Energy and Personality: A Bridge between Physics and Psychology

Antonio Caselles, Joan C. Micó and Salvador Amigó
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Antonio Caselles: IASCYS Member, Departament de Matemàtica Aplicada, Universitat de València (retired), Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
Joan C. Micó: Institut Universitari de Matemàtica Multidisciplinar, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera s/n, 46022 València, Spain
Salvador Amigó: Departament de Personalitat, Avaluació i Tractaments Psicològics, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 21, 46010 València, Spain

Mathematics, 2021, vol. 9, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to present a mathematical formalism that states a bridge between physics and psychology, concretely between analytical dynamics and personality theory, in order to open new insights in this theory. In this formalism, energy plays a central role. First, the short-term personality dynamics can be measured by the General Factor of Personality (GFP) response to an arbitrary stimulus. This GFP dynamical response is modeled by a stimulus–response model: an integro-differential equation. The bridge between physics and psychology appears when the stimulus–response model can be formulated as a linear second order differential equation and, subsequently, reformulated as a Newtonian equation. This bridge is strengthened when the Newtonian equation is derived from a minimum action principle, obtaining the current Lagrangian and Hamiltonian functions. However, the Hamiltonian function is non-conserved energy. Then, some changes lead to a conserved Hamiltonian function: Ermakov–Lewis energy. This energy is presented, as well as the GFP dynamical response that can be derived from it. An application case is also presented: an experimental design in which 28 individuals consumed 26.51 g of alcohol. This experiment provides an ordinal scale for the Ermakov–Lewis energy that predicts the effect of a single dose of alcohol.

Keywords: personality dynamics; general factor of personality; stimulus–response model; minimum action principle; Hamiltonian; Ermakov–Lewis energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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