title: Sources of openness/intellect: cognitive and neuropsychological correlates of the fifth factor of personality.
abstract: We characterize Openness/Intellect as motivated cognitive flexibility, or cognitive exploration, and develop a neuropsychological model relating it to dopaminergic function and to the functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Evidence is reviewed for sources of Openness/Intellect shared with Extraversion and sources unique to Openness/Intellect. The hypothesis that the cognitive functions of the dorsolateral PFC are among the latter was tested using standard measures of cognitive ability and a battery of tasks associated with dorsolateral PFC function (N=175). Dorsolateral PFC function, as well as both fluid and crystallized cognitive ability, was positively related to Openness/Intellect but no other personality trait. Additionally, facet level analysis supported the characterization of Openness/Intellect as a primarily cognitive trait.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Colin G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: DeYoung
authors.forename: Jordan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000145:classification; D007361:Intelligence Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010551:Personality / Q000145:classification*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012650:Self Disclosure
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine