Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México. Febrero de 2009

UNIVERSIDAD DE QUINTANA ROO
División de Ciencias Políticas y Humanidades
The relationship between Personality and Learning

Styles: The Case of Lengua Inglesa Students at the University
of Quintana Roo.
TESIS
Para obtener el grado de
LICENCIADA EN LENGUA INGLESA
Presenta
Ana Mirella García Vélez
Director de Tesis
Dr. Alfredo Marín Marín
Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México. Febrero de 2009.

UNIVERSIDAD DE QUINTANA ROO
División de Ciencias Políticas y Humanidades
Tesis elaborada bajo la supervisión del comité de Tesis del

programa de Licenciatura y aprobada como requisito para obtener el grado de:
LICENCIADA EN LENGUA INGLESA
COMITÉ DE TESIS
Director: ________________________________________
Dr. Alfredo Marín Marín
Asesor: ________________________________________
Mtro. Armando Pérez Morfín
Asesor: ________________________________________
Mtro. Gabriel Ángel Lira Gutiérrez
Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México, Febrero de 2009.
ii
Abstract
Several factors such as motivation, level of proficiency, L1/L2 ,age and so on

have been found in the learner regarding the process of learning English. The way
we behave, store information and learn may be related to our personality, and
some factors influence positively or negatively during this process. In the field of
education, students have different personalities, some of them have a tendency to
be introverts or extroverts, and according to those personalities they carry out
themselves and store information to learn. As a primary objective this study aims
to investigate the relationship between Personality Traits (Introversion-
Extroversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism) and Learning Styles(Visual, Auditive,
Kinesthetic, Tactile, Individual and Groupal). Secondly, this study explains how our
brain works during the process of learning, which areas in our brain are activated
so that we can determine the trend that a person shows. For example if they can
be introvert or extrovert, and the trend to Neuroticism or Psychoticism), thus based
on that kind of personality there would be match between that personality and a
specific type of learning style. The subjects were 103 EFL students of the English
Language Major at the University of Quintana Roo, México. Personality data were
collected via the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) and the Perceptual
Learning Style Preference (PLSP). Data analysis included simple correlations. The
results showed that there is a relationship between Personality Traits and
Learning Styles. Extroverts tend to work better with the Kinesthetic, and tactile
learning style, and introverts tend to work better with visual and individual learning
style.The most preferred learning style by students of the English Language Major
was Kinesthetic and the least preferred was groupal. In sum, the relationship
between personality and learning styles is very important during the process of
learning English, and teachers need to identify those personality traits in their
students so that they can help them to exploit in a positively way the abilities that
students have, so that the performance in the classroom is aimed at the success
regarding learning.
I
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Afredo Marin

Marin whose unconditional guidance , teaching, and support made me this work
possible.
Furthermore, I would like to thank my mom for all her support and her teaching in
all fields, and her bravery towards life.
Last, but definitely not least, to my teachers Jane and Robert Mackler for all their
support in difficult and good times and for their teaching.
II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………… I
Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………… II
Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………… III
List of tables ………………………………………………………………………………. V
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………… 1
1.1 Background and relevance of the study…………………………………………….. 2

1.2 The context of the investigation ............................................................................ 3
1.3 Purpose and scope of the investigation ……………………………………………. 4
1.4 An overview of the thesis……………………………………………………………… 12
Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………………………….. 13
2.1 Overview of personality and learning………………………………………............... 13

2.2 Definitions of personality…………………………………………………………........ 19
2.3 Overview of relevant theories of personality……………………………………… 20
2.4 The PEN Model of Eysenck…………………………………………………………... 27
2.4.1 Extraversion-Introversion…………………………………………………… 29
2.4.2 Neuroticism…………………………………………………………………… 34
2.4.3 Psychoticism………………………………………………………………….. 37
2.5 Definitions of Learning Styles………………………………………………………… 39

2.6 Learning Styles in education………………………………………………………….. 40
2.7 Relationship between Personality and Learning Styles……………………........... 48
2.8 Research questions……………………………………………………………………. 50
Chapter 3 METHOD…………………………………………………………………….. 51
3.1 Participants……………………………………………………………………………... 51
3.2 Instruments……………………………………………………………………………... 52
3.3 Procedure……………………………………………………………………………….. 53
3.4 Data analysis…………………………………………………………………………… 54
Chapter 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.............................................................. 55
4.1 The relationship between EFL students’personality and their learning styles....... 55
4.2 The relationship between EFL students’ age and their learning styles.................. 57
III
4.3 Differences between female and male students in terms of leaning styles........... 58
4.4 Differences in learning styles across EFL students’ level of proficiency................ 59
4.5 The nature of learning styles of the sample…………………………………………. 60
Chapter 5 Conclusion............................................................................................ 64
5.1 Major conclusions of the study……………………………………………………….. 64

