The International Society for the Study of Individual Differences 2017 , 2017-07-24

Title : ( Emotioncy: A Concept to Explain the Origin of Personality Traits )

Authors: Reza Pishghadam ,

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Abstract

Since one of the heated discussions in psychology is investigating the origin of personality traits as environmental or genetic, in this study it is hypothesized that the newly-developed concept of emotioncy (a blend of emotion and frequency) can play a part in shaping individuals` dispositions. Emotioncy, in line with the life course theory, the activity theory, embodied cognition, and the developmental, individual difference, relationship-based model, refers to the emotions generated from the senses from which individuals receive inputs. In fact, individuals with different levels of emotioncy, ranging from avolvement (null emotioncy) to exvolvement (auditory, visual, & kinesthetic emotioncies), and involvement (inner & arch emotioncies), experience specific emotions that can change their mindsets. Depending on whether an individual is avolved, exvolved, or involved in a set of activities, specific personality traits may be shaped. A two-year longitudinal study was run to provide empirical support for the hypothesis. Ten men were interviewed, their personality types were identified (using the Big Five), and their emotioncy levels were measured (using the Emotioncy scale) before and after performing their military service. The outcomes revealed that, based on individuals` emotioncy levels, their personalities changed after completing their military service. While individuals with higher levels of emotioncy for military service were found to have changed to become more conscientious, the ones with the lower levels had become more neurotic. In fact, the activities along with the frequency of their occurrences can trigger proximal and distal emotions which may affect one`s personality.

Keywords

, : Emotioncy, Personality, Avolvement, Exvolvement, Involvement