Abstract: Abstract：Neuroticism and Extraversion are empirically well confirmed as two representative emotional traits. Neuroticism is characterized as negative affect and extraversion is regarded as positive affect. Current investigations of the biological basis of personality have further identified the heritability to traits, the role of neurotransmitters and the neural structures that mediate trait-typical behaviors. But few studies have been conducted to examine the different consequences of these two traits on emotion regulation processes in multiple domains included subjective, expressive and physiological responses. In this study, we intended to investigate the diverse consequences in emotional changes between neuroticism and extraversion when they down-regulated their negative emotions. We hypothesized that individuals of higher scores in neuroticism would have a stronger activated negative affect system but weaker down-regulation system comparing to individuals of higher scores in extraversion.
Method: We adapted an experimental paradigm of emotion regulation developed by J.J. Gross. Participants were college students. Among them, 28 had higher scores on extraversion and 28 had higher scores on neuroticism. Participants were assigned to down-regulate their negative emotions manipulated by reappraisal or suppressive instruction when they were watching a disgust film in 62 seconds (mutilated surgery). Reappraisal was instructed as “please watching the following film carefully. Try to keep you in objective and unemotional attitude, and just to observe and think its facts from a technical perspective. Please try your best to avoid feeling its emotional aspects.” Suppression was instructed as “please watching the following film carefully. Try to conceal your emotions when you feel. Please try to suppress your emotions and don’t let others know what you are feeling.” Physiological responses and expressive behaviors were measured continuing during four periods (baseline, instruction, film and post film baseline) accordingly, and subjective reports were measured before and post of the experiment. 2 X 2 MANOVA were conducted to test effects of Traits (neuroticism and extraversion) and Regulation (reappraisal and suppression) on Emotional consequences in physiological responses, expressive behaviors and subjective reports.
Results: Comparing to extraversion groups, neuroticism group exhibited a greater increase in FPV (Finger Pulse Volume) during the instruction periods and smaller increase in R-R interval inter-beat interval when film was presenting as well as down-regulation was manipulating. Comparing to extraversion groups, neuroticism groups reported a greater increase in subjective pain experience in the down-regulation period.
Conclusion: The results indicate that individuals with higher scores on neuroticism are likely to activate negative emotions when they meet negative situations, but they have less potential psychologically and physiologically to down-regulate their activated negative emotions. This may help explain why neuroticism is characterized as a negative affect and extraversion is characterized as a positive affect

Key words: neuroticism, extraversion, emotion regulation