Psychophysiological investigations of individual differences (personality orientations) using EEG & fMRI

Background: Previous studies have investigated the neural networks associated with personality orientations and introspection of self (Bjornebekket al., 2013; Zhu et al. 2012). Introspection is a process of self-monitoring, consciously thinking of one's feelings and thoughts which reflect ones' personality. To explore this further, EEG and fMRI techniques were employed in two studies which investigated the psychophysiological correlates associated with personality and thinking styles using a personality orientations model based on the Jungian four personality functions; the Gountas Personality Orientation (GPO). The GPO measures the strength of each thinking style; Emotion (E), Material (M), Intuitive/Imaginative (I) and Logical (L). The EEG & fMRI studies examined functional distribution of networks and examined whether specific neural networks exist for each orientation. Method: In the EEG study, 43 participants (M = 30.8, SD = 11.9 years) were tested doing a language based decision task while recording from 64 scalp EEG electrodes. Eye movement and other artifacts were removed during post recording analysis. The EEG Alpha coherence was calculated for the epoch associated with decision making (rating). This study was extended by testing an additional 40 participants (M = 27.5 SD 7.6 years) using a fMRI block design protocol. Functional activities (BOLD Response) were correlated with a series of language based and introspection decision making tasks. Results: In support of the EEG coherence results, the neuroimaging data suggest that different decision neural networks exist and are associated with each thinking style and personality orientation during decision making tasks. Discussion/Conclusion: These data suggest a left hemisphere relationship for the M and L types and a right neural network relationship for E and I types. The implications associated with decision making and individual thinking styles will be discussed