5.2 General conclusions…………………………………………………………………... 67
5.3 Limitations of the study………………………………………………………………... 68
5.4 Suggestions for further research…………………………………………………….. 69
5.5 Pedagogical implications……………………………………………………………… 70
References…………………………………………………………………………………. 71
Appendix A………………………………………………………………………………….. 73
Appendix B………………………………………………………………………………….. 76
IV
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Correlation among the Personality Traits and the Learning
Styles…………………………………………………………………………………………… 56
Table 4.2 Age correlated to Learning Styles………………………………………………. 57
Table 4.3 Gender correlated to Learning Styles…………………………………………... 58
Table 4.4 Learning Styles across levels of proficiency…………………………………… 59
Table 4.5 The most preferred Learning Style……………………………………………… 60
Table 4.6 The nature among the six Learning Styles…………………………………….. 62
V
Chapter 1 Introduction
The role of the teacher is very important in the field of education. He is the
responsible for guiding students to achieve academic success that encompasses goal
setting, proper time management, student skills, and their preferences for a particular
style of learning. A student’s learning style determines how that person comprehends
and retains information. In order to have effectiveness in the process of helping
students, teachers must match their teaching styles with student’s learning styles and
needs. Educators must understand that students differ in their learning style, and it is
important to implement a variety of teaching methods to reach them. There are cases
in which the relationship between teaching styles and students learning styles is not a
match, the results in getting success are not favorable for either both sides, and that
is when problems such as frustrations begin (Reid, 1987).
The topic about the relationship between students’ personality traits and their
learning styles would seem very common, familiar, unimportant, and not complicated,
for people who are involved in different fields, but in the field of education, it plays an
important role for teachers and students. It determines how successful students can
be while they are studying, and this success will help them to develop themselves
better in a future.
Every human being has the capability of developing himself or herself
succesfully, it is not true that some people are more intelligent than others, I consider
that the key of achieving success is to believe in yourself , and to put into practice
every single thing you learn every day, otherwise, if you do not do it, you will never
1
improve your actions, way of thinking, or whatever you are learning in that moment of
your life. Every thing needs to be put into practice.
1.1 Background and relevance of the study
Due to this idea that every human being has the same capabilities, and
intelligence; the object of study is to help students to identify their kind of personality,
once they have done this, the next step would be also to identify their way of learning,
all these through the different learning styles they have, which they may not know yet.
Nowadays, students are in trouble when they have to perform different tasks,
that is to say, when they are encountered with different activities in the classroom that
would help them to success in their learning, but there are other times that those
activities are against their personality, and against their learning styles, and causing
with this a backwardness, or a detriment in their learning. For example, there have
been some cases in which the teachers may not know how to motivate their students
to get them all involved in certain activities, so teachers continue with the same
monotonous way of teaching, having with this the same boring routine, and making
students feel bored.
Kinsella (1995) claimed that teachers can and should know their students’
preferred learning styles. I agree with her idea because there are situations in which
we think that something is going wrong during class, and we ask ourselves why is it
too difficult for students to understand and participate positively in our class? An
important issue is to take into account Kinsella’s idea about knowing or students first.
When teachers arrive their classrooms, they do not observe their students’ behaviour,
2
or ask if they have any problem in their family etc. In other words, they do not care
about several factors that may affect their learning. For example, teachers may not
pay enough attention if some students come from divorced parents, or if their
economical situation is weak.
That is why the role of the teacher is very important because if teachers
manage to identify these factors, it would be easier for them to have a brief
background about students’ personality, and once they have identify it, teachers
would plan their activities based on their students learning styles and needs.
1.2 The context of the investigation
Here, at the University of Quintana Roo, there are as different majors as
different types of personalities. Some students have shown a similar pattern of
behaviour regarding to the type of personality they have. For example, some students
enjoy being the center of attention, and like working in groups, but there are others
who prefer working alone, and participate in activities in which they do not have to be
exposed to the public.
Due to this, I would like to say that the personality is not only a matter
exclusively of a specific major, and it influences on everybody. In this study about the
relationship that there is between the Personality and Learning Styles, I would like to
focus specifically on the case of the English Language Major students at the
University of Quintana Roo.
As a student of this major, I always asked myself why some students were
good at certain abilities such as listening, or reading, and why others were not good
3
enough at them. During the major, we worked with four basic abilities such as:
listening, speaking, reading and writing, and among the observations I did as a
student I realized that some classmates were really afraid of speaking, or others had
trouble developing the reading skill. Some of them had their own strategy to
understand readings either reading aloud or silently, moreover there were other cases
which some students used to show an active participation in the classroom.
I consider that this situation has prevailed in students for a long time. I never
imagined how the dimensions of personality (extroversion-introversion) would affect
or influence on the different types of learning of each student. It explains why some
students are good at certain abilities, and why others do not. Moreover, it shows the
preferences that some students have to learn, for example, working alone or in
groups, or why some students learn better by watching posters, flashcards, etc, or
why others learn better by listening to the teacher, and so on.
1.3 Purpose and scope of the investigation
Because personality has to do with everything in human’s life, the relationship
between this, and the learning styles is very important. That is why my motivation
emerged, because during the major, I saw the difficulties that some students had
regarding the language, and it was due to the kind of personality they had. While I
was a student, I saw different situations in which some classmates showed their
strength, and weaknesses regarding different abilities. For example, I used to observe
their attitudes, and I used to ask myself many questions such as: Why some students
had trouble when they had to concentrate in class?, or why they had different ways of
4
learning and studying? Another example was that there were some classmates who
were good at taking notes by doing mind maps, and others used to learn better by
writing long sentences without using mind maps and so on.
Something that I also noticed was that some students felt confident when they
participated in competitions, but others had difficulty with those activities. Some
students were extroverted, and others introverted, and everybody had a different way
of learning and studying.
These were some of the reasons I had for having chosen this topic, and to try
to express my interest through them. Another reason I had, was because I am closely
related to the field of education because my academic training was focused on it,
moreover, this will help me in the future to learn more about the personality of my
future students, with this, I would help them to get advantage of their abilities, and
help them to develop new ones that they do not know yet, so that they can identify
and put them into practice.
We as teachers have an enormous responsibility that will never end, only till
our last day, and this reminds me of the words of Albert Einstein (1879-1955) when
he stated:
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death”
The topic about the relationship between the personality, and learning styles
has been studied before by important psychologists such as Hans Eysenck who
carried out different research about the dimmensions of the personality traits such as
5
Extroversion, Introversion, Psychoticism, and Neuroticism in humans, and his
contribution to the evolution of the understanding of human behaviour.
Eysenck’s theory is based primarly on genetics and psychology. He considers
the learnt habits as very vital, moreover, he states that our differences in our
personality are due to our inheritance. He was focused on people’s temperament. His
research showed two main dimmensions of the temperament; the first one is the
Neuroticism, and then Introversion-Extroversion.
Regarding Neuroticism, it emerged due to the nervous problems that people
had, due to many people started to show neurosis, that is why 1Eynsenck(1967)
decided to research about the causes of it, and found its origin in the human
physiology. He realized that the nervous system gave commands to the kidney at the
moment of making decisions about things that had to be done etc, and having with
this the liberation of sugar, provoking with this the adrenaline, this substance alters
many corporal functions which prepare at the same time the muscles to carry out
actions. Eysenck through this dimension explains why some people tend to be more
nervous than others when they are in different situations.
Similary, Eysenck was interested in the dimensions of Extraversion (excitation)
Introversion(inhibition), he referred to extroverted people to those who showed a kind
of amnesia when they were in awkward, or embarrasing situations. These people
tended to be more insensible, and tried to forget all that could affect them. On the
1
Boeree, G. (2006). Personality Theories. Retrieved July 25, 2007, from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/eysenck.html
6
contrary, introverted people used to recall every single thing they experienced, and
were more able to show panic in awkward or embarrasing situations.
Regarding personality traits, Eysenck is the principal who focused more on the
traits of Introversion-Extroversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism. In the same way,
an important icon of the study about the Learning Styles, is Joy M. Reid(1995) who
focused on Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences (PLSP), he allowed ESL students
to self-identify their preferred learning styles among six categories: visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, tactile, group, and individual learning.
Reid clasified the Learning Styles in three main groups: the Cognitives, the
Sensorials and the Affectives. The first group (Cognitives) is divided into two groups
(FD-FI) Field Dependent and Field Independent , Reid refered to those students who
depend entirely from the situation(FD), or the guidance of the teacher, and the group
(FI) these students were able to organize information without the complete help of the
teacher .
The second group (Sensorials) was divided into two groups too. The first one
was the Perceptives (Visual, Auditive, Kinesthetic,and Tactil), and the other was the
Sociological (Group-Individual)
The last one was the (Affective) it refers to the left and right brain hemispheres.
Those students that have a preference in the left one tend to be more analitical and
reflexive, and those with a right preference tend to be more emotional, interactives,
and auditives.
There have been some investigations about the relationship between the
personality and learning styles. An important study regarding the importance of
7
learning styles in ESL students, was carried out by teacher Laura Hernández (2003)
at the UNAM to 100 students at CELE(Center languages) from different ages, majors,
and sexes. Her research was exploratory-descriptive about the cognoscitives,
sensorials and affective learning styles and it was based on the perceptives and
sociological learning styles. She wanted to know the predominant learning styles in
those students and the relationship among the variables and learning styles.
The results regarding the cognoscitive learning style, she found that there were
differences between FD(Dependent Field) and FI(Independent Field). For example,
students who showed preference ind FD were from areas such as administration,
economy and humanities.
Regarding sensorial learning style, she found that students between 17 and 32
who studied administration, math, or biology were more kinesthetic, second, those
who studied arts or social sciences were tactils, those who were 33 and 40 were more
visual, and finally, those all students except those from chemistry-biology had
preference for an individual learning style.
Finally, the preference that students showed regarding each cerebral side: left
or right was the following: those students who studied law or had a Ph showed
preference for the right side, and those who studied administration, math, chemistry
or biology developed better the left side.
Due to the information I have collected all this time about personality and
learning styles, I realized about their importance and influence on the way we carry
out our activities and decisions. Moreover of understanding students’personality and
their learning styles to process and storage information. These reasons and more are
8
what motivated me to do my own research at the University of Quintana Roo with the
students of the English Language Major.
Through this project, I would like to achieve the following objectives:
• Identify student’s personality.
• Identify students’ learning styles preference according to their
personality. Once they have found them not only to work with those, but
to help them to find, and use those that they do not know yet, or are in
disuse.
• Another object is to provide students features about their different
learning styles so that they know them and can get advantages of those
abilities when they have to study for an exam or taking notes.
• The last objective is to avoid future conflicts regarding learning styles,
that is to say, that it is excellent to know your students’ learning styles,
but also it is very important to take into account teachers’learning styles
too. With the purpose, that the academical enrichment in the classroom
can be noticeable.
This research topic is very important because it would help students to orient
them to make choices, academic goals, and careers. In the case of the teachers, it
avoids teaching in a homogeneous way, so that they do not feel frustrated or to
frustrate their students.
9
In the case of the English language major, this model would help students to
find their preferred learning style regarding their personality, and to work on that to
achieve academic success. Once they have found their learning style, it does not
mean that they will always use it; on the contrary, it will help them to develop other
preferences in order to have a wide range of varieties. This reminds me the words of
Kolb when he stated that:
“The actual process of growth in any single individual…probably proceeds through successive
oscillations from one stage to another.”
(Kolb, 1984)
The learning process is dynamic and based on the learners needs for different
abilities at different times and rates. Therefore, teachers should not assume that a
student learns using only one style. Students would use other styles as a complement
of their academic growth.
In the case of The English language major, Reid’s instrument, would help
students to identify first which is the preferred perceptual learning style for them, and
therefore, to understand why they are good at certain abilities such as listening,
speaking, reading and writing, and to help them to carry out themselves in a better
way, besides of developing other perceptual learning styles.
In Eysenck´s studies about personality, he states that those who are good at
speaking tend to be extroverts, and that introverts are good at retrieving information
from long term or permanent storage, in other words, that introverts learn vocabulary
permanently, and the opposite happens regarding the extroverts. Another important
aspect is the reading ability, in which those who are introverts have more advantages
10
because they reflect better and are more able to solve analytical and complex
problems than Extroverts or Divergers.
Personality and learning styles are very important in education. That is why the
teacher plays an important role, and he is the responsible for helping the students to
guide them regarding their personality in activities which help them to develop and
exploit their potentialities in a successful way.
A teacher has to know their students in order to understand their weaknesses
and strengthens, and to know what to expect from them. This reminds me to Grasha
(1972) when stated that:
“If teachers can show students the variety and versatility of learning styles by providing
experiences in different teaching styles, the students will meet the demands of academic
teaching methods and assignments.”
(Grasha, 1972)
One of the goals of the education is to help students to identify, and assess
their individual learning styles, and another is when the instructor understands and
uses different teaching styles. A that moment when both are overlapped, it turns into
success for both sides.
11
1.4 An overview of the thesis
To explain the relationship between personality and learning styles, this thesis
is organized in into five chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction, in here there will be a
brief introduction of the research and the relevance of personality and learning styles
in education, moreover the context of the investigation at the University of Quintana
Roo to students of the English language major. Then, the purpose of the investigation
which would help some teachers to identify their students’ personality and learning
styles in the class.
The second chapter is about the relevant literature in which this thesis is based
on. I will mention theories of personality such as those of Freud Sigmund, Maslow
Abraham, Jung Carl, and Allport; moreover I talk about Learning Styles as well as the
research questions hypothesis.
The third chapter is about the method, the way I gathered data, which
instruments I used, the characteristics of the participants such as age, level of
proficiency, sex, and work, with the purpose of knowing more about them and to find if
there is any match among those variables regarding learning styles.
The fourth chapter is about the results and discussion of the project. I will show
some graphs which will explain the final results of this research.
Finally, in chapter 5 I will give the conclusions about this research, giving a
summary of the major findings, further information, limitations of the study, and
pedagogical research.
12
Chapter 2 Review of Literature
In this second chapter I will talk about the personality and learning styles may
be related. Before explaining deeply personality theories, I will define briefly what
personality. Moreover of mentioning the importance that personality has in our life.
Afterwards, I will mention some interesting personality theories explaining the
essence of human’s personality, humanistic and behaviouristic theories will be
mentioned. I will also explain the basis of the personality I chose for this research. I
am talking about the PEN model developed by Hans Eysenck. Then , I will define
learning styles, and I will mention some theories and their contribution to education.
Finally, I will deal with the relationship between personality and learning styles.
2.1 Overview of personality and learning
How many times we have asked ourselves why do people behave or think in a
certain way different from others? , or why do they follow different processes to solve
something and achieve a result? These questions arose because of the different
attitudes that people have in their daily life. For example, those differences in the way
of thinking, understanding things, acting, emotions, interacting with other people, and
processing, and learning information have an explanation. All this is may be to our
personality, according to our degree of introversion-extroversion is what makes
people different.
Personality reflects what we are, and personality has to do with everything we
do in our daily life. For example regarding the simple decisions we have to make, our
degree of impulsiveness, responsibility, risk taking, self esteem, independence, our
13
masculity or feminity, beliefs, and the process we follow to learn something or store
information, etc. for these reasons and more that is why personality is very important.
Personality is not only behaviour, thoughts, or feelings, but rather a person’s
style or way of interacting usually with other people. If personality is a person’s style
of interacting with the environment, where does it come from?, where do people’s
personality come from?
Some people gave their opinion about personality, most of them think that
personality is shaped by the social environment in which we grow up (nurture), but
few think that this could be a combination of nature, or genetics from our parents.
Due to these opinions, the controversy of the origin about personality arose. Hans
Eysenck(1940) stated that personality is based on genetic inheritance and not just for
the environment.
An example of the genetic inheritance personality is with two 2identical twins
who did not grow up together. In these cases, the twins had the same genetics
(nature), but different environments (nurture).
One day, I was watching a program about twins and there was interesting case
of twins who had the same career, chose mates with similar traits, and liked the same
kinds of music, all this because they had the same genes. That is why nature is
clearly very important in developing a person’s personality.
The other controversial aspect is nurture? Does this mean that it does not
matter how people raise their children? Nurture also affects people’s personalities. In
2
The twins brought up on either side of the Iron Curtain... but who lived identical lives (2007). Retrieved December
20, 2007, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-503775/The-twins-brought-Iron-Curtain--lived-identical-
lives.html
14
fact many scientists think that nurture is just as important as nature. Some studies
suggest that environment is important in helping children fully develop their genetic
potencial.
As I had mentioned before, some scientists have made research on twin
cases, there is an interesting example of some 3German twins who grew up in
separate families had more similarities than differences. They were separated when
they were three months-year-old and remained so for 26 years. Their mother was
forced by the communist state to put them up for adption because she was a young
mother with three older children. These twins were with their parents until the age of
three months. Then, they were taken to the orphanage where, cruelly, the state policy
was that twins had no right to be kept together. They were adopted by two very
different families and ended up living on either side of the Berlin Wall. Ulrike was
raised in affluent West Germany with every modern luxury and freedom, while Conny
grew up amid the deprivation of the communist East.
In short, Ulrike and Conny are similar, not just in appearance, but also in
attitudes, tastes, sense of humour and outlook. But there is one more twist to their
extraordinary story. Despite this, both twins had their appendix removed at 16, both
had their first child at 19, and both have the same career - event management. And
yet they did not meet until they were adults and mothers themselves. Their manners
were alike, they laughed in the same way and both were calm, kindly and intelligent,
3
The twins brought up on either side of the Iron Curtain... but who lived identical lives (2007). Retrieved December
20, 2007, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-503775/The-twins-brought-Iron-Curtain--lived-identical-
lives.html
15
they both loved the same music and books, and were keen amateur artists. Their
handwritings were exactly the same, and even their voices were the same pitch.
For years, the biological theory played a significant role in human development
and personality. Toward the beginning of the 20th Century, however, views began to
change and personality was seen as involving both biology and environment. Hans
Eysenck, however, fought against this trend. By using the statistic known as 4Factor
Analysis (1947), he concluded that all human traits can be broken down into two
distinct categories:
1. Extroversion-Introversion
2. Neuroticism
As I had mentioned before, the interest that Eysenck had to study the
behaviour in extroverts and introverts. He wondered about which factors would
influence on people to behave in specific ways, he noticed that extroverts had the
ability to forget those difficult situations or they could hide their different kinds of
emotions. Conversely, introverts who remembered events, situations or things in
detail showed a trend to forget things easily, and were more able to show desperation
and fear in troublesome or worrisome situations.
Regarding Neuroticism, Eysenck noticed that the nervous problems in people
were determinant to label them as neurotics. His explanation was based on the
4
A statistical technique used to determine the number of components in a set of data. These components are
then named according to their characteristics allowing a researcher to break down information into statistical
,
groups. Stastistical technique. Retrieved August 20 2007, from http://allpsych.com/dictionary/f.html
16
human biology, in the 5limbic system, which is the center of the emotions and feelings
in humans like wrath, fright, passion, love, hate, joy and sadness. This system is also
responsible for some aspects of personal identity and functions related to memory.
In the field of education, 6Eysenck (1967) found that personality is very vital.
There are some characteristics to differentiate between introverts and extroverts.
• Those who are good at speaking are extroverts.
• Introverts learn vocabulary permanently.
• Regarding the reading ability, introverts reflect better, and are more able to
solve analytical and complex problems than extroverts .
This research about personality reflect clearly that it plays an important role in
human’s life, and the explanations about what causes extroversion, introversion, or
neuroticism dimmensions are really interesting. Most of the times, we do not realize
that our actions are due to this factor of personality, and it has an influence on
everything we do. An important contribution of personality is that it has been useful in
the academic field, for example knowing what kind of personality a student is, it will
help her or him to choose a career in the future, according to her/his abilities.
Another important topic that is mentioned on this work is learning styles which
has been found to be closely related to personality. There are some cases when
people try to learn something, some people prefer to learn by listening to someone
talk to them about the information and others prefer to read about the concept to learn
it, or need to see the demonstration of the concept.
5
Rocha J; Martins, J. (n.d.)The Limbic System: The Center of Emotions. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from
http://www.healing-arts.org/n-r-limbic.htm
6
Eysenck(1967) Personality Traits. London: Cambridge
17
Learning style theory proposes that different people learn in different ways and
that it is important to know what our preferred learning style is. But before going
deeply about this topic, I will review some research that has been done lately
regarding learning styles.
A study about learning styles was carried out by Laura Hernández Ruiz of the
Center of Foreign Languages of the National Autonomous of Universtiy of Mexico in
2003. Her research was based on the internal characteristics that influence on the
way students perceive, remember, think and store information. To carry out her
research, she received support from Joy M. Reid, who is considered one of the most
important icons related to the study of Learning Styles, he defines Learning Styles as:
“Learning Styles are personal characteristics with an internal base which sometimes are not
perceived or utilized in a conscious way by the student, learning styles constitute the base for
the processing and comprehension about new information.”
(Reid, 1995: 3-34)
Her work included the definition and classification of these learning styles as
well as the goals of the research, the size of the target group, the variables, the
hypotheses presented at the beginning of the project, the instruments used, a
compilation of the population’s data and the different variables and results of the
research. The importance of this research was to help students to discover their own
learning styles( cognitive, sensorial and affective), and use them in different
circumstances, so that they can have a positive attitude and a better motivation to
study English so that they can improve their learning. Her research was not only
aimed to students, but teachers so that they can comprehend better their
18
students’learning styles and match them to their own way of teaching, and improve
their creativity in the classroom, in this way both parts will succed in learning and
teaching.
2.2 Definitions of personality
Personality is not an easy term to define due to the different points of view of
different pshychologists, I tried to show some meanings about it.
Eysenck defines personality as:
“Personality like intelligence, is determined to a large extent by a person’s genes and is

