The recognition that those traits share substantial variance is of great importance for theory and understanding. The characterization of human personality as varying across five broad dimensions has clarified understanding, provided a sound basis for the evaluation of new claims concerning personality functioning, and integrated research across numerous domains. As one more specific example of the importance of Neuroticism, the six traits within Neuroticism appear to have both common and unique heritability: Some of their shared variance has a shared genetic basis (Jang, Livesley, & Vernon, 1996). Recognition of shared genetic etiology across traits suggests some commonality of cause for the different traits. When extended to psychopathology, findings of this kind provide an impetus for the development of models identifying underlying dimensions of dysfunction (Krueger & Markon, 2006). For this and other reasons, Neuroticism (and other broad traits) will continue to play a central, integrating role in our understanding of human personality.
