Neuroscience
The eyes are a window to the soul, so the proverb goes. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised then that psychologists have reported characteristics of the human iris, the coloured part of the eye, correlate with aspects of personality.
Mats Larsson and colleagues compared the thickness and density of the iris in 428 participants with aspects of their personality as measured by questionnaire. They found participants who had more features called Fuchs' crypts on the surface layers of their iris (reflecting thicker tissue) tended to form warmer and more trustful attachments to other people, and experienced more positive emotions. Meanwhile, participants with more 'contraction furrows', another indicator of tissue density, tended to have more impulsive personalities. No association between eye colour and personality was found.
The researchers think the basis of the association between the iris and personality lies with the Pax6 gene, which is linked with tissue growth both in the iris and the brain. Specifically, Pax6 is implicated in development of the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region involved in positive emotion and self-control.
“These findings support the notion that people with different iris configurations tend to develop along different trajectories in regards to their personalities”, the researchers said.
__________________________________
Larsson, M., Pederson, N.L. & Stattin, H. (2007). Associations between iris characteristics and personality in adulthood. Biological Psychology, In Press.
Post written by Christian Jarrett (@psych_writer) for the BPS Research Digest.
- Looking For The Brain Basis Of Chimp Personality
Some chimps are more outgoing than others. Some like trying out new foods and games while their friends stick to the tried and tested. In short, chimps have different personalities, just like people do. What's more, psychologists investigating chimp...
- You Can Change Your Personality At Will
Surveys show that most of us wish our personalities were different. Change is certainly possible: people's personalities evolve as they get older (for example, most of us become more friendly but less open-minded), and there's research showing...
- How Being Happy Changes Your Personality
Outgoing, conscientious, friendly people who are open to new experiences tend to be happier than those who are more shy, unadventurous, neurotic and unfriendly. It's easy to imagine why this might be so. Barely studied before now, however, is the...
- The Personality Of Early Risers
Morning people, early risers. You know the type; you might even be one. They've already done the housework and gone for a jog while the rest of us are still blissfully cocooned in our beds. According to Juan Francisco Diaz-Morales, such people tend...
- Change Your Personality, Learn A New Language
The personality of people who are bilingual changes depending on which language they use, lending credence to the Czech proverb “Learn a new language and get a new soul”. That’s according to Nairan Ramirez-Esparza and colleagues who assessed the...
Neuroscience
Your personality written in your eyes
The eyes are a window to the soul, so the proverb goes. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised then that psychologists have reported characteristics of the human iris, the coloured part of the eye, correlate with aspects of personality.Mats Larsson and colleagues compared the thickness and density of the iris in 428 participants with aspects of their personality as measured by questionnaire. They found participants who had more features called Fuchs' crypts on the surface layers of their iris (reflecting thicker tissue) tended to form warmer and more trustful attachments to other people, and experienced more positive emotions. Meanwhile, participants with more 'contraction furrows', another indicator of tissue density, tended to have more impulsive personalities. No association between eye colour and personality was found.
The researchers think the basis of the association between the iris and personality lies with the Pax6 gene, which is linked with tissue growth both in the iris and the brain. Specifically, Pax6 is implicated in development of the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region involved in positive emotion and self-control.
“These findings support the notion that people with different iris configurations tend to develop along different trajectories in regards to their personalities”, the researchers said.
__________________________________
Larsson, M., Pederson, N.L. & Stattin, H. (2007). Associations between iris characteristics and personality in adulthood. Biological Psychology, In Press.
Post written by Christian Jarrett (@psych_writer) for the BPS Research Digest.
- Looking For The Brain Basis Of Chimp Personality
Some chimps are more outgoing than others. Some like trying out new foods and games while their friends stick to the tried and tested. In short, chimps have different personalities, just like people do. What's more, psychologists investigating chimp...
- You Can Change Your Personality At Will
Surveys show that most of us wish our personalities were different. Change is certainly possible: people's personalities evolve as they get older (for example, most of us become more friendly but less open-minded), and there's research showing...
- How Being Happy Changes Your Personality
Outgoing, conscientious, friendly people who are open to new experiences tend to be happier than those who are more shy, unadventurous, neurotic and unfriendly. It's easy to imagine why this might be so. Barely studied before now, however, is the...
- The Personality Of Early Risers
Morning people, early risers. You know the type; you might even be one. They've already done the housework and gone for a jog while the rest of us are still blissfully cocooned in our beds. According to Juan Francisco Diaz-Morales, such people tend...
- Change Your Personality, Learn A New Language
The personality of people who are bilingual changes depending on which language they use, lending credence to the Czech proverb “Learn a new language and get a new soul”. That’s according to Nairan Ramirez-Esparza and colleagues who assessed the...