There are clear implications of this analysis for construct and theory validation. One cannot explain an individual's perceptions or behavior by describing him or her as high on neuroticism. The term lacks specific meaning. Among individuals with the same score on a measure of neuroticism, one person might be self-conscious and vulnerable but not particularly impulsive or angry. Another might be high in impulsivity and angry hostility, but feel neither self-conscious nor vulnerable. A high score on neuroticism does not describe a specific personality, so neuroticism itself cannot be understood to play a causal role in psychological theory.