unchangeable beyond an effort to cover up negative traits through learned behaviour.”
Another term for personality by Kendra Van Wagner is:
“Personality is made up the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that
make a person unique. personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly
consistent throughout life.”
Acording to Carl Gustav he defines personality as:
“Personality is the supreme realization of the innate idiosyncrasy of a living being. It is an act
of high courage flung in the face of life, the absolute affirmation of all that constitutes the
individual, the most successful adaptation to the universal condition of existence coupled with
the greatest possible freedom for self-determination”
19
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it defines personality as:
“The various aspects of a person’s character that combine to make them different from other
people”
Finally, I agree with these terms, because all the plethora of characteristics and
patterns in a person’s behaviour and way of thinking, which are consistent in different
situations, make us unique in this world. Similarly, I agree with Eysenck about the
idea that personality is not only due to environmental factors such as upbringing,
education, or culture, but by a person’s genes that are unchangeable and which will
remain throughout your life.
2.3 Overview of relevant theories of personality
The term personality does not have a universal meaning since every person is
different. Even the personality traits are different, they have something in common,
and it is to identify a person’s behavior. Based on these behaviour features, we would
understand that they have different ways to learn, react, and reason. One way to
contribute to a person’s improvement regarding their abilities is to let them be as they
are. Concerning to students, a way to help them is to identify their personalities and
based on that to focus them on activities which allow them to exploit their strengths
and qualities.
As I had mentioned before the relevance that personality has in our life, and
due to it, people prefer to share their time with those they have found similarities such
20
as character, attend to social activities, about likes and dislikes, or prefer to gather
with those that share a similar way to process and learn things.
This last aspect of personality regarding to learning reminds me the words of
McCaulley & Natter; Myres & Myres (1995) :
“Personality is important because personality traits make a difference in how people learn and
what they learn.”
The origin of the word personality comes from the 7Latin word "persona",
meaning "mask"
There are important psychologists who have made important contributions to
human’s personality, explaining what is the essence or what is important in every
person. I will only mention some theorists because their human theorists attracted my
attention.
8
1) GORDON, ALLPORT(American) (1961:29). He believed that one thing that
motivates human beings is the tendency to satisfy biological survival needs. He did
not believed in looking too much into a person’s past in order to understand his
present. His theory was about human behaviour, it was as a manner expresive of the
self, he said that most of what we do in life is a matter of being who we are. He used
to say that the self has seven functions: a) sense of body (to recognize your body, its
closeness and its warmth), b) Self-identity (see ourselves as individual entities
7
Personality psychology. (2007). Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_psychology
8
Boeree, G. (2006). Personality Theories. Retrieved July 25, from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/perscontents.html
21
different from others), c) Self-esteem (to recognize that we have a value), d)self-
extension (certain things, people or events that are essential to our existence), e)
Self- image ( the impression we make on others), f) Rational coping( the child begins
to develop his or her abilities to deal with lifes’s problems correctly), g) Propriate
striving ( when a person has achieved her/ his goals, ideal or plans). Once human
beings have developed themselves, they will be able to develop personal traits such
as the a) central traits which are used to describe people as wild, shy, or dopey.
b)secondary traits which are not quite obvious such as preferences, or attitudes.
c)cardinal traits it refers to people who spend their life seeking fame, or fortune. Often
people use historical people to name these cardinal traits such as: Mother Teresa,
Marquis de Sade, Machiavelli, and so on.
2) 9FREUD SIGMUND,(Austrian). He was the responsible for making the idea of the
conscious (ego), preconscious (superego) and unconscious (id) mind popular. The
conscious mind is what we are aware of at any particular moment such as: thoughts,
feelings, memories and fantasies. It represents reality and reason. Working closely
with the conscious is the preconscious that is related to feelings like pride, shame and
guilt. It represents the moral and ethic thoughts carried out by society, and lastly is the
uncoscious it includes all the things that are not easily available to awareness such as
desires, instincts, motives, or drives. According to Freud, the unconscious is the
source of our motivations, and that people are often driven to deny or resist conscious
9
22
of these motives, so they are often available to us in a disguise form. That is why
Freud used to claim that people’s nature or essence was biologically perverse,
because we are always seeking for pleasure or desire (libido) in different ways. Freud
saw all human behaviour as motivated by the drives or instincts, which are the
neurological representations of physical needs. He considered that traumatic
experiences had a strong effect on personality, if a person had difficulties in any of the
tasks associated with the stages (oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital) a person will
tend to retain cerntain infantil or childish habits, so he called it fixation, which caused
an effect in personality or character, for example, in the oral stage, the fixation can be
represented by oral-aggressive personality, people with this retain a life-long desire to
bite on things such as pencils, things and other people, they have a tendency to be
verbally aggressive, argumentative, sarcastic and so on. Similar to this stage fixation
is represented by different ways of behaviour if a person did not developed every
stage fully or had any trouble with it.
3) The third psychologist who had a similarity in the way of thinking to Allport and
10
Freud is MASLOW ABRAHAM (American) who also thought that what moves to
people is that necessity or desire to achieve something. With his pyramid of
necesities, he clearly showed through it that people needed to do their best to get
what they wanted, but before that they had to identify their needs first and classify
them. Among his hierarchy of needs he classify them as:
10
23
1.Physiological (The needs for oxyen, water, protein etc, and the
needs to be active, to sleep, to get rid of wastes, to avoid pain, to have
sex.)
2.Safety ( stability and protection,urge to have a home, a job security, a
Deficit
nest egg, a good retirement plan, and so on.)
Motivation
3.Belonging (to feel the need for affectionate relationships, it is also
represented by what we look for in a career.)
4.Esteem needs (There are two versions of steem needs: a lower and
a higher. A lower referst to the need for respect of others: status,
fame, reputation, dominance and dignity, and higher the need for self-
respect: confidence, competence, independence, and freedom
Growth 5.Self-actualization (they are needs that involve the continuous desire
Motivation fulfill potentials, to be all what a person can be, it is a matter of
becoming the most complete, the fullest “you”.
11
4) CARL JUNG (Swiss), was one of the early leaders in the exploration of
personality and is credited with developing the constructs of extraversion and
introversion in 1923. He saw human behaviour or habits as patterns and attempted
to understand and explain differences in personality according to those patterns.
Jung’s theory divides the psyche into three parts: the ego, personal uncoscious, and
collective uncoscious. The part of the psyche that makes his theory stands out from
all others is: collective uncoscious which is called at the same time “psychic
inheritance”. It refers to our experiences as species, a kind of knowledge we are all
born with, and yet we can never be directly conscious of it. It influences all our
experiences or behaviour, mainly the emotional ones. An example of this collective
unconscious is the experience of love at first sight of déjà vu. Jung called to the
contents of the collective unconscious archetypes such as imagos, mythological or
11
24
primordial images. Some examples of these archetypes are the mother archetype,
the persona(represents the public image, the persona is the mask a person puts on
to show herself or himself to the outside world), anima( female aspect present in the
collective unsconscious of men: deep emotionality, intuition, and spontaneity) and
animus(is the male aspect present in the collective uncoscious of women: logical,
rationalistic, argumentative), the family and so on. Regarding to personality, these
archetypes are strongly related to the “dimmensions” of extraversion- introversion.
As it was mentioned above, Jung began the distinction of these dimmensions, so that
introverts prefer their internal world of thoughts, fantasies, dreams, and so on, and
extroverts prefer the external world of things and people and activities. An example of
the analogy that exist between the dimmension of extraversion with the archetype the
persona, both are related to the outside world, the perfect image and attitude of an
extroverted. Another example of analogy is introversion with anima and animus both
referring to the inside part either femenine or masculine in people.
12
5) EYSENCK HANS (German), Eysenck was one of the first psychologists to study
personality, throught his PEN model he explains individual differences in personality
or temperament. His theory is based primarly on physiology and genetics. Eysenck’s
original research found three main dimensions of temperament: Neuroticism,
Introversion-Extraversion, and Psychoticism. Regarding to Neuroticism and
Psychoticism. He referred to Neuroticism as a tendency to show negative factors,
Extraversion referred to enjoy positive events, especially social events.Psychoticism
12
25
refers to negative events also but such as recklessness and disregard about things or
people. He gave the name of Neuroticism to a dimension that ranges from normal,
fairly calm, and collected people to one’s that tend to be quite “nervous”. His research
showed that nervous people tended to suffer more frequently from a variety of
“nervous disorders”called neurosis, hence the name of the dimension. In order to
prove that his research was true, he carried out a physiological research to find out
possible explanations. He found that in the sympathetic nervous system why we
behave in certain ways., for example, why do we remain calm during emergencies,
why do people feel fear, or why are some people terrify by minor incidents. The
sympathetic is a part of the autonomic nervous system that controls most of the
emotional responsiveness to emergency situations. Heysenck hypothized that
Extraversion-Introversion is a balance of “inhibition” and “excitation” in the brain.
Excitation gets into an alert and learning state; inhibition is the brain calming itself,
either in the unusual sense of relaxing and going to sleep, or in the sense of
protecting itself in overwhelming stimulation. Eysenck also noted the interaction of
Neuroticism with Introversion-Extroversion. He found that people with phobias and
obssesive compulsive disorder tended to be quite introverted, whereas people with
conversion disorders(hysterical paralysis), or dissociative disorders (amnesia) tended
to be more extraverted. His explanation was that highly neuroticistic people over-
respond to fearful stimuli; if they are introverts they will learn to avoid situations that
cause panic very quickly. Other introverts will learn particular behaviours that hold off
their panic such as checking things many times over or washing their hands again
26
and again. Highly neuroticistic extroverts are good at ignoring and forgetting things
that overwhelm them, they use defense mechanisms such as denial and repression.
2.4 The PEN Model of Eysenck
The PEN model is considered one of the simplest theories in explaining the
personality traits such as Extroversion-Introversion,Neuroticism and Psychoticism
which appear in every person. I consider this theory important in education because
in a simple way it involves different students’personality features that characterized
them.
In this way, teachers through this model would identify those personality traits;
therefore, they would help students to develop their performance and learning
succesfully in class. Hence, once teachers become aware of these traits in every
student, they would vary their activities in class, so that it cannot continue being
monotonous, boring or focused on a specific group of students only. To know more
about what the PEN model consists of, I will explain briefly what it is about.
The PEN model, proposed and advocated by Eysenck as the overarching
paradigm of personality psychology.This model was adopted in this research due to
its simple way of studying and defining personality in three distinctive ways which are
comprised to three major dimensions: Extraversion-Introversion, Neuroticism, and

13
Psychoticism . First, the PEN combines both descriptive and causal aspects of
13
Min, Kwang. (1998). Eysenck's PEN Model: Its Contribution to Personality Psychology. Retrieved June 20,
2007, from http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/jang.html
27
personality in one theory. This characteristic clearly distinguishes the PEN from other
trait theories such as the five-factor model. The combination in one theory of two
important aspects of personality makes it possible to understand personality as a
whole.
Eysenck suggests that an adequate model of personality must have two
interlocking aspects: Descriptive or taxonomic, and Causal or biological. Eysenck
stated that “In any science, taxonomy precedes causal analysis". Taxonomy refers to
the way in which organisms can be organized into groups based on characters and
and their relationships.
Descriptively, individual differences in personality or temperament are
analyzed in terms of traits. A trait refers to a characteristic way in which an individual
perceives, feels, believes, or acts, and it is permanent or stable. As I had mentioned
before, the PEN model proposes a hierarchical taxonomy of personality containing
four levels (Eysenck, 1990). At the very bottom level of the hierarchy are behaviors,
At the second level are habits, The third level of the hierarchy is that of traits or
factors such as sociability. At the top of the hierarchy are superfactors or dimensions
of personality such as extraversion which are intercorrelated sets of traits or factors.
The PEN model is also based on the state-trait distinction. Traits such as Introversion-
Extroversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism at the top level of the hierarchy are
stable, whereas behaviours at the bottom of it, such as talking with a friend in a single
occasion, are changeable (state) across time and situation. In this respect, the
distinction between levels is very important for the analysis of personality in the PEN
model.
28
Regarding Causal aspects, based on a three-dimensional description of
personality, the PEN model focuses on psychophysiological, hormonal, and other
biological mechanisms responsible for the personality dimensions.

