Vikram, a hostel student, is rarely anxious or moody. However, he is openly hostile towards his roommates, thinks only about his own comfort and breaks hostel rules without caring how others are affected. Which pole of Eysenck's personality dimensions best describes him?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Psychoticism
Option (1) Neuroticism — Incorrect. Neuroticism is about how much control people have over their feelings. Neurotic people are anxious, moody, touchy and restless. Vikram is rarely anxious or moody, so this pole does not describe him.
Option (2) Extraversion — Incorrect. Extraversion is the socially outgoing end of a dimension. Such people are active, gregarious, impulsive and thrill-seeking. Vikram's problem is hostility and self-centredness, which this pole does not describe.
Option (3) Psychoticism — Correct. Psychoticism vs. sociability is the third dimension Eysenck added in a later work. A high scorer tends to be hostile, egocentric and antisocial. Vikram's hostility, his concern only for his own comfort and his rule-breaking match all three.
Option (4) Introversion — Incorrect. Introversion is the socially withdrawn end of the extraversion dimension. Such people are passive, quiet, cautious and reserved. Being quiet or reserved is not the same as being hostile and antisocial.
NCERT (2026-27): “Eysenck’s Theory … “… A person who scores high on psychoticism dimension tends to be hostile, egocentric, and antisocial. …” |