Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Neuroticism is the degree to which an individual is vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and emotional instability.
Table 3.6 explores some of the traits associated with having both high levels of neuroticism and
having low levels of neuroticism.
High Neuroticism
Nervous
High-Strung
Impatient
Envious/Jealous
Self-Conscious
Temperamental
Subjective
Table 3.6. Neuroticism
Low Neuroticism
Calm
Unemotional
Secure
Comfortable
Not impulse ridden
Hardy
Relaxed
Research Spotlight
Research
In 2018, Yukti Mehta and Richard Hicks set out to examine the relationship
between the Big Five Personality Types (openness, conscientiousness,
agreeableness, extroversion, & neuroticism) and the Five Facets of Mindfulness
Measure (observation, description, aware actions, non-judgmental inner
experience, & nonreactivity). For the purposes of this study, the researchers
collapsed the five facets of mindfulness into a single score. The researchers found
that openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extroversion were positively
related to mindfulness, but neuroticism was negatively related to mindfulness.
Mehta, Y., & Hicks, R. E. (2018). The Big Five, mindfulness, and
psychological wellbeing. Global Science and Technology Forum (GSTF) Journal of Psychology, 4(1). https://doi.
org/10.5176/2345-7929_4.1.103
refer to general patterns of mental processes that impact how people respond
and react to the world around them. These dispositions (or one’s natural mental or emotional outlook)
take on several different forms. For our purposes, we’ll briefly examine the four identified by John Daly:
locus of control, cognitive complexity, authoritarianism/dogmatism, and emotional intelligence. 46
One’s refers to an individual’s perceived control over their behavior and life circumstances.
We generally refer to two different loci when discussing locus of control. First, we have people
who have an internal locus of control. People with an believe that they can
control their behavior and life circumstances. For example, people with an internal dating locus of control
would believe that their dating lives are ultimately a product of their behaviors and decisions with regard
to dating. In other words, my dating life exists because of my choices. The opposite of internal locus
of control is the , or the belief that an individual’s behavior and circumstances
93
Interpersonal Communication