DEFINITION:
The term “neuroticism” refers to a personality trait consisting of emotional instability, lability, or volatility.
As a personality trait, “neuroticism” represents a deep-seated tendency or predisposition. For this reason, it manifests in the form of particular pathological affective and behavioral symptoms, which may be referred to as “neuroses.”
ETYMOLOGY:
As a personality trait, the term “neuroticism” was introduced into the literature by the German-born British psychologist Hans Eysenck (1916–1997), notably in his book Dimensions of Personality, published in 1947.
As an English noun, “neuroticism” is a little older, being attested from around the year 1900. It is connected to the adjective “neurotic,” which is about a quarter of a century older. The English adjective “neurotic,” in turn, is connected to the noun “neurosis,” which dates from the eighteenth century.
For the etymology of the word “neurosis,” see the Glossary article, neurosis.
DISCUSSION:
Individuals who score high for “neuroticism” have difficulty maintaining an even emotional keel in their lives. They have an increased tendency to experience negative feelings, such as fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, jealousy, loneliness, pessimism, and depression.
Patients who suffer from “neuroticism” may also have cognitive impairments, including responding to common stressors in inappropriate ways, interpreting ordinary problems of daily life as overwhelming crises, and so forth. Such propensities can become gravely debilitating.
At the theoretical level, “neuroticism” is usually represented as lying at one pole of spectrum, the opposite pole of which is usually termed “stability.”
The “neuroticism-stability” axis is one of the most-commonly cited of all character traits, figuring prominently in a wide variety of personality models.
“Neuroticism” is one of the Big Five personality traits.