In 2003 the ANPS were published for the first time to enable psychologists, psychiatrists and neuroscientists to assess individual differences in primary emotional systems according to Panksepp’s Affective Neuroscience Theory. Since its initial publication the questionnaire has been slightly updated (current version is ANPS 3.1) and also short versions of the ANPS have been published. Of tremendous importance, the ANPS has been also translated to many languages in the meanwhile and validation studies from personality psychology, psychiatry and the neurosciences proof the reliability and validity of the ANPS. This said, we are also aware that the ANPS will undergo further modifications in the near future and this website is also meant as an encouragement to foster international ANPS research. Therefore, we want to establish this website as a home for exchange on ANPS research, where you also can add your ANPS translations (when they have been published) via contacting us (e.g. via Christian's university contact). 

The different ANPS versions presented on this website can be used without restrictions in your research projects, but please ask for allowance if you want to use it in commercial settings.

Beyond this we mention our published paper providing a comprehensive overview on ANPS related research since 2003 and a new validation study of the ANPS-AR..

Montag, C., Elhai, J. D., & Davis, K. L. (2021). A comprehensive review of studies using the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales in the psychological and psychiatric sciences. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 125, 160-167. (click here)

Rozgonjuk, D., Davis, K. L., Sindermann, C., & Montag, C. (2021). The Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales: Linking the adjective and statement-based inventories with the Big Five Inventory in English and German-speaking samples. Personality Neuroscience, 4, e7. (click here)

Finally we mention several areas, where we think the ANPS research should go in the near future.

Montag, C., Solms, M., Stelzel, C., & Davis, K. L. (2022). The future of the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales: A reflection on seven pressing matters. Personality Neuroscience, 5, e10. (click here)

We thank all researchers who keep the ANPS research alive. 

In memory of Jaak Panksepp,

Kenneth L. Davis & Christian Montag

Jaak Panksepp carved out seven primary emotional systems via deep brain stimulation, lesion studies and pharmacological challenges of the mammalian brain. These primary emotional systems are called SEEKING, LUST, CARE, PLAY (positive emotions) and FEAR, ANGER, SADNESS (negative emotions). These systems have been designed by evolutionary processes and are inbuilt tools for survival for mammalians.
In the following we shortly summarize the evolutionary functions of each primary emotional system. The SEEKING system energizes mammals and its activity can be channeled to search for a partner or food. The LUST system is of importance for reproduction, and the CARE system ensures that children are protected by their caretakers so that they grow up into adults themselves and can have families. Logically, the CARE system must be evolutionary older than the LUST system. The PLAY system is of importance to learn social competencies and shape motoric skills. In the realm of negative emotions, activity of the FEAR system results in fight, flight, freezing responses helping mammals to get out of the danger zone. The ANGER system among others can be activated by territorial conflict and frustrations. Finally, the SADNESS circuit responds strongly to separation distress, because mammals are stronger in groups than alone. That explains why being separate from one own family and peers can cause psychic pain.
 
For an introduction into Pankseppian Principles of Affective Neuroscience Theory see also:
 
Davis, K. L., & Montag, C. (2019). Selected principles of Pankseppian affective neuroscience. Frontiers in neuroscience, 12, 1025. (click here)

Panksepp, J. (2011). Cross-species affective neuroscience decoding of the primal affective experiences of humans and related animals. PloS one, 6(9), e21236. (click here)

Affective Neuroscience Theory can be applied to many areas in psychology and psychiatry. Here, we shortly want to present some examples.

In the realm of personality psychology, it has been observed in many works that individual differences in primary emotional systems could be the bottom up drivers of the Big Five Personality traits, because they are anchored in phylogenetically oldest brain areas. It has been proposed that the SEEKING system might be the driver for Openness for Experience. PLAY might underlie Extraversion, whereas both low ANGER/high Care might drive Agreeableness. Finally, Neuroticism seems to be influenced by the FEAR, ANGER and SADNESS system. For more details please read the following works:

Montag, C., & Panksepp, J. (2017). Primary emotional systems and personality: an evolutionary perspective. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 464. (click here)

Davis, K. L., & Panksepp, J. (2011). The brain's emotional foundations of human personality and the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(9), 1946-1958. (click here)

Mounting evidence from psychiatric research suggests that disbalances in primary emotional systems might give way to psychopathologies. The depressed condition seems to go along with low SEEKING and high SADNESS/FEAR activity. Paranoid schizophrenia might be in parts explained by an overactive SEEKING system and perhaps an overactive CARE system might be at the heart of attachment disorders. For more ideas on the evolutionary nature of psychopathologies see also the work by Panksepp (2006).

Panksepp, J. (2006). Emotional endophenotypes in evolutionary psychiatry. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 30(5), 774-784. (click here)

Dr. Christian Montag
Montag & Montag Partnerschaft

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D-50670 Köln

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E-Mail mail(a)christianmontag.de
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