Quirk(ISBN=) 英文原版

Who are you? It’s the most fundamental of human questions. Are
you the type of person who tilts at windmills, or the one who
prefers to view them from the comfort of an air-conditioned
motorcoach? Our personalities are endlessly fascinating—not just to
ourselves but also to our spouses, our parents, our children, our
co-workers, our neighbors. As a highly social species, humans have
to navigate among an astonishing variety of personalities. But how
did all these different permutations come about? And what purpose
do they serve?
    With her trademark wit and sly humor, Hannah
Holmes takes readers into the amazing world of personality and
modern brain science. Using the Five Factor Model, which slices
temperaments into the major factors (Extraversion, Neuroticism,
Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness) and minor facets
(such as impulsive, artistic, or cautious), Holmes demonstrates how
our genes and brains dictate which factors and facets each of us
displays. Are you a Nervous Nelly? Your amygdala is probably
calling the shots. Hyperactive Hal? It’s all about the
dopamine.
    Each facet took root deep in the evolution of
life on Earth, with Nature allowing enough personal variation to
see a species through good times and bad. Just as there are
introverted and extroverted people, there are introverted and
extroverted mice, and even starfish. In fact, the personality genes
we share with mice make them invaluable models for the study of
disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Thus it is
deep and ancient biases that guide your dealings with a very modern
world. Your personality helps to determine the political party you
support, the car you drive, the way you eat M&Ms, and the
likelihood that you’ll cheat on your spouse.
    Drawing on data from top research laboratories,
the lives of her eccentric friends, the conflicts that plague her
own household, and even the habits of her two pet mice, Hannah
Holmes summarizes the factors that shape you. And what she proves
is that it does take all kinds. Even the most irksome and trying
personality you’ve ever encountered contributes to the diversity of
our species. And diversity is the key to our survival.