14
Consequently, Eysenck (1990) proposed the Arousal Theory to explain the
causal roots of the three dimensions of personality. According to this theory, Eysenck
(1990) provided a biological explanation of extraversion in terms of cortical arousal
via the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS).
In addition to it, he explained Neuroticism in terms of activation thresholds in
the sympathetic nervous system or visceral brain. Finally, he also provided a
biological explanation of Psychoticism in terms of gonadal hormones such as
testosterone and enzymes such as monoamine oxidase (MAO). These causal
aspects of Extraversion-Introversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism will be explained
deeply as follows.
2.4.1 Extraversion-Introversion
Eysenck was interested in the dimmensions of extraversion and introversion,

15
the origins of this dimension were when he noticed that extroverted people showed
a kind of amnesia when they were in awkward, or embarrasing situations; these
people tended to be more insensible, and tried to forget all that could affect them. On
14
It is based on the ideas that different individuals perform better at different levels of arousal (excitement) and
that every individual seeks to find its optimum level. Eysenck, M. W. (1982) Attention and arousal: cognition and
performance. New York: Springer.
15
Min, Kwang. (1998). Eysenck's PEN Model: Its Contribution to Personality Psychology. Retrieved June 20,
2007, from http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/jang.html
29
the contrary, introverted people used to recall every single thing that experience, and
were more able to show panic in awkward or embarrasing situations.
Eysenck explained how personality might be performed by conditioning. He
introduced the Pavlovian concepts of excitation and inhibition which explain
differences in conditionabiblity. Pavlov noticed differences in the way his dogs
behaved during conditioning, which he explained by postulating excitation and

16
inhibition in the cerebral cortex. Excitation refers to the response of the nervous
system, in the cerbral cortex, to a stimulus, inhibition is an activity in the cortex that
reduces or prevents excitation, (it refers to a shy or nervous feeling that stops a
person from expressing her/his real thoughts or feelings).
Eysenck hypothesized that, in introverts, a given stimulus generates stronger
excitation in the cortex more quickly; introvert’s brain reacts faster, and reacts more
strongly, to an outside stimulus. In introverts, inhibition is generated more slowly, is
weaker and lasts a shorter time.
Eysenck found that the strong excitation in introverts caused classical
conditioning,while strong inhibition hinders it. Hence the introvert, whose excitation is
strong, conditions readily, whereas the extrovert, whose inhibition is strong, conditions
poorly. But how are inhibition and excitation located in the brain? Eysenck found their
place in the (ARAS) Ascending reticular activating system of the brain stem. The
16
It is a structure within the brain that plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought,
language, and consciousness. Cerebral Cortex. (n.d). Retrieved April 18, 2007 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex
30
17
ARAS is a part of the brain which regulates the autonomic nervous system, for such
processes such as respiration rate, heart rate and gastrointestinal activity. It also
plays and important role in sleep, consciousness and as well as modulation of pain. It
has to do with all the physical bahaviour such as walking, sleeping, eating, urination,
defecation and sexual activity. The reticular formation has also been traced one of the
source of introversion and extroversion caracter traits. Eysenck refers to his PEN
model to the biological bases of differences in personality and differences in learning

18 19
ability by introducing the concepts of “cortical arousal” and “limbic system
activation”.
As I had mentioned above the differences in cortical arousal which its main
function is to support information processing, and regulated by the ascending reticular
activating system (ARAS) which determines introversion-extroversion differences with
high arousal causing introversion and facilitating learning of “task-relevant”
responses.
In the brain there are ascending and descending pathways which determine
how are the brain and personality related. Eysenck located excitation in the upward
arousing paths (picture 2.) from the reticular system to the cortex, which cause
17
The part of your nervous system that controls processes which are unconscious like: heart rate and breathing.
Autonomic nervous system. (n.d). Retrieved April 18, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomic_nervous_system
18
Activation of the reticular formation of the brain. Cortical arousal increases wakefulness, vigilance, muscle tone,
heart rate, and minute ventilation. Eysenck, M. W. (1982) Attention and arousal: cognition and performance. New
York: Springer.
19
System of nerves in the brain involving several different areas conerned with basic emotions such as fear,
anger, and basic needs such as to eat and to have sex. Rocha J; Martins, J. (n.d.)The Limbic System: The Center
of Emotions. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.healing-arts.org/n-r-limbic.htm
31
motivation, emotion and learning; he located inhibition in the downward inhibiting
paths from cortex to reticular system.
I have been mentioning Introverts and Extroverts and the way that some parts
inside the brain are activated, but I would like to describe some features about this
personality trait dimension as follows:
Some characteristics of Introverts
• Are territorial-desire private space and time.

• Reliable.
• Act cautiously in meeting people.
• Think carefully before speaking.
• Keeps feelings under close control.
• Get agitated and irritated without enough time alone or undisturbed.
• Long term memory.
Some characteristics of Extroverts:
• Social. • Prefer face-to-face verbal

• Venturesome. communication rather than
• Assertive. written communication.
• Sensation-seeking. • Share personal information
• Dominant. easily.
• Not always reliable. • Respond quickly.
• Do better on oral performance.
• Short term memory.
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Figure 2. 20 EXCITATION Figure 1. 21ARAS SYSTEM
These features about the difference between introverts and extroverts should
be taken into account to understand better the preferences that these people have at
the moment of carrying out certain tasks. At school it would be important for teachers
to keep these characteristics in mind because they would help them to choose the
most suitable activities which develop the children’s learning in an effective way. At
the same time, students will be able to exploit their strengths in an unconscious
manner.
20
Excitation. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from www.huntbrain.com/?keyword=function-of-the-am...
21
Aras system. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from www.huntbrain.com/?keyword=function-of-the-am...
33
2.4.2 Neuroticism
His second trait dimension he called neuroticism. If you scored high on this
scale, that means you tend to be a very nervous or emotional sort of person. While it
does not that mean you are necessarily a neurotic, it does mean you are more likely
to develop neurotic problems such as phobias, obsessions, and compulsions, than
someone who scores low. Low neuroticism is nowadays often called emotional
stability.
Neuroticism emerged due to the nervous problems that people had, showing a
degree of neurosis in their actions. Due to this, Eysenck found its origin in the human
physiology. He realized that the nervous system gave commands to the kidney at the
moment of making decisions and having with this the liberation of sugar, provoking
with this the adrenaline, this substance alters many corporal functions which prepare
at the same time the muscles to carry out actions.
It is defined as an enduring tendency to experience negative emotional states.
Individuals who score high in Neuroticism are more likely to experience feelings as
worried, moody anxiety, anger, guilt, and clinical depression (feeling blue). They
respond more poorly to environmental stress and are often irrational and shy. On the
opposite of the spectrum, individuals who score low in neuroticism are more
emotionally stable and less reactive to stress. They tend to be calm, even tempered,
and less likely to feel tense or rattled.
34
Eysenck (1947) found that Neuroticism interacts with extraversion and
introversion, and that what might mean regarding to various psychological problems.
He stated that an anxious introvert develops phobias, anxiety neuroses and
obsessions, whereas an anxious extrovert develops conversion dissorders (hysterical
paralysis or epilepsy), or dissociative dissorders(amnesia, or depression) and even
becomes a criminal.
The explanation that he gave was that highly neurotic people over respond to
fearful stimuli; if they are introverts, they will learn to avoid the situations that cause
panic very quickly, even to the point of becoming panicky and developing phobias.
Other introverts will learn particular behaviours that hold off the panic such as
checking things many times over and washing their hands again and again.
Highly neurotistic extraverts, on the other hand, are good at ignoring and
forgetting things that overwhelm them. They engage in the classic defense
mechanisms, such as denial and depresssion. They can conveniently forget a painful
weekend, for example, or even forget their ability to feel and use their legs.
Eysenck (1990) also explained neuroticism in terms of activation thresholds in
the sympathetic nervous system or visceral brain which its main function is to control
subjective and emotional response in stressful environment. The visceral brain is also
22
referred to as “the limbic system” concerned with basic emotions such as fear,
and aggression and basic needs such as to eat, to have sex and long term memory. It
is responsible for the fight-or-flight response in the face of danger. Heart rate, blood
22
The limbic system is a term for a set of brain structures including the hippocampus and amygdala that support
a variety of functions including emotion, behavior and long term memory. Rocha J; Martins, J. (n.d.)The Limbic
System: The Center of Emotions. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.healing-arts.org/n-r-limbic.htm
35
pressure, skin conductance, sweating, breathing rate, and muscular tension in the
forehead can measure activation levels of the visceral brain (Eysenck, 1990; Eysenck
& Eysenck, 1985).
The limbic system includes many structures in the cerebral cortex and sub-
23
cortex of the brain such as the amygdala involved in signaling the cortex of
motivationally significant stimuli such as those related to reward and fear in addition
to social functions such as mating and the hippocampus required for the formation of
24
long-term memories.The limbic system operates by influencing the endocrine
system and the autonomic nervous system. It is highly interconnected with the
25
nucleus accumbens, the brain's pleasure center, which plays a role in sexual
arousal and the "high" derived from certain recreational drugs(alcohol, tobacco,
26
cannabis). These responses are heavily modulated by dopaminergic projections
from the limbic system.
Figure 3. Lymbic system
23
Amigdala. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from http://www.healing-arts.org/n-r-limbic.htm
24
The endocrine system is an integrated system of small organs that involve the release of extracellular
signaling molecules known as hormones. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating metabolism, growth,
development and puberty, tissue function, and also plays a part in determining mood. Endocrine system (n.d).
Retrieved April 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_system
25
Involved in reward, pleasure, and addiction. Nucleus accumbes. (n.d). Retrieved April 22, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleus_accumbens
26
Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter. It has many functions in the brain, including important roles in
behavior and cognition, motor activity, motivation and reward, inhibition of prolactin production (involved in
lactation), sleep, mood, attention, and learning. Dopamine. (n.d). Retrieved April 22, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
36
2.4.3 Psychoticism
Psychoticism is the third dimension of personality in Eysenck’s system. He
came to recognized that, although he was using large populations for his research,
there were some populations he was not uncluding. He began to take his studies into
mental institutions of England. When these masses of data were factor analyzed, a
third significant factor began to emerge, which he labeled pshychoticism.
Like neuroticism, high psychoticism does not mean that a person is psychotic
or doomed to become to, only that she or he exhibists some qualities commonly
found among psychotics, and that a person may be more susceptible. The
P(sychoticism) scale was added to E(xtraversion) and N(euroticism) to produce the
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire.
People who score high on psychoticism are: solitary, not caring for people,
often troublesome, not fitting in anywhere, may be cruel and inhuman, lacking in
feeling and empathy, and insensitive, hostile to others, have a linking for odd and
unusual things, like to make fools of other people and upset them. Psychotic people
are more likely to have problems dealing with reality, sometimes have hallucinations
and often have delusions such as odd beliefs about being watched, perhaps by the
CIA or even by creatures from other planets. A middle score on psychoticism might
mean that a person is a bit eccentric or that she or he takes risks that other people
are not as likely to take. A low score means that a person is pretty normal in this
regard.
37
Eysenck’s research shows that heritability has an influence in psychoticism. He
27
provided a biological explanation of it in terms of gonadal hormones such as
28
testosterone and enzymes such as the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) which
is thought to be responsible for a number of neurological disorders. For example,
unusually high or low levels of MAOs in the body have been associated with
depression, substance abuse, attention, deficit disorder, and irregular sexual
maturation.
In humans there are two types of MAO: MAO-A and MAO-B. Both are found in
neurons and astroglia. Outside the central nervous system: MAO-A is also found in
29
the liver, gastrointestinal tract and placenta. MAO-B is mostly found in blood
platelets.
Eysenck (1992) reported that "low platelet monoamine oxydase (MAO) has
been found in psychotic patients, and also in their relatives and in patients who have
recovered, suggesting that low MAO activity may be a marker for vulnerability. He
found tentatively suggested sex hormone imbalance, since women get lower
psychoticism scores.
There is some evidence that psychosis and criminality have and underlying
common factor. Research in Denmark (Kierkegaard-Sorenson and Mednik, 1975) and

