Hans Eysenck: A research evaluation

Hans Eysenck made outstanding contributions to the description of human personality with his identification of three orthogonal personality dimensions although his approach was less exhaustive than that of subsequent researchers. He also proposed an ambitious agenda for developing comprehensive theoretical explanations based on the experimental approach and the biological underpinnings of major personality dimensions. Subsequent theories have followed his blueprint. Hans Eysenck's higher-level theoretical assumptions have stood the test of time better than his lower-level ones. However, a general limitation was his de-emphasis of cognitive processes and structures. He was less successful at implementation and interpretation than theory generation. This occurred in part because of his preference for a lawyer-like approach to research rather than a more scientific and objective one.