discovered various lacunae in personality theory as a whole (and the role of scientific explanation within it) that has led us to start the paper with a detailed exposition of application of levels of explanation to personality, the role of emergence in such explanations, and (we believe) a resolution among the different schools of personality research (lexical, rational, neural).
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106926View
Published (Version of record) Open CC BY V4.0

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