A brief historical overview on links between personality and health

Abstract

Throughout the history of (Western) medical science and philosophy, a connection between an individual’s health and personality has been suggested. Indeed, many theories or models directly linking personality factors to one’s health have been introduced, and many personality characteristics have been considered with regard to their importance for health. However, not all theories and models that link personality to health have been supported empirically. Herein, historical theories and models are described briefly, e.g., Hippocrates’ ancient model of four human temperaments and Type A and Type B personalities. Furthermore, a broad overview of current and scientifically investigated personality constructs and their associations to health is provided, spanning across the so-called “Big Five,” together with gender, intelligence, emotional intelligence, and motivational factors. Finally, methodological challenges and future directions in research on health and personality are discussed.