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Dynamics of the General Factor of Personality in Response to a Single Dose of Caffeine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Antonio Caselles ,
Joan C. Micó  and
Salvador Amigó
Antonio Caselles*
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
Joan C. Micó
Affiliation:
Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)
Salvador Amigó
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Antonio Caselles. Departament de Matemàtica Aplicada. Universitat de València. Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot. Valencia (Spain). E-mail: Antonio.Caselles@uv.es
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Abstract

General Factor of Personality (GFP) research is an emergent field in personality research. This paper uses a theoretical mathematical model to predict the short-term effects of a dose of a stimulant drug on GFP and reports the results of an experiment showing how caffeine achieves this. This study considers the General Factor of Personality Questionnaire (GFPQ) a good psychometric approach to assess GFP. The GFP dynamic mechanism of change is based on the Unique Trait Personality Theory (UTPT). This theory proposes the existence of GFP which occupies the apex of the hierarchy of personality, and extends from an impulsiveness-and-aggressiveness pole (approach tendency) to an anxiety-andintroversion pole (avoidance tendency). An experiment with 25 volunteers was performed. All the participants completed the GFPQ and the Sensation-Seeking Scale list of adjectives from the trait version of MAACL-R (Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist Revised) on an empty stomach. The participants in the experimental group (20) received 330 mg of caffeine. All the participants filled in a state version form with the sensation-seeking adjectives every 4.5 minutes. This study considers that the Sensation-Seeking Scale list of adjectives from the MAACL-R, available in both trait and state versions, is a good psychometric approach to assess GFP. The results show that GFP is modified by a single dose of caffeine in the direction predicted by the UTPT.

La investigación sobre el Factor General de Personalidad (FGP) es un campo emergente en la investigación sobre personalidad. Este artículo presenta un modelo matemático y teórico para predecir los efectos a corto plazo de una dosis de droga estimulante sobre el FGP y presenta los resultados de un experimento con café. El Cuestionario del Factor General de Personalidad (CFGP) es aquí considerado como una buena aproximación psicométrica para medir el FGP. Los mecanismos dinámicos de cambio del FGP están basados en la Teoría del Rasgo Único de Personalidad (TRUP). Esta teoría propone la existencia de un FGP que se sitúa en la cúspide de la estructura jerárquica de personalidad, y se extiende desde un polo de agresividad-impulsividad (tendencia de aproximación) hasta un polo de introversiónansiedad (tendencia de evitación). Se llevó a cabo un experimento con 25 voluntarios. Todos los participantes cumplimentaron en ayunas el Cuestionario del Factor General de Personalidad (CFGP) y la lista de adjetivos de búsqueda de sensaciones del MAACL-R en su versión de rasgo. Los participantes del grupo experimental (20) recibieron 330 mg de cafeína. Todos los participantes cumplimentaron un cuestionario con los adjetivos de búsqueda de sensaciones, en su versión de estado, cada 4.5 minutos. En este estudio se considera que la escala de adjetivos de búsqueda de sensaciones del MAACL-R, tanto en versión rasgo como estado, es una buena aproximación psicométrica del FGP. Los resultados muestran que una dosis de cafeína modifica el FGP en la dirección predicha por la Teoría del Rasgo Único de Personalidad.

Keywords

general factor of personalityunique traitsensation seekingpersonality dynamic modelcaffeinefactor general de personalidadrasgo únicobúsqueda de sensacionesmodelo dinámico de personalidadcafeína
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , November 2011 , pp. 675 - 692
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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