27
Is a cell that fuses with another gamete during fertilization. Gametes carry half the genetic information in
individuals. Gonadal hormones. (n.d). Retrieved April 23, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonads
28
Are enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of monoamines. They are found bound to the outer membrane of
mitochondria in most cell types in the body. Monoamine oxidase. (n.d). Retrieved May 1, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase
29
A very small part of a cell in the blood, shaped like a disc. Platelets help to clot the blood from a cut or wound.
Blood platelets. (n.d). Retrieved May 1, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platelet
38
the USA (Heston and Denney,1968) has found children of schizophrenics become
criminals. Heston found criminal tendencies in the children of schizofrenic mothers,
adopted and brought up by normal parents, which suggests a heritable disposition to
schizofrenia or criminality. Caracteristics of psychoticism: aggressive, cold,
egocentric, impersonal, impulsive, antisocial, unempathetic, creative, tough- minded.
2.5 Definitions of Learning Styles
The topic of learning styles is very interesting because through them people
will develop a strategy to store information; therefore, to make of learning succesful.
The learning styles theory implies that how much individuals learn has more to do
with whether the educational experience is geared toward their particular style of
learning than whether or not they are "smart."
Some definitions about Learning Styles are as follows:
“Learning Styles are personal characteristics with an internal base which sometimes are not perceived or
utilized in a conscious way by the student, learning styles constitute the base for the processing and
comprehension about new information.”
(Reid, 1995: 3-34)
“ Learning style is the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, absorb, and retain
new and difficult information.”
(Dunn and Dunn, 1978)
“Learning styles usually refer to an individual’s attempt to structure her/his learning environment in ways
that facilitate learning.”
(Oxford, 1990)
39
These three meanings about learning styles share the same purpose which is
to find the most appropiate way that people have to process information and learn.
Even they have the similar common end, every author defines learning style in a
different way. For example, Reid (1995) referred to learning styles as internal bases
that people perceive unconsciously to develop learning. Whereas, Dunn (1978)
emphasized learning styles as a process to retain difficult information, and finally
Oxford shares a similarity regarding Reid’s point of view to define it as an individual or
internal attempt to facilitate learning. I consider these definitions interesting and helpul
to have a better idea of what learning styles refers to exactly.
2.6 Learning Styles in education
The human functioning is different in every person, that is why various
characteristics fo individuals influence second language learning. Due to these
individual differences, there are four important areas which have shown to be
important regarding to second language acquisition. The origin about the study of
language learning was with Cook (1978) when he published an article about
Language Teaching. Attention was directed to this topic and also phsychologists were
interested about the role of individual differences in second language learning.
Due to there are different variables that involve learning, there are two main
categories wich these factors are divided. The first category comprises Cognitive
Variables which involves language aptitude/ inteligence, learning strategies and. The
second category is Affective Variables which involves attitudes, motivation regarding
learning styles.
40
These variables were based on the first model proposed by Lambert (1963) which
has been adopted and modified by Garder (1985) who defines them as follows:
Language aptitude and intelligence.- Language aptitude was viewed as a cognitive
sponge by (Garder 1985) where a given ability is appropiate to a new skill being
learned, that skill will be attracted to that ability. If the ability is well developed in the
individual, the skill will be acquired quickly. Skehan (1986) found that students who
developed faster in their first language, who had superior vocabularies as children,
and who came from better educated homes tended to score higher on indices of
language aptitude. (Carroll, 1962) defined intelligence as the capacity to understand
directions and explanations, or will make inferences about them from the content of
any given learning experience.
Motivation.- Materials/teaching embraces those influences on the motivation of
students. Influences such as attractiveness of teaching materials, amount of variety in
classroom work, the nature of classroom organization, the nature of teacher-student
relationships, and so forth. The different approaches to teaching may have different
impacts on the motivation of students.
Learner strategies.- operate to transform the manner in which material is processed
and learned. Those strategies must have a continuum. It is important to identify which
strategies are most susceptible to training, investigate the lengths of training time are
needed to achieve significant and enduring results, discover what types of of
presentation techniques are most effective. All learners use strategies: what good
learners do is to choose the right strategy for the right occasion. Monitoring and
evaluating own’s performance is really important regarding strategy trainers.
41
Learning Styles.- the emphasis in learning styles research was on the difference
between field dependent(FD) and field independent(FI). Discussions of the FD-FI
contrast suggest that each extreme has its advantages. FD learners are more person-
oriented, and should do better with interaction-based learning; FI learners are more
analytic and object oriented, and learn more effectevely when confronted with a body
material to be assimilated.
As it was mentioned before, learning styles refer to methods that students use
to learn. This ranges from techniques for improved memory to better studying or test-
taking strategies. There are important models regarding to learning styles, but I will
mention only some due to their contribution to education.
1) The Dunn and Dunn Model has a great deal of history and research
behind it. It was developed by Dr. Rita Dunn in 1967 and since that time research has
been conducted at more than 90 institutions of highter education. The model traces
its roots to two distinct learning theories: Cognitive Style Theory and Brain
Lateralization Theory. Cognitive Style Theory is based on the idea that individuals
process information differently on the basis of either learned or inherent traits. Brain
Lateralization Theory is based on the idea that the two hemispheres of the brain
have different functions: left brain=verbal-squential abilities and right brain=emotions-
spacial holistic processing.
The model incorporates certain premises.
• Everyone has strengths, but different people have different strengths.

• Most individuals can learn.
42
• Instructional environments, resources, and approaches respond to diversified
strengths.
• Individual instructional preferences exist and can be measured reliably.
• Given responsive environments, students attain statistically higher
achievement and aptitude test scores in matched, rather than mismatched
treatments.
• Most teachers can learn to use learning styles as a cornerstone of their
instruction.
• Many students can learn to capitalize on their learning style strengths.
2) The Kolb model (1976, 1984): His model combines the two bipolar
dimensions of cognitive growth: the active-reflective dimension and the abstract-
concrete dimension. The first refers to detached observation, while the second ranges
from dealing with tangible objects to dealing with theoretical concepts.
Kolb defined a 4-stage cycle of learning: it begins with the acquisition of
concrete experience (CE) which gives way to reflective observation (RO) on that
experience. The theory building or abstract conceptualization (AC) occurs which is
then put to test through active experimentation (AE). The cycle thus recommences
since the experimentation itself yields new concrete experiences.
He classified learning styles according to a 4-fold taxonomy based on the two
cognitive dimensions.
• Divergers reflect on specific experiences from a number of different
perspectives.
• Assimilators develop theoretical framework on the basis of that
reflection.
43
• Convergers test the theory in practice.
• Accommodators use the results of that testing as a basis for new
learning.
Lastly was Reid whose model of Perceptual Learning Styles Preference I
considered the most complete and straightforward to explain students’ learning styles
due to her categorization.
3) Joy M. Reid (1984) who focused on Perceptual Learning Styles
Preference (PLSP), he allowed ESL students to self-identify their preferred learning
styles among six categories: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group, and individual
learning.
Reid clasified the learning styles in three main groups:
The COGNITIVES, the SENSORIALS and the AFFECTIVES. In the first group
it is divided into two groups (FD-FI) Field Dependent and Field Independent , Reid
refered to those students who depend entirely from the situation(FD), or the guidance
of the teacher, and there was another group who were (FI) these students were able
to organize information without the complete help of the teacher or so on.
44
The second group SENSORIALS was divided into two groups too. The first
one was the Perceptives (Visual, Auditive, Kinesthetic, and Tactil), and the other was
the Sociological (Group-Individual)
• Visual.- Students learn well from seeing words in books, on the chalkboard,
and in workbooks. They remember and understand information and
instructions better if they read them. They do not need as much oral
explanation as an auditory learner, and they can often learn alone, with a book.
These students should take notes of lectures and oral directions if they want to
remember the information.
• Auditive.- Students learn from hearing words spoken and from oral
explanations. They may remember information by reading aloud or moving
their lips as they read, especially when they are learning new material. They
benefit from hearing audio tapes, lectures, and class discussions. They benefit
also from making tapes to listen to, by teaching other students, and by
conversing with their teacher.
• Kinesthetic.- Students learn best by experience, by being involved physically
in classroom experiences. They remember information well when they actively
participate in activities, field trips, and role-playing in the classroom. A
combination of stimuli--for example, an audiotape combined with an activity--
will help them understand new material.
• Tactile.- students learn best when they have the opportunity to do "hands-on"
experiences with materials. That is, working on experiments in a laboratory,
45
handling and building models, and touching and working with materials provide
them with the most successful learning situation. Writing notes or instructions
can help them remember information, and physical involvement in class with
related activities may help them understand new information.
• Group.- Students learn more easily when they study with at least one other
student, and they will be more successful completing work well when they work
with others. They value group interaction and class work with other students,
and they remember information better when they work with two or three
classmates. The stimulation they receive from group work helps them learn
and understand new information.
• Individual.- students learn best when they work alone. They think better when
they study alone, and they remember information they learn by themselves.
They understand new material best when they learn it alone, and they make
better progress in learning when they work by themselves.
The last one was the AFFECTIVE it refers to the left and right hemispheres.
Those students that have a preference in the left one tend to be more analitical and
reflexive, and those with a right preference tend to be more emotional, interactives,
and auditives.
In order to have success in learning, it is important to know and develop learning
styles, but there are some factors which are important to take into account. I agree
with the idea of Dunn who categorizes those factors as:
46
• Immediate environment: (sound, light, temperature, and seating design.)
• Emotionality: motivation, persistence, responsibility/conformity and need for
internal or external structure
• Sociological factors: learning alone, with a partner, as part of a small group
or team, with peers, with an authoritative or collegial adult, and/or in a
combination of ways.
• Physiological factors: auditory, visual, tactile and/or kinesthetic perceptual
preferences; food or liquid intake, chronobiological energy levels, mobility
needs.
There is a question which is important to ask: Why are learning styles important
for students?. There are some reasons that I considered important to mention.
Learning styles :
1 Permit students to identify how they prefer to learn.
2 Suggest a basis for redesigning the classroom environment to complement many
students' needs for sound, quiet, bright or soft light, temperature, or seating
design
3 Order the perceptual strengths through which individuals should begin studying,
shows how each student should do his or her homework.
47
2.7 Relationship between personality and learning styles
This is the last part of chapter two, and the question is that if there is a
relationship between personality and learning styles. Learning style questionnaires
are very important in different fields such as in bussiness, industry, career personality
types, and teaching.
Regarding teaching learning style is important because it helps teachers to
understand how students learn. There are some theoristis such as Shadbolt (1978)
who demonstrated that introverts and neurotics performed better with structured
teaching methods compared with unstructured teaching methods. Similarly, Eysenck
(1978) noted that personality and learning are closely linked. Extraverts tend to
socialize and lack concentration and are thus distracted from academic work. High
neurotic scorers tend to let nerves interfere with their work.
Likewise Drummond and Stoddard (1992) noted the overlap between a
learning style instrument and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Another example of
about the study and importance of learning styles is was with Furnham (1992) who
investigated the relationship between personality and learning style using the
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(1975) and the Learning Styles Questionnaire
(LSQ Honey & Mumford, 1992) based on the Kolb’s learning cycle model (Kolb 1984).
In Kolb’s model, learning is seen as a continuouos cycle in which a person has a
learning experience, reviews the experience, concludes from that experience and
plans the next step.
Due to these facts I consider that there is a relationship between personality
and learning styles. In this project I will explain how personality traits such as
48
introversion-extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism are related to the perceptual
learning styles preferences.
In the case of the English Language Major at the Universidad de Quintana
Roo, some students have shown certain characteristics which have to do with the
personality traits. For example, there some students who are good at speaking infront
of public, but others do not.
There are students who show a tendency of neuroticism due to their behave,
for instance when they over worry about simple tasks such as looking for some
information and if they do not get what they are looking for, they get desperate and
mad at those who are aroud them. There are also students who are always critizing
other’s works without important arguments, and fool their classmates all time.
Regarding learning styles, a classroom is the indicated place to observe
different ways of learning. For example, there are some students who are good at
reading silently and analysing every aspect of the reading, while others only focus on
global aspects of the reading.
I would say at first sight what extroverted’s learning style is, due to most of the
times they perform better in groupal acitivities. I agree when Reid (mentions that not
only one type o learning style has to fit in every personality trait. A person can
develop more than one type of learning style. For example, extroverts can also
develop kinesthetic learning style.
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2.8 Research questions
After reviewing the literature I posed the following research questions:
RQ-1 Is there a relationship between EFL students’ personality and their learning
styles?
RQ-2 Is there a relationship between EFL students’age and their learning styles?
RQ-3 Is there a difference berween female and male students in terms of learning
styles?
RQ-4 Is there a difference in learning styles across EFL students’ levels of
proficiency?
RQ-5 What is the nature among the learning styles?
The first research question aims to find out the possible relationship between
personality and learning styles. The second research question explores the EFL
students’age regarding learning learning styles. The third research question
investigates the differences in gender in terms of learning styles. Research question
four looks into the differences in learning styles across EFL students’ levels of
proficiency. Finally, question five attempts to describe the nature of learning styles
across the sample, that is, if they are interrelated.
50
Chapter 3 Method
The research design for this study which was conducted in 2008, was
descriptive/correlational. In this project, the way in which this research was carried out
was through the application of three questionnaires which determined the kind of
personality, and students’learning styles, so that at the end students can find out if
both constructs can be correlated or not.
The variables used regarding to the participants are sex, age, nationality, level
of proficiency, semester, and work they were chosen due to the question hypothesis
mentioned before so that readers of this research can identify the factors which
influenced the origin on each research question.
This chapter of the methodology will be explained since the conceptual level
which describes the focus of study, in this case, the participants and the instruments
that are necessary to carry out the first part of the methodology, then at an
operational level, it involves everything that has to do with how data collection was
organized (procedure, and data anaylisis).
3.1 Participants
The students were from the University of Quintana Roo from the second, fourth
and sixth semester. The environment in which both questionaires were applied was
excellent because the participants showed a great interest and enthusiasm in
knowing about their personality traits and their learning styles. At the end they asked
me about how would they know their results, so they asked me for my e-mail. In this
way, I realized that the topic of my research was attractive and interesting for them.
51
Individual participating in the project were 103 students of the English
Language Major of the University of Quintana Roo. The group was made up of 70
woman and 33 men, they were aged between 18 and 44, and the mean age of the
students was 22.16 years. 101 students were Mexican, 1 taiwanese, and 1
portuguese.
37 of these students worked and 66 did not work. These students were from different
semesters, 17 students were of second semester, 45 of fourth and 41 of sixth. I took
into account their level of proficiency, 18 were beginners, 74 were in intermediate
level, and 11 in advanced. With this sample of students I could identify their
preferences in the way they behave and learn.
3.2. Instruments
The instruments I used were two, both instruments were provided by Dr. Marin
(personal communication). The first was the Eysenck Questionnaire (EPQ-R) it
contained 83 questions that described personality regarding to the three dimensions
Extraversion- Introversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism. The questionnaire asked
students to check on yes/no according to their preferences (see Appendix A).
The other was the Perceptual-Learning Style Preferance (PLSP) by J. Reid
(see Appendix B). This self-report questionanaire helped learners identify they way
they learn best, -the way the prefer to learn. The 30 questions cover Reid’s six
learning style preferences, with six statements for each preference. For example for
those who were visuals it said: “I learn better by reading than by listening to
52
someone”, and it also was by ticking yes/no according to their preferences. These two
questionaires helped me to find relationships about personality and learning styles.
3.3. Procedure
Once I had explained to them the purpose of my research. The procedure I
followed to apply these questionnaires was to select which questionnaire I was going
to apply first, then the second, and third. In this case, the first one was the Eysenck
Questionnaire (EPQ-R), so in this way it helped me to identify the level of
extroversion-introversion regarding to students, moreover, to find out the probably
relationship that there is in both dimensions regarding to the Neuroticism and
Psychoticism dimensions. The following questionnaire was the one by J.Reid about
Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences (PLSP) which will helped me to determine
the preference that students have when they learn, store information and study
strategies. For example, those who are visual understand better if they read by
themselves the instructions or information in general or if they need to remember
information from lectures or oral directions, these students tend to take notes.,
kinaesthetic students are involved physically in classroom experiences such as role-
playing in the classroom, or individual who prefer to work alone , and so on.
Once I selected the order of the application of the questionnaires, I asked for
permission to visit the groups from second, fourth, and sixth semester of the English
Language Major from the University of Quintana Roo, and then I explained the
purpose of my research to the teachers in charge of those groups.
53
In the classrooms, I introduced myself and explained briefly to the students the aim of
my research and the information of the questionnaires, I told them to answer the
questionaires trying to be the most honest they could be, so that the results could be
valid. The instructions of the questionnaires were clearly printed, as well as
expressed and read by myself.
3.4.Data analysis
The way I organized the information I obtained, was first by scoring each
questionnaire. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph I began with the personality
questionnaire because I needed to know first the origin of students’behaviour, so that
I could relate it to learning styles. Once I scored them I entered them into an excel
program for data analysis, after that, I used the SPSS program to convert those
results in order to find correlations among the scores that were obtained from the
Personality trait of Extraversion and the six perceptual learning styles to compare
them.
The first questionaire that I scored was the (EPQ-R) about Personality
because it helped me to determine first the level of extraversion-introversion in each
student, and according to that, I found similarities and differences regarding to
personality. The second questionaire I analyzed was the (PLSP) Learning Styles
which helped me to identify the learning or learning styles of extroverted and
introverted students, and compare both.
54
Chapter 4. Results and discussion
In this section, the research question hypothesis which were posed in chapter
2 will be answered and explained according to the results obtained in the
questionnaires of personality traits and learning sytles that were applied to students
from the English Language Major of the University of Quintana Roo. This part of the
research will show whether there are correlations between the personality traits and
learning styles, apart from exploring if there are correlations among variables such as
age, level of proficiency, and gender regarding learning styles. The last research
question will explain what is the nature of the correlations among the six learning
styles.
4.1 The relationship between EFL students’ personality and their learning styles
Table 4.1 shows the personality traits Psychoticism, Extroversion and
Neuroticism and the six learning styles. The results from the correlation between the
Personality traits and Learning styles are as follows.
In the questionnaires I applied, I found that Psychoticism correlates with the
Kinesthetic (r = -.234) and Tactile (r = -.218) learning styles (see Table 4.1)
Students with this trend prefer activities in which they are involved physically in
classroom experiences, participating in activities, field trips, and role-playing, touching
and working with materials provide them with the most successful learning situation.
Extraversion positively correlated with only one type of learning style, in this
case, the kinesthetic, the correlation was (r = .260), having with this that extraverts
may learn better with the kinesthetic learning style.
55
Table 4.1 CORRELATION AMONG THE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND LEARNING
STYLES
Psychoticism Extraversion Neuroticism Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Groupal Tactile Individual

