Active Brains, Active Personality The hypothesis that individual personality traits originate in the brain was tested by scientists who sought correlates between brain activity (shown in red) and personality traits. People high in four of the Big Five (conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism—but not openness) activated brain regions known for comparable characteristics. Here are two side views (left) and a top and bottom view (right) of brains of people high in neuroticism. Regions sensitive to stress, depression, threat, and punishment (yellow bull’s eyes) were more active than in the low neurotic individuals (Deyoung et al., 2010).

BOTH: DEYOUNG ET AL./PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE