Hemisphericity and Personality

Abstract

Hemisphericity was originally defined with regard to cognitive processes only. This paper describes a brief personality questionnaire derived from work on personality changes in temporal lobe epilepsy as a method of demonstrating the existence of hemisphericity as a personality characteristic. A factor analysis of the Personal Inventory (Bear & Fedio, 1977) in a normal sample suggests the existence of a right and a left hemisphere component to the personality traits tapped by the scale. Three separate validity studies of a questionnaire developed from the factor analysis, utilizing cognitive, affective and general personality measures provide confirmation. Left hemisphericity types are characterized as possessing greater control over their impulses, experiencing less generalized tension, being more trusting and imaginative and viewing themselves in a positive light. Right hemisphericity types are characterized as possessing less control over their impulses, being tense, suspicious, shy and pragmatic and viewing themselves in a negative light.