Primary affective systems and personality: Disentangling the within-person reciprocal relationships

Personality traits and affective functioning have been closely linked. Empirical evidence suggests that the Five-Factor Model traits have been linked with Panskepp's six primary affective systems, as measured by the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales: SEEKING, PLAY, CARE (positive emotions) and FEAR, SADNESS, ANGER (negative emotions).

Objective

The present work investigated the dynamic relations between primary affective systems and FFM personality.

Method

Drawing from a sample of 220 participants completing surveys on four consecutive days, we used the random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to investigate the associations between primary affective systems and personality traits.

Results

The following associations were identified: bidirectional associations between negative emotions and neuroticism, unidirectional associations from SEEKING to openness and from agreeableness to three primary affective systems. No significant associations were observed between extraversion and primary affective systems.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of disentangling the within-person effects when examining the relationship between primary affective systems and personality.