IS SALIVARY FLOW RELATED TO PERSONALITY

Studies conducted in the 1960s proposed that stimulated salivary flow was negatively correlated with the personality trait of introversion-e xtraversion such that introverted individuals were supposed to salivat e more strongly to lemon-juice stimulation than were extraverts. The r elationship was re-examined in the present study in light of more rece nt but inconsistent findings. A sample of 36 male and female volunteer s showed no significant relationship between stimulated salivary flow and extraversion. Nor was flow related to State or Trait anxiety accor ding to Spielberger's anxiety inventory, or to CNS activation as asses sed by an objective electronic test. It was concluded that there was n o evidence to relate stimulated salivary flow rates to personality in volunteers selected from a non-psychiatric population.