Psychoticism Pearson
1 -.043 .188 -.029 -.039 -.234(*) -.096 -.218(*) .122
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) . .665 .056 .773 .695 .017 .331 .027 .217
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Extraversion Pearson
-.043 1 -.421(**) .112 -.168 .260(**) .189 .072 -.118
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .665 . .000 .256 .088 .008 .055 .466 .232
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Neuroticism Pearson
.188 -.421(**) 1 -.004 -.034 -.113 -.050 .057 .065
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .056 .000 . .968 .734 .255 .612 .567 .515
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Auditory Pearson
-.029 .112 -.004 1 -.269(**) .090 .154 .074 -.136
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .773 .256 .968 . .006 .362 .118 .453 .170
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Visual Pearson
-.039 -.168 -.034 -.269(**) 1 -.077 -.143 -.003 .349(**)
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .695 .088 .734 .006 . .436 .148 .976 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Kinesthetic Pearson
-.234(*) .260(**) -.113 .090 -.077 1 .196(*) .492(**) -.239(*)
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .017 .008 .255 .362 .436 . .046 .000 .015
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Groupal Pearson
-.096 .189 -.050 .154 -.143 .196(*) 1 .212(*) -.667(**)
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .331 .055 .612 .118 .148 .046 . .030 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Tactile Pearson
-.218(*) .072 .057 .074 -.003 .492(**) .212(*) 1 -.074
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .027 .466 .567 .453 .976 .000 .030 . .455
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Individual Pearson
.122 -.118 .065 -.136 .349(**) -.239(*) -.667(**) -.074 1
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) .217 .232 .515 .170 .000 .015 .000 .455 .
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
These results are relevant because they show the unconscious preferences
that students have when they learn. In the specific case of learning English, teachers
need to take into account these results so that the process of teaching and learning in
students can be succesful.
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4.2 The relationship between EFL students’age and their learning styles
Regarding the second hypothesis, I found a zero correlation between EFL
students’age and their learning styles as It is shown in table 4.2:
Table 4.2 AGE CORRELATED TO LEARNING STYLES

Age Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Groupal Tactile Individual
Age Correlación de Pearson 1 .111 .049 .139 .076 .042 -.100
Sig. (bilateral) .262 .625 .159 .441 .671 .314
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Auditory Correlación de Pearson .111 1 -.269(**) .090 .154 .074 -.136
Sig. (bilateral) .262 .006 .362 .118 .453 .170
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Visual Correlación de Pearson .049 -.269(**) 1 -.077 -.143 -.003 .349(**)
Sig. (bilateral) .625 .006 .436 .148 .976 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Kinesthetic Correlación de Pearson .139 .090 -.077 1 .196(*) .492(**) -.239(*)
Sig. (bilateral) .159 .362 .436 .046 .000 .015
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Groupal Correlación de Pearson .076 .154 -.143 .196(*) 1 .212(*) -.667(**)
Sig. (bilateral) .441 .118 .148 .046 .030 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Tactile Correlación de Pearson .042 .074 -.003 .492(**) .212(*) 1 -.074
Sig. (bilateral) .671 .453 .976 .000 .030 .455
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
Individual Correlación de Pearson -.100 -.136 .349(**) -.239(*) -.667(**) -.074 1
Sig. (bilateral) .314 .170 .000 .015 .000 .455
N 104 104 104 104 104 104 104
** La correlación es significativa al nivel 0,01 (bilateral).
* La correlación es significante al nivel 0,05 (bilateral).
As it can be seen, the age factor was secondary, as it did not influence with the
learning styles as personality traits did. The explanation of this is based on our
biological system, specifically in the ARAS system, according to the stimulus people
receive, they react different, what is more important is the degree of introversion or
extraversion in a person and this will determine the process of learning, and the most
preferred learning styles in a person.
57
4.3 Difference between female and male students in terms of learning styles.
Regarding gender, the difference between female and male in terms of
learning styles is shown in table 4.3, in which men have a trend towards the visual
learning style. I consider it is due to the biological aspect that men focuses more in
visual things that women (mean= 3.52 vs 2.99).
Table 4.3 GENDER CORRELATED TO LEARNING SYTLES

Std. Error
Sex N Mean Std. Deviation Mean
Auditory Male 33 3.88 .960 .167
Female 70 3.66 1.006 .120
Visual Male 33 3.52 1.278 .222
Female 70 2.99 1.469 .176
Kinesthetic Male 33 4.42 .936 .163
Female 70 4.39 .856 .102
Groupal Male 33 2.94 1.870 .325
Female 70 2.76 1.837 .220
Tactile Male 33 3.48 1.395 .243
Female 70 3.61 1.526 .182
Individual Male 33 2.97 1.928 .336
Female 70 2.70 1.906 .228
As it can be noticed, the gender factor was similar to the age factor due to it
did not correlate with learning styles. And although there is not any correlation, but
there is a trend that we cannot discard. it is important to keep it in mind, and as
teachers it will help us to understand our students process of learning better, and it
will help us to vary our activities in class in a way that it can be interesting for both
sides.
58
4.4 Differences in learning styles across EFL students’ levels of proficiency
In table 4.4 students learning styles and levels of proficiency were compared, but
there was no correlation. But it is noticeable that there is a slightly trend.
Table 4.4 LEARNING STYLES ACROSS LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY
N Mean Std. Deviation

Auditory Beginning 18 3.89 .963
Intermediate 74 3.72 .973
Advanced 11 3.55 1.214
Total 103 3.73 .992
Visual Beginning 18 2.94 1.626
Intermediate 74 3.20 1.375
Advanced 11 3.18 1.537
Total 103 3.16 1.426
Kinesthetic Beginning 18 4.50 .618
Intermediate 74 4.35 .957
Advanced 11 4.55 .688
Total 103 4.40 .878
Groupal Beginning 18 3.22 1.957
Advanced 11 2.36 1.629
Total 103 2.82 1.840
Tactile Beginning 18 3.83 1.339
Advanced 11 3.36 1.567
Total 103 3.57 1.479
Individual Beginning 18 2.83 2.036
Advanced 11 3.09 1.868
Total 103 2.79 1.908
Although there were no significant differences in learning styles across levels
of proficiency, it is important to mention that the trend is noticeable regarding the
auditory and visual learning styles and the level of proficiency in beginners. This
result is logical because we as human beings most of the time trend to pay more
attention to things that are new for us.
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4.5 The nature of the learning styles of the sample
In this research I identified which was the most preferred learnining style by the
students of the English Language Major, and also I will explain the nature of these
learning styles among them.
The most preferred learning style by the students was kinesthetic learning
style, then auditory, tactile, visual, and individual, but the learning style that was the
least preferred among these students was groupal. These results are shown in table
4.5 as follows:
Table 4.5 THE MOST PREFERRED LEARNING STYLE
N Mínimo Máximo Media Desv. típ.

Kinesthetic 104 2 5 4.39 .875
Auditory 104 1 5 3.73 .988
Tactile 104 0 5 3.58 1.473
Visual 104 0 5 3.14 1.424
Individual 104 0 5 2.81 1.911
Groupal 104 0 5 2.79 1.852
N válido (según lista) 104
The order of this preference regading learning styles is important because it
demonstrates which learning styles have a better impact on students at the moment
of learning. Moreover, it would help the teacher to notice the students’ strength or
weakness regarding those learning styles to process information and learn. The first
learning style is the kinesthetic, it clearly shows how important are gestures and
movements when teachers explain something, it does not matter if they are introvert
or extrovert, students will never forget the way you made them feel in class.
Secondly, the auditory learning style was significant for the students because
activities such as listening to a song, listen to a fill in exercise, a conversation or
60
dictation make that the students focus more on that specific task and help the teacher
to keep control in class; therefore, if the movements are accompanied by a good tone
of voice, the process of teaching and learning would be modified in a positive way.
Third, the tactile learning style was chosen by the students because once they have
experienced the first two styles, they like the idea to put into practice what they have
learned by means of different activities such as physical involvement or hands-on.
Visual was located in the fourth place due to some students learn better at looking
attractive material with colorful shapes or landscapes and these students have
patience to design or draw and observe abstract figures. Something that is important
to mention about the preference for the visual style regarding introverts is that they
concentrate better because they are more patient, but extroverts do not. This
difference is because extroverts have a tendency to be impulsive and loose
concentration rapidly on things. Eventhough the individual style was not among the
favorite learning styles, it was considered useful for students to make them feel
relaxed and concentrate better on some tasks. Finally, the last preferred was the
groupal, maybe because most of these students who were interviewed had a
tendency to be introverts. An explanation would be given in terms of the arousal
theory in which extraverts need to be aroused to work and are superior at demanding
attention and memory tasks because the difficulty of these tasks lowers the optimal
level of cortical arousal for performance. Conversely, introverts have impairments in
learning if they are under conditions of distraction or a lot of noise because they work
better in non- stimulating or de-arousing environments.
61
In table 4.6 I will explain the nature of the relationship among the six learning styles:
Table 4.6 THE NATURE AMONG THE 6 LEARNING STYLES
Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Groupal Tactile Individual

