10 years --- handanalysis research
SPECIALISATION 2: NEUROTICISM
Synonyms: Hand Analysis - Palmistry - Palm Reading - Hand Reading - Cheirology
The behavior dimension NEUROTICISM relates to a person's sensitivity for emotions. The importance of this is indicated by the observation that in daily life our emotions steer our behavior.
The importance of the behavior dimension NEUROTICISM is also indicated by the fact that this word is included in various personality theories (1). Usually the word NEUROTICISM is associated with a sensitivity for negative emotions, emotional unstability, or the lack of emotional self-control.
The sequel of this page will discuss the meaning of the dimension NEUROTICISM in the perspective of the so-called 'Big Five'-model. Next I will present some research results which indicate that certain characteristics are frequently observed in the hands of high scorers on the Big Five dimension NEUROTICISM.
The 'Big Five'- model includes the 5 behavior dimensions: NEUROTICISM, extraversion, openness to experience, altruïsm, and consciëntiousness. Each of the behavior dimensions is constructed by means of 6 subdimensions - the six subdimensions related to NEUROTICISM are presented above. This implicates that high scorers on NEUROTICISM have a sensitivity for negative emotions [read more].
As suggested by the word NEUROTICISM, subjects who used to labeled with the diagnosis 'neurosis' usually score high on the Big Five dimension NEUROTICISM. Despite high scorers have an elevated risk for certain kinds of psychopathology (especially depression, generalized fear, and agoraphobia), the dimension NEUROTICISM should not be considered as a measure of psychopathology (2). For the theoretic concepts behind the 'Big Five'- model are focussed on the everday behavior of people.
Would you like to measure on-line your 'Big Five'- profile? HERE, HERE and HERE you can fill in a questionnaire.
Finally one can notice that the 'Big Five'- model is also being used to perform research on behavior related issues like for example: sport psychology and personality disorders.
The Big Five dimension NEUROTICISM is related to the emotional aspect of human behavior. In the late 40th's the Polish psychologist Charlotte WOlff has executed a serie of research programs focussed on studying the hand in the perspective of the emotional aspect of human behavior. On the basis of studies (3, 4) with people who have a psychological handicap Wolff has written (1951, p.42):
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"It cannot be denied that people with an abnormally high inhibitive factor are more prone to neurotic disturbances than the opposite type of person, and for this reason psychologists deal more often with the strongly inhibited personality ..." |
| "... Apart from general characteristics, such as the shape and the muscular development of the hand, the factor of inhibition can be seen als in the crease-line system, and, up to a point, in the physical qualities of the hand. ... One of the prinicipal characteristics of the sensitive types of hands is the great number of broken creas-lines and their superficial design. There are also more broken creases and other faults of design in these hands than in other hand-types, and both of these characteristics are significant for a strong inhibitive factor." |
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One can conclude from these words that Wolff has discovered that a psychological handicap is frequently accompagnied with remarkable marks in the palmar creases. On the basis of my own studies I would like to add that remarkable marks in the palmar creases (and dermatoglyphics) are as well found in the hands of men who have autistic spectrum disorder - check out the section autisme - and people who score high on the Big Five dimensie NEUROTICISM.
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