fei75766_ch14_435-462.indd 439  02/06/20 01:10 PM
Chapter 14    Eysenck’s Biologically Based Factor Theory439
Molander. Eysenck’s father, Anton Eduard Eysenck, wasacomedian, singer, and
actor. Eysenck (1991b) recalled: “[I]sawverylittleofmyparents, whodivorced 
when Iwas4,andwhohadlittlefeeling forme,anemotion Ireciprocated” (p.40).
After hisparents’ divorce, Eysenck went tolivewithhismaternal grandmother, 
whohadalsobeen inthetheater, butwhose promising career inopera wascutshort 
byacrippling fall.Eysenck (1991b) described hisgrandmother as“unselfish, caring, 
altruistic, andaltogether toogood forthisworld” (p.40).Although hisgrandmother 
wasadevout Catholic, neither parent wasreligious, andEysenck grew upwithout any
formal religious commitment (Gibson, 1981).
Healsogrew upwithlittleparental discipline andfewstrict controls overhis
behavior. Neither parent seemed interested incurtailing hisactions, andhisgrand -
mother hadaquite permissive attitude toward him.Thisbenign neglect isexemplified 
bytwoincidents. Inthefirst,hisfather hadbought Hans abicycle andhadpromised 
toteach himtoride.“Hetookmetothetopofahill,toldmethatIhadtositon
thesaddle andpump thepedals andmake thewheels goround. Hethenwent offto
release some balloons ...leaving metolearn howtorideallbymyself” (Eysenck, 
1997b, p.12).Inthesecond incident, anadolescent Eysenck toldhisgrandmother 
thathewasgoing tobuysome cigarettes, expecting hertoforbid it.However, his
grandmother simply said:“Ifyoulikeit,doitbyallmeans” (p.14).According to
Eysenck, environmental experiences suchasthese twohavelittletodowithpersonal -
itydevelopment. Tohim,genetic factors haveagreater impact onsubsequent behav -
iorthandochildhood experiences. Thus, hispermissive upbringing neither helped 
norhindered himinbecoming afamous maverick scientist. 
Even asaschoolboy, Eysenck wasnotafraid totakeanunpopular stand, often 
challenging histeachers, especially those withmilitaristic leanings. Hewasskeptical 
ofmuch ofwhat theytaught andwasnotalways reluctant toembarrass them withhis
superior knowledge andintellect. 
Eysenck suffered thedeprivation ofmany post–World WarIGermans who
werefaced withastronomical inflation, mass unemployment, andnearstarvation. 
Eysenck’s future appeared nobrighter afterHitler came topower. Asacondition of
studying physics attheUniversity ofBerlin, hewastoldthathewould havetojoin
theNazi secret police, anideahefound sorepugnant thathedecided toleave 
Germany.
Thisencounter withthefascist rightandhislaterbattles withtheradical left
suggested tohimthatthetraitoftough-mindedness, orauthoritarianism, wasequally 
prevalent inbothextremes ofthepolitical spectrum. Later, hefound some scientific 
support forthishypothesis inastudy thatdemonstrated thatalthough communists 
wereradical andfascists wereconservative ononedimension ofpersonality, on
thetough-minded versus tender-minded dimension, bothgroups wereauthoritar -
ian,rigid, andintolerant ofambiguity (tough-minded) (Eysenck, 1954; Eysenck &
Coulter, 1972).
Asaconsequence ofNazityranny, Eysenck, atage18,leftGermany andeventu -
allysettled inEngland, where hetriedtoenroll intheUniversity ofLondon. Aswesaw
inthechapter opening vignette, hewentintopsychology completely byaccident. Atthat
time, thepsychology department attheUniversity ofLondon wasbasically pro-Freudian, 
butitalsohadastrong emphasis onpsychometrics, withCharles Spearman having just
leftandwithCyril Burtstillpresiding. Eysenck received abachelor’s degree in1938, Final PDF to printer