Auditory Correlación de Pearson 1 -.269(**) .090 .154 .074 -.136
Sig. (bilateral) .006 .362 .118 .453 .170
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
Visual Correlación de Pearson -.269(**) 1 -.077 -.143 -.003 .349(**)
Sig. (bilateral) .006 .436 .148 .976 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
Kinesthetic Correlación de Pearson .090 -.077 1 .196(*) .492(**) -.239(*)
Sig. (bilateral) .362 .436 .046 .000 .015
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
Groupal Correlación de Pearson .154 -.143 .196(*) 1 .212(*) -.667(**)
Sig. (bilateral) .118 .148 .046 .030 .000
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
Tactile Correlación de Pearson .074 -.003 .492(**) .212(*) 1 -.074
Sig. (bilateral) .453 .976 .000 .030 .455
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
Individual Correlación de Pearson -.136 .349(**) -.239(*) -.667(**) -.074 1
Sig. (bilateral) .170 .000 .015 .000 .455
N 104 104 104 104 104 104
** La correlación es significativa al nivel 0,01 (bilateral).
* La correlación es significante al nivel 0,05 (bilateral).
As it can be seen the correlation among the six learning styles, I will begin with
the first learning style that was the most preferred among the students of the English
Language Major, it was the kinesthetic. I found that this learning style correlated
positively with groupal, and tactile. The way these learning styles are related are due
to the explanation that students with kinesthetic characteristics learn best by
experience, by being involved physically in classroom experiences. But at the same
time, kinesthetic did not correlate with individual.
The second learning style was auditory, it correlated negatively with visual,
having with this, that those students who are good at listening activities are not good
in visual. Visual students remember and understand information and instructions
62
better if they read them while auditives information by reading aloud or moving their
lips as they read, especially when they are learning new material.
The following learning style was tactil, students with this learning style develop
themselves better when using the kinesthetic and groupal learning styles. These
people like to experience new material and at the same time they enjoy being involve
in different activities.
The fourth learning style was visual and it correlated positively with the
individual learning style, that is to say that indivual students develop better the visual
learning style. Introvert students work and concentrate better alone than in groups, so
these students focus on specific aspects (scanning), because they are not impulsives
as extroverts.
The individual learning style did not correlate with groupal and kinesthetic, but
visual. This match is based on the introvert personality trait which these students
prefer to work under non-stimulating environments, these students concentrate better,
and they are patient; therefore, they are analitical and are able to solve problems
easily because they are not impulsives as extroverts.
Finally, the groupal learning style correlated positively with kinesthetic and
tactil, but it correlated negatively with individual. This correlations end to confirm the
close relationship between personality traits and learning styles. As I have mentioned
before, the behaviour, actitud, and type of learning are related to the biological
system in a person. Extrovert students are more motivated with activities that have to
do with movement, memory, and hands-on, so that they put into practice what they
have learned.
63
Chapter 5 Conclusion
This final chapter comprises, among other aspects, the major conclusions of
the study, whose main objective was to explore the relationship between personality
and learning styles in students, especially with students of the English Language
major at University of Quintana Roo. It begins with a summary of major findings,
which are considered the major conclusions of the study and its purpose. Next, the
limitations of the investigation are discussed, followed by some suggetions for further
research, and finally and more importantly some pedagogical implications are
mentioned.
5.1 Major conclusions of the study
In chapter six, we have given an account of the results of the investigation in
quantitative terms. At the same time, we have attempted to provide not only a
description and interpretation of the results but also an explanation for them based on
the work of H. J. Eysenck who included both a descriptive and an explanatory level in
his personality theory. What follows is a summary of the principal findings of our study
following the sequence in which the research questions and hypothesis were
presented in 2.8.
RQ-1 Is there a relationship between EFL students’ personality and their learning
styles?
The results shown in chapter 4 and table 4.1 demonstrate that this relationship
exists, having with this that Psychoticism correlates with the Kinesthetic (r = -.234)
64
and Tactile (r = -.218) learning styles, and that The extraversion correlated with only
one type of learning style, in this case, the kinesthetic, the correlation was (r = .260).
RQ-2 is there a relationship between EFL students’ age and their learning styles?
In this hypothesis the results clearly show that there is no correlation between
EFL students’age and their learning styles as It was shown in table 4.2. The reason is
explained based on the biological system of each person. Eventhough a person who
is 30 and if she or he is extrovert, this person will not develop the same type of
learning as a person who is introvert and is 18 as it was mentioned before in chapter
two. There is no specific case that states that people from certain ages develop a
specific type of learning, why? Because in their brain the process of retaining
information and learn is different.
RQ-3 Is there a difference between female and male students in terms of learning
styles?
Although there was no difference, there is a trend in which men prefer the
visual learning style. Regarding to the English language, it is important to mention
that there has been research about learning strategies which states that woman use
and develop learning strategies better than man.
For example, women develop social strategies better than men perhaps
because of women’s stronger social nature (Politzer 1983 and Oxford 1989). Some
women strategies are: memory, metacognitive, affective, and social strategies.
65
Women are good at vocabulary solving problem while men are good at reading peace
and problem solving, they are more analitic.
RQ-4 Is there a difference in learning styles across EFL students’ levels of
proficiency?
The results of this hypothesis show that there is no difference, but there is a
trend which demonstrates that beginners use more the auditive and visual learning
styles, as it was shown in table 4.4. The answer to this trend may be because in their
surveys, they way that their level was considered was only a possibility, it was not
evaluated by any official exam which assessed their level. On the other hand, another
possible answer may be because as a beginner whatever is new is attractive and
encompass all attention that is to say that people trend to develop more the auditive
and visual senses.
RQ-5 What is the nature among the learning styles?
Finally in table 4.5 it was interesting to know which were the most preferred
learning styles by the students. The first was the kinesthetic learning style, second
auditory, third tactile, then visual, and finally individual, but the learning style that was
the least preferred among these students was groupal.
Then, in table 4.6 the relationships among the six learning styles the results
were as follows:
• kinesthetic learning style correlated positively with groupal, and tactile.

• Auditory correlated negatively with visual.
66
• Tactil correlated positevely with kinesthetic and groupal learning styles.
• Visual correlated positively with the individual learning style.
• Groupal correlated positively with kinesthetic and tactil, but it correlated
negatively with individual.
• Individual correlated positively with visual.
5.2 General conclusions
Now that I have presented a summary of the major findings of the
investigation, I can briefly recapitulate them in the form of general conclusions. All in
all, our main variables of interest were personality traits and learning styles, It is very
vital to know how both aspects are somewhat related and play an important role in
the process of teaching and learning English.
Several times, I had heard the terms of Extroversion, Introversion, Neuroticism
and Psychoticism, but I never imagined how they were related to our process of
learning. It is really interesting the way Eysenck provides a biological explanation for
each personality trait, as it was mentioned in chapter 2. Similarly, it is important to
know the different types of learning styles that we all human beings have which were
well classified by Joy Reid into affective, cognitive and sensorial.
What is amazing from this reasearch is to know how our brain is activated, how
it functions, and all the process that it carries out to store information and develops
the learning in humans.
Finally, it is important to mention that both dimmensions of our personality
introversion-extroversion are equally important. Introverts and extroverts have their
own pace to learn, their own strategies, and their own learning styles.
67
5.3 Limitations of the study
Not everything in life is perfect, and sometimes things are different from the
way we have originally planned. Regarding the limitations of the study were mostly
concerned with the research instruments used for collecting personality and learning
styles data.
1) The Eysenckian Personality Questionnaire and the Learning styles
questionnaries were well designed, the problem was that I could not applied
them to all semesters, I only used a small sample. I applied these
questionnaires in exam periods, so I could not find all the English language
Major teachers; therefore, I only worked with three semesters, although they
were two groups per semester, it was not an enough sample.
2) Another shortcoming was that I needed to apply an interview guide, but it was
no possible because the time factor, students were in exams and then they
were on vacation. If I applied the interview guide, I had to grade first the
Eysenck questionnaire and then choose who had been the most extroverted
and introverted person per group, but I could not.
68
5.4 Suggestions for further research
In our live we always research, everytime we want to know about something
we ask, and this is a process that never ends. To understand these different
phenomena we have to investigate about the situation that we are interested in or
about an important event that is happening in our world. Therefore; what follows are
two recommendations for further research regarding Personality and learning styles.
1) Due to this relationship between personality and learning styles exists, it would be
good to research more about it, so that teachers really have concern about it and
feel motivated to know their students, so that the process of teaching and learning
is success in the future.
2) Once teachers have noticed the personality trait, they should look for new
strategies that are interesting and really dynamic for students at the moment of
learning English, so that they feel motivated. Strategies for introverts and
extroverts that are effective for them.
69
5.5 Pedagogical implications
People that are involved in different fields of knowledge have the responsibility
to do research. Doctors, lawyers, psychologists, scientists, teachers and so on. In this
globalized world we need to face different circumstances in which we have to be well
prepared to solve them.
The main purpose of this thesis was to find if there was any relationship
between personality and learning styles; therefore, we found that it is somewhat true,
the relationships exist. But the second question is really important too. What is the
purpose of this research? - In which way it will help teachers and students regarding
the process of teaching and learning.
How many times we have seen frustrated teachers and students when they
teach or learn? What is the origin of this problem? Those who are involved in the
field of education maybe have asked themselves one of these questions.
In my opinion this relationship is the basic to solve those frustrating questions,
the importance of identifying our students’ personality it will help teachers to visualize
which activities work out with their students that could be significant.
One of the negative aspects when we teach is that we do not know our
students personality, or we think that it is not really important, so we disregard it, and
what is even worse is to have the wrong idea that “if an activity works well with one, it
must work well for the rest.” This is a terrible misunderstood because we are not
taking into account the personality and learning style factors in students.
70
References
Allport, G. (1937) Personality: A Psychological Interpretation. London: Constable.
Autonomic nervous system. (n.d). Retrieved April 18, 2007, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomic_nervous_system
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Cerebral Cortex. (n.d). Retrieved April 18, 2007, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex
Dopamine. (n.d). Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
Dun,R.& Dunn, K. (1978). Teaching students through their individual learning styles: A
practical approach. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing Company.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_system
Eysenck, M. W. (1982) Attention and arousal: Cognition and Performance. New York:
Springer.
Eysenck, H. J. (1962) Conditioning and personality. British Journal of Psychology, 53, 3,

299-305.
Eysenck, H. J. (1947) Dimensions of personality. London: Methuen.
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paradigm. Personality and Individual Differences, 12, 773-790.
Eysenck, H. J. (1965) Extraversion and the acquisition of eyeblink and GSR conditioned
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British Journal of Psychology, 71, 191-209.
Eysenck, H. J. (1967). The biological basis of personality. Springfield, IL: Charles C

Thomas.
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Eysenck, H. J., and Eysenck, S. B. (1991) The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-
Revised. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Eysenck, H. J. (1970) The Structure of Human Personality. London: Methuen.
Gardner, H; Macintyre (1992). Language teaching, 25, (pp. 211-220). Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonads
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Hernández, R. L. (2003). Estilos de aprendizaje predominantes en una población

representativa de estudiantes de inglés del CELE de la UNAM. Tesis de Maestría,
UNAM, México, D.F.
Jung, C. (1998) Psychological types. In C.L. Cooper and L. Pervin (eds) Critical Concepts
in Psychology. (pp. 28-39). London: Routledge.
Min, Kwang. (1998). Eysenck’s PEN Model: Its contribution to personality psychology.
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Monoamine oxidase. (n.d). Retrieved May 1, 2007, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleus_accumbens
Oxford, R. (1990) Language Learning Styles. What every teacher should know. Boston.
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Reid, J. (1987) The Learning Style Preferences of ESL Students. TESOL Quarterly, 21,
1, 87-111.
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from http://www.answers.com/topic/cortical-arousal
The twins brought up on either side of the Iron Curtain… but who lived identical lives
(2007). Retrieved December 20, 2007, from
72
APPENDIX A
EPQ – R
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-503775/The-twins-brought-Iron-Curtain--lived-
H. J. Eysenck et al
identical-lives.html
Por favor, conteste cada pregunta poniendo una cruz (X) sobre el SÍ o el NO que le siguen. No hay
respuestas correctas o incorrectas, ni preguntas con trampa. Trabaje rápidamente y no piense
demasiado en el significado exacto de las mismas.
POR FAVOR, NO DEJE NINGUNA PREGUNTA SIN RESPONDER
1. ¿Se detiene a pensar las cosas antes de hacerlas?.......................................................... SI NO

2. ¿Su estado de ánimo sufre altibajos con frecuencia?........................................................ SI NO
3. ¿Es usted una persona que le gusta platicar mucho?........................................................ SI NO
4. ¿Se siente a veces desdichado/a sin motivo?.................................................................... SI NO
5. ¿Alguna vez ha querido llevarse más de lo que le correspondía en un reparto?............... SI NO
6. ¿Es usted una persona alegre y llena de ánimo? .............................................................. SI NO
7. Si usted asegura que hará una cosa, ¿siempre mantiene su promesa, sin
importarle las molestias que ello le podría ocasionar?........................................................ SI NO
8. ¿Es una persona irritable?................................................................................................... SI NO
9. ¿Pone atención a lo que opinan los demás?....................................................................... SI NO
SI NO
10. ¿Alguna vez ha culpado a alguien por algo que había hecho usted?................................................
SI NO
11. ¿Son todos sus hábitos buenos y deseables?...................................................................................
SI NO
12. ¿Tiende a mantenerse apartado/a en las situaciones sociales?........................................................
SI NO
13. A menudo, ¿se siente harto/a?...........................................................................................................
14. ¿Ha tomado alguna vez alguna cosa (aunque no fuese más que un alfiler
SI NO
o un botón) que perteneciese a otra persona?...................................................................................
15. Para usted, ¿los límites entre lo que está bien y lo que está mal son menos
claros que para la mayoría de la gente?............................................................................................
SI NO
16. ¿Le gusta salir de casa a menudo?...................................................................................................

