Search

This paper reports on an attempt to investigate empirically whether the common personality dimensions S or Insensitivity, E or Extraversion, N or Neuroticism, and G or Orderliness, as postulated in Van Kampen's modification of Eysenck's PEN model, would in principle give rise to the same level of predictive accuracy as a set of personal traits obtained in each of a series of assessments of separate individuals. Using a special methodology to ‘convert’ the nomothetic dimensions into factors that are of idiographic relevance, (within-person) correlations and multiple correlations between the idiographic traits and the nomothetic dimensions S, E, N, and G (predictors) were computed in a sample of 83 subjects. Results showed that the idiographic traits could be expressed in most cases as linear combinations of the four idiographically converted nomothetic factors, and that the degree to which an individual's idiographic data could be explained nomothetically was unrelated to this individual's conformity to the nomothetic zero-correlational structure of the four dimensions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on our previous criticisms of Eysenck's Psychoticism model (Van Kampen, 1993) a (Dutch) questionnaire is presented to measure the personality dimensions S (Insensitivity), E (Extraversion), N (Neuroticism), and G (Orderliness). In this questionnaire, the 4DPT or Four-Dimensional Personality Test, the dimensions S and G take the place of Eysenck's unidimensional P concept. It could be demonstrated that the four factors are highly invariant with respect to several sample parameters, including the measured dimensions themselves. Moreover, the scales for the measurement of these factors are practically uncorrelated and sufficiently reliable (Cronbach's α). The relationship between the 4DPT dimensions and the Big-Five model is examined to test the idea that the factors S, E, N, and G are at least variants of the Big-Five dimensions Agreeableness, Surgency, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness. The results, obtained by correlating the 4DPT with both the NEO-PI of Costa and McCrae and a set of unipolar factor markers developed by Goldberg, confirm our expectations. The findings are presented in the context of the present-day discussion between Eysenck and the proponents of the Big-Five model about the nature and number of basic personality factors. Some comments are also made on the possibility of extending the 4DPT with a fifth scale for the measurement of the remaining Big-Five factor, Intellect or Openness to Experience. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]