Perspectives on Personality

Informative, yet engaging - viewpoints of personality psychologists today Written in an informal, conversational style, Carver and Scheier engage students by helping them understand how various perspectives of the field of personality can apply to their own lives. This book describes a range of viewpoints that are used by personality psychologists today. Each perspective on personality is presented in a pair of chapters, introduced by a prologue that provides an overview of that perspective's orienting assumptions and core themes. By starting with these orienting assumptions, you'll be placed right inside the thought processes of the theorists, as you go on to read the chapters themselves. Each chapter concludes with a discussion of current problems within that theoretical viewpoint and the authors' analysis about its future prospects. The result is a book that is engaging and enjoyable as well as informative. Learning Goals Upon completing this book, readers should be able to: * Identify the ideas that form each theoretical viewpoint * Understand the importance of research and why the role of research stresses the fact that personality psychology is a living, dynamic process of ongoing scientific exploration * See how each perspective reflects fundamental assumptions about human nature and how behavior problems can arise and be treated from each perspective * Understand how the different viewpoints relate to each other and the usefulness of blending theoretical viewpoints, treating theories as complementary, rather than competingIN THIS SECTION: 1.) BRIEF 2.) COMPREHENSIVE BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter 1: What Is Personality Psychology? Chapter 2: Methods in the Study of Personality Chapter 3: Issues in Personality Assessment Chapter 4: The Trait Perspective Chapter 5: The Motive Perspective Chapter 6: Genetics, Evolution, and Personality Chapter 7: Biological Processes and Personality Chapter 8: The Psychoanalytic Perspective Chapter 9: Psychosocial Theories Chapter 10: The Learning Perspective Chapter 11: Self-Actualization and Self-Determination Chapter 12: The Cognitive Perspective Chapter 13: The Self-Regulation Perspective Chapter 14: Personality in Perspective: Overlap and Integration COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter 1: What Is Personality Psychology? Defining Personality Theory in Personality Psychology Perspectives on Personality Organization within Chapters Chapter 2: The Trait Perspective Types and Traits What Traits Matter? The Five-Factor Model: The Basic Dimensions of Personality? Reflections of the Five Factors in Behavior Relations to Earlier Trait Models Other Variations Traits, Situations, and Interactionism Interactionism becomes a New Trait View: Context-Dependent Expression of Personality Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Trait Psychology: Problems and Prospects Chapter 3: The Motive Perspective Basic Theoretical Elements Needs, Motives, and Personality Studies of Specific Dispositional Motives Implicit and Self-Attributed Motives Approach and Avoidance Motives Motives and the Five Factor Trait Model Personology and the Study of Narratives Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Motive Theories: Problems and Prospects Chapter 4: Genetics, Evolution, and Personality Determining Genetic Influence on Personality What Personality Qualities are Genetically Influenced? New Approaches to Genetics and Personality Environmental Effects Evolution and Human Behavior Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Genetics and Evolution: Problems and Prospects Chapter 5: Biological Processes and Personality Early Ideas: Eysenck's Views on Brain Functions Incentive Approach System Behavioral Avoidance, or Withdrawal System Relating Approach and Avoidance Systems to Traits or Temperaments A Third Dimension: Sensation Seeking, Constraint, and Effortful Control Hormones and Personality Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Biological Processes and Personality: Problems and Prospects Chapter 6: The Psychoanalytic Perspective Basic Themes The Topographical Model of Mind Aspects of Personality: The Structural Model Motivation: The Drives of Personality Anxiety and Mechanisms of Defense Psychosexual Development Exposing the Unconscious Assessment: Projective Techniques Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change The Psychoanalytic Perspective: Problems and Prospects Chapter 7: Psychosocial Theories Object Relations Theories Attachment Theory and Personality Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Psychosocial Theories: Problems and Prospects Chapter 8: The Learning Perspective Classical Conditioning Instrumental Conditioning Social and Cognitive Variations Observational Learning Modeling of Aggression and the Issue of Media Violence Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change The Learning Prospective: Problems and Prospects Chapter 9: Self-Actualization and Self-Determination Self-Actualization Self-Determination The Self and Processes of Defense Self-Actualization and Maslow's Hierarchy of Motives Existential Psychology: Being and Death Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change Self-Actualization and Self-Determination: Problems and Prospects Chapter 10: The Cognitive Perspective Representing Your Experience of the World Activation of Memories Connectionist Views of Mental Organization Broader Views on Cognition and Personality Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change The Cognitive Perspective: Problems and Prospects Chapter 11: The Self-Regulation Perspective From Cognition to Behavior Self-Regulation and Feedback Control Further Themes in Self-Regulation Assessment Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change The Self-Regulation Perspective: Problems and Prospects Chapter 12: Personality in Perspective: Overlap and Integration Similarities among Perspectives Recurrent Themes, Viewed from Different Angles Combining Perspectives Which Theory is Best? Chapter 13: Methods in the Study of Personality Gathering Information Establishing Relationships among Variables Chapter 14: Issues in Personality Assessment Sources of Information Reliability of Measurement Validity of Measurement Two Rationales behind the Development of Assessment Devices Better Assessment: A Never-Ending Search