SI NO
17. ¿Es mejor actuar como uno/a quiera que seguir las normas sociales?.............................................
SI NO
18. ¿Tiene a menudo sentimientos de culpabilidad?................................................................................
SI NO
19. ¿Diría de sí mismo/a que es una persona nerviosa?.........................................................................
SI NO
20. ¿Es usted una persona sufridora?......................................................................................................
SI NO
21. ¿Alguna vez ha roto o perdido algo que perteneciese a otra persona?.............................................
SI NO
22. ¿Generalmente toma la iniciativa al hacer nuevas amistades?..........................................................
SI NO
23. ¿Los deseos personales están por encima de las normas sociales?..................................
SI NO
24. ¿Diría de sí mismo/a que es una persona tensa o muy nerviosa?.......................................
SI NO
25. Por lo general, ¿suele estar callado/a cuando está con otras personas?...........................
SI NO
73
26. ¿Cree que el matrimonio está anticuado y debería abolirse?............................................................
SI NO
27. ¿Puede animar fácilmente una fiesta aburrida?.................................................................................
SI NO
28. ¿Le gusta contar chistes e historias divertidas a sus amigos/as?......................................................
SI NO
29. ¿La mayoría de las cosas le son indiferentes?..................................................................................
SI NO
30. De niño/a, ¿fue alguna vez descarado/a con sus padres?.................................................................
SI NO
31. ¿Le gusta mezclarse con la gente?.......................................................................................
SI NO
32. ¿Se siente a menudo apático/a y cansado/a sin motivo?...................................................................
SI NO
33. ¿Ha hecho alguna vez trampas en el juego?.....................................................................................
SI NO
34. ¿A menudo toma decisiones sin pararse a reflexionar?.....................................................................
SI NO
35. ¿A menudo siente que la vida es muy monótona?.............................................................................
SI NO
36. ¿Alguna vez se ha aprovechado de alguien?.....................................................................................
SI NO
37. ¿Cree que la gente pierde el tiempo al proteger su futuro con
ahorros y seguros?..............................................................................................................................
SI NO
38. Evadiría impuestos si estuviera seguro/a de que nunca sería descubierto/a?..................................
SI NO
39. ¿Puede organizar y conducir una fiesta?............................................................................................
SI NO
40. Generalmente, ¿reflexiona antes de actuar?......................................................................................
SI NO
41. ¿Sufre de los «nervios»?....................................................................................................................
SI NO
42. ¿A menudo se siente solo/a?..............................................................................................................
SI NO
43. ¿Hace siempre lo que predica?...........................................................................................................
SI NO
44. ¿Es mejor seguir las normas de la sociedad que ir a su aire?...........................................................
SI NO
45. ¿Alguna vez ha llegado tarde a una cita o trabajo?...........................................................................
SI NO
46. ¿Le gusta el bullicio y la agitación a su alrededor?............................................................................
SI NO
47. ¿La gente piensa que usted es una persona animada?.....................................................................
SI NO
48. ¿Cree que los planes de seguros son una buena idea? ...................................................................
SI NO
49. ¿Realiza muchas actividades de tiempo libre?...................................................................................
SI NO
50. ¿Daría dinero para fines caritativos?..................................................................................................
SI NO
51. ¿Le afectaría mucho ver sufrir a un niño/a o a un animal?.................................................................
SI NO
52. ¿Se preocupa a menudo por cosas que no debería haber dicho o hecho?.......................................
SI NO
53. ¿Habitualmente, es capaz de liberarse y disfrutar en una fiesta animada?.......................................
SI NO
54. ¿Se siente fácilmente herido/a en sus sentimientos? ........................................................................
SI NO
55. ¿Disfruta hiriendo a las personas que ama?….....................................................................
SI NO
56. ¿Habla a veces de cosas de las que no sabe nada?.........................................................................
SI NO
57. Prefiere leer que conocer gente?........................................................................................................
SI NO
58. ¿Tiene muchos amigos/as?................................................................................................................
SI NO
74
59. ¿Se ha enfrentado constantemente a sus padres?............................................................ SI NO
60. ¿Cuando era niño/a, hacía en seguida las cosas que le pedían y sin refunfuñar?............ SI NO
61. ¿Se ha opuesto frecuentemente a los deseo de sus padres?............................................ SI NO
62. ¿Se inquieta por cosas terribles que podrían suceder?...................................................... SI NO
63. ¿Es usted más indulgente que la mayoría de las personas acerca del bien
y del mal?............................................................................................................................. SI NO
64. ¿Se siente intranquilo/a por su salud?................................................................................. SI NO

65. ¿Alguna vez ha dicho algo malo o desagradable acerca de otra persona?........................ SI NO
66. ¿Le gusta cooperar con los demás?.................................................................................... SI NO
67. ¿Se preocupa si sabe que hay errores en su trabajo?........................................................ SI NO
68. ¿Se lava siempre las manos antes de comer?.................................................................... SI NO
69. ¿Casi siempre tiene una respuesta «a punto» cuando le preguntan algo?......................... SI NO
70. ¿Le gusta hacer cosas en las que tiene que actuar rápidamente?..................................... SI NO
71. ¿Es (o era) su madre una buena mujer?............................................................................. SI NO
72. ¿Le preocupa mucho su aspecto?....................................................................................... SI NO
73. ¿Alguna vez ha deseado morirse?...................................................................................... SI NO
74. ¿Trata de no ser grosero/a con la gente?............................................................................ SI NO
75. Después de una experiencia embarazosa, ¿se siente preocupado/a durante
mucho tiempo?..................................................................................................................... SI NO
76. ¿Se siente fácilmente herido/a cuando la gente encuentra defectos en usted
o en su trabajo?................................................................................................................... SI NO
77. ¿Frecuentemente toma decisiones sin pensarlo mucho?................................................... SI NO

78. ¿Se siente a veces desbordante de energía y otras muy decaído/a?................................. SI NO
79. ¿A veces se deja para mañana lo que debería hacer hoy?................................................. SI NO
80. ¿La gente le cuenta muchas mentiras?............................................................................... SI NO
81. ¿Se afecta fácilmente por cualquier motivo?....................................................................... SI NO
82. ¿Cuando ha cometido una equivocación, ¿está siempre dispuesto a admitirlo?................ SI NO
83. ¿Cuando tiene mal humor, ¿le cuesta controlarse?............................................................ SI NO
POR FAVOR VERIFIQUE QUE HAYA CONTESTADO TODAS LAS PREGUNTAS.
Matricula: ____________. Sexo: ____________.

Edad: ____________. Fecha: ____________.
Semestre: ____________. Nivel de inglés:
Principiantes Intermedio Avanzado

Trabajas ____________.
Personal Communication. Marin, A. (2005)
75
APPENDIX B
CUESTIONARIO SOBRE TIPOS DE APRENDIZAJES PERCEPTIVOS

Joy Reid
Por favor, conteste cada pregunta poniendo una cruz (X) sobre el SÍ o el NO que le siguen. No hay
respuestas correctas o incorrectas, ni preguntas con trampa. Trabaje rápidamente y no piense
demasiado en el significado exacto de las mismas.
1. Entiendo mejor cuando el maestro me indica las instrucciones............................................. SI NO

2. Prefiero aprender practicando o haciendo algo en clase...................................................... SI NO
3. Trabajo más cuando estoy con otros.................................................................................... SI NO
4. Aprendo mejor cuando estudio en grupo.............................................................................. SI NO
5. En clase aprendo mejor cuando trabajo con los demás........................................................ SI NO
6. Aprendo mejor cuando leo lo que el maestro escribe en el pizarrón.................................... SI NO
7. Aprendo mejor cuando alguien me dice como debo hacer las cosas................................... SI NO
8. Aprendo mejor cuando hago las cosas en clase................................................................... SI NO
9. Recuerdo mejor las cosas cuando las escucho que cuando las leo..................................... SI NO
10. Recuerdo mejor las instrucciones cuando las leo............................................................... SI NO
11. Aprendo más cuando puedo hacer un modelo de algo....................................................... SI NO
12. Entiendo mejor cuando leo las instrucciones...................................................................... SI NO
13. Recuerdo mejor las cosas cuando estudio solo (a)............................................................. SI NO
14. Aprendo más cuando hago algún proyecto para alguna clase............................................ SI NO
15. Me agrada aprender en clase cuando hago experimentos.................................................. SI NO
16. Aprendo mejor cuando hago mapas conceptuales.............................................................. SI NO
17. Aprendo mejor cuando el maestro da una plática sobre algún tema................................... SI NO
18. Aprendo mejor cuando trabajo solo (a)............................................................................... SI NO
19. Entiendo mejor las cosas en clase cuando participo en conversaciones de situaciones SI NO
reales……………………………………………………………………………………………… SI NO
20. Aprendo mejor en clase cuando escucho a alguien............................................................ SI NO
21. Me agrada hacer tarea cuando estoy con más de dos compañeros................................... SI NO
22. Recuerdo lo que mejor aprendí cuando construyo o creo algo........................................... SI NO
23. Prefiero estudiar con más personas.................................................................................... SI NO
24. Aprendo mejor leyendo que escuchando a alguien más..................................................... SI NO
25. Disfruto o me agrada más hacer algo para un proyecto de clase....................................... SI NO
26. Aprendo mejor en clase cuando participo en actividades relacionadas.............................. SI NO
27. Cuando estoy en clase trabajo mejor sola........................................................................... SI NO
28. Prefiero trabajar en un proyecto por mi mismo.................................................................... SI NO
29. Aprendo mejor leyendo en libros que escuchando pláticas de algún tema………………… SI NO
30. Prefiero trabajar solo........................................................................................................... SI NO
76

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UNIVERSIDAD DE QUINTANA ROO

División de Ciencias Políticas y Humanidades

The relationship between Personality and Learning

Dr. Alfredo Marín Marín

Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México. Febrero de 2009.

División de Ciencias Políticas y Humanidades

Tesis elaborada bajo la supervisión del comité de Tesis del

LICENCIADA EN LENGUA INGLESA

Dr. Alfredo Marín Marín

Mtro. Armando Pérez Morfín

Mtro. Gabriel Ángel Lira Gutiérrez

Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México, Febrero de 2009.

Several factors such as motivation, level of proficiency, L1/L2 ,age and so on

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Afredo Marin

1.1 Background and relevance of the study…………………………………………….. 2

Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………………………….. 13

2.1 Overview of personality and learning………………………………………............... 13

2.5 Definitions of Learning Styles………………………………………………………… 39

Chapter 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.............................................................. 55

4.5 The nature of learning styles of the sample…………………………………………. 60

5.1 Major conclusions of the study……………………………………………………….. 64

and retains information. In order to have effectiveness in the process of helping

is when problems such as frustrations begin (Reid, 1987).

Every human being has the capability of developing himself or herself

your life. Every thing needs to be put into practice.

1.1 Background and relevance of the study

students feel bored.

economical situation is weak.

1.2 The context of the investigation

Here, at the University of Quintana Roo, there are as different majors as

different types of personalities. Some students have shown a similar pattern of

exposed to the public.

University of Quintana Roo.

which some students used to show an active participation in the classroom.

imagined how the dimensions of personality (extroversion-introversion) would affect

why others learn better by listening to the teacher, and so on.

1.3 Purpose and scope of the investigation

Because personality has to do with everything in human’s life, the relationship

writing long sentences without using mind maps and so on.

of learning and studying.

and put them into practice.

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death”

contribution to the evolution of the understanding of human behaviour.

Eysenck’s theory is based primarly on genetics and psychology. He considers

Neuroticism, and then Introversion-Extroversion.

Regarding Neuroticism, it emerged due to the nervous problems that people

nervous than others when they are in different situations.

Similary, Eysenck was interested in the dimensions of Extraversion (excitation)

Introversion(inhibition), he referred to extroverted people to those who showed a kind

of amnesia when they were in awkward, or embarrasing situations. These people

were more able to show panic in awkward or embarrasing situations.

traits of Introversion-Extroversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism. In the same way,

focused on Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences (PLSP), he allowed ESL students

kinesthetic, tactile, group, and individual learning.

personality and learning styles. An important study regarding the importance of

and sexes. Her research was exploratory-descriptive about the cognoscitives,

differences between FD(Dependent Field) and FI(Independent Field). For example,

economy and humanities.

preference for an individual learning style.