Extraversion and the acquisition of eyeblink and GSR conditioned responses.

TLDR: It is found that extraverts are poorer in eyeblink conditioning when conditions favor the development of inhibition, as by the use of partial reinforcement; they do not differ from introverts when conditions are such as to preclude theDevelopment of inhibition.

Abstract: A summary is given of studies relating eyeblink and GSR conditioning to the personality dimension of extraversion (E). It is found that extraverts are poorer in eyeblink conditioning when conditions favor the development of inhibition, as by the use of partial reinforcement; they do not differ from introverts when conditions are such as to preclude the development of inhibition. Extraverts are poorer in GSR conditioning when relatively mild stimuli are used, but do not differ from introverts when very strong stimuli are used, making impossible the development of cortical inhibition. They are also poorer than introverts when discrimination learning is involved, facilitating the growth of inhibition. Correlations between conditioning and personality appear to be dependent on the suitability of experimental conditions to evoke cortical inhibition; correlations are process and not status functions. These findings have implications for the problem of the generality of the hypothetical factor of \"conditionability.\