| Product: |
Personality: Theory and Research - Daniel Cervone |
| Date: |
16.03.08 (77 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Easy to follow, pulls together key aspects
Disadvantages: A bit pricey, a few typos in this edition!
I have found this textbook important whilst studying Personality and Individual Differences.
Chapter 1 gives an overview and definition of personality. It looks at important issues in personality theory, for example the philosophical view of the person, varying states of awareness and the concept of the unconscious.
Chapter 2 looks at the scientific study of people. Methods used in investigation follow scientific principles of study, for example how data from different sources relate to each other, and fixed versus flexible measurements, validity, reliability, and the ethics of research. There are three approaches to research: case studies, personality questionnaires, and laboratory studies. This chapter uses examples of these methods and limitations of each.
Chapter 3 looks at Psychodynamic theory and approaches to personality study. It looks at Freuds view of the person, i.e. the mind as an energy system and the individual in society. It then goes into Freuds ideas about the structure of the personality: i.e. the levels of consciousness (preconscious, conscious) and the concept of the unconscious. It details the structure of the id, ego and superego. The growth of Freuds view of personality is outlined in this chapter, from the stages of development to fixations and their result on adult personality and defence mechanisms.
Chapter 4 looks at the theoretical applications and related theoretical concepts including neopsychoanalysis such as Adler, Jung and Anna Freud.
Chapter 5 takes Carl Rogers theory of personality: a phenomenological theory. It details the structure, process (self actualisation, self consistency and congruence, and measuring self concept). Similarly to Freuds theory, chapter 6 looks at the applications, research and related concepts.
Chapter 7 looks at Trait theory of personality, in particular the work of Allport, Eysenck and Cattell. It outlines the shared perspectives by trait theorists; then looks at variations of the theory by each of the above mentionned theorists. As before, chapter 8 looks at the applications of the personality and evaluates the approaches to personality.
Chapter 9 examines the biological foundations of personality. For example the evolution of personality, genes and personality, neuroscience.
Chapter 10 looks at behavioural and the learning approaches to personality. Key behaviourists that this chapter looks at are Watson and Pavlov and classical conditioning . It looks at the principles of classical conditioning and psychopathology: conditioned emotional reactions, systematic desensitisation and re interpretation of the case of little Hans (reported firstly by Freud). It also looks at Skinner and his development of operant conditioning. This chapter then critically evaluates the theory i.e. whether it's testable and comphrensive.
Chapter 11 examines cognitive theory and Kellys personal construct of personality and clinical applications and going into his case studies and examines critical evaluation of this theory.
Chapter 12 and 13 looks at social cognitive theory for example Bandura and Mischel. Similarly to the chapter about Trait theory, it details different psychological opinions about the development of personality and individual differences.
Chapter 14 looks at personality in context, for example, socioeconomic context, social change etc.
I found this text incredibly useful, if you are studying psychology with a module in Personality and Individual Differences, it's definately worth the investment. The 10th edition is the most recent and costs £39.99 but if this was from my student union bookshop, so if you shop around you can get it cheaper.
Summary: Definately worth the investment
|
|
