Aspects and Personality


Book Description

Companion to Psychological Astrology. An intensive psychological study of the aspects made by planets in the natal horoscope. Discusses how aspects are formed, how signs affect an aspect, how approaching and departing aspects work, andshares aspect experiences of her clients. Includes a cookbook to show how an aspect will work in relation to individual development.




Individual Differences and Personality


Book Description

How do we come to be who we are? Why do we differ in our personalities? How do these differences matter in life? Individual Differences and Personality aims to describe how and why personality varies among people. Unlike books that focus on individual theorists, this book focuses on current research and theory on the nature of personality and related individual differences. The book begins by discussing how personality is measured, the concept of a personality trait, and the basic dimensions of personality. This leads to a discussion of the origins of personality, with descriptions of its developmental course, its biological causes, its genetic and environmental influences, and its evolutionary function. The concept of a personality disorder is then described, followed by a discussion of the influence of personality on life outcomes in relationships, work, and health. Finally, the book examines the important differences between individuals in the realms of mental abilities, of beliefs and attitudes, and of behavior. - Presents a scientific approach to personality and related individual differences, as well as theory and research on the fundamental questions about human psychological variation - New edition presents findings from dozens of new research studies of the past six years - Includes new chapter on vocational interests and a revised chapter on personality disorders reflecting DSM-5 formulation - Contains streamlined descriptions of measurement concepts and heritability research - Includes various boxes containing interesting asides that help to maintain the student's attention




Dimensions of Personality


Book Description

This is the original work on which Hans Eysenck's fifty years of research have been built. It introduced many new ideas about the nature and measurement of personality into the field, related personality to abnormal psychology, and demonstrated the possibility of testing personality theory experimentally. The book is the result of a concentrated and cooperative effort to discover the main dimensions of personality, and to define them operationally, that is, by means of strictly experimental, quantitative procedures. More than three dozen separate researches were carried out on some 10,000 normal and neurotic subjects by a research team of psychologists and psychiatrists. A special feature of this work is the close collaboration between psychologists and psychiatrists. Eysenck believes that the exploration of personality would have reached an advanced state much earlier had such a collaboration been the rule rather than the exception in studies of this kind. Both disciplines benefit by working together on the many problems they have in common. In his new introduction, Eysenck discusses the difficulty he had in conveying this belief to scientists from opposite ends of the psychology spectrum when he first began work on this book. He goes on to explain the basis from which Dimensions of Personality developed. Central to any concept of personality, he states, must be hierarchies of traits organized into a dimensional system. The two major dimensions he posited, neuroticism and extraversion, were in disfavor with most scientists of personality at the time. Now they form part of practically all descriptions of personality. Dimensions of Personality is a landmark study and should be read by both students and professionals in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, and sociology.




Introduction to Psychology


Book Description

This book is designed to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. The focus on behaviour and empiricism has produced a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books. The beginning of each section includes learning objectives; throughout the body of each section are key terms in bold followed by their definitions in italics; key takeaways, and exercises and critical thinking activities end each section.




A Model for Personality


Book Description

H. J. Eysenck This book is not an introduction to personality research, it is not a textbook, and above all it is not a model of personality. The title, A Modelfor Personality, was chosen on purpose to indicate that we are here concerned with a discussion of how models in this field ought to be constructed, what their functions were, and whether such models or paradigms could with advantage be produced at this stage of development. One particular aspect of personality, extraversion introversion (E), has been chosen to exemplify the desiderata which emerge from such a discussion. It is not suggested that personality and E are synonymous - merely that this particular dimension is perhaps better known than any other, has had more experimental work done on it than any other and has acquired a better theoretical substructure, and more links with genetics and physiology, than any other. Hence it seems most likely to serve as an example of how a satisfactory model of personality might ultimately be constructed, i. e. by analogy with E. Other dimensions of personality, such as neuroticism-stability or psycho tic ism-superego functioning, are mentioned in the discussion, but only when they overlap or interrelate with E. The book uses E as an example to illustrate the way in which a model of personality can be constructed, but it is in no way a summary of all that is known about E.




The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Attributes


Book Description

It’s a writer’s job to create compelling characters who can withstand life’s fallout without giving up. But building authentic, memorable heroes is no easy task. To forge realistic characters, we must hobble them with flaws that set them back while giving them positive attributes to help them achieve their goals. So how do writers choose the right blend of strengths for their characters—attributes that will render them admirable and worth rooting for—without making it too easy for them to succeed? Character creation can be hard, but it’s about to get a lot easier. Inside The Positive Trait Thesaurus, you’ll find: * A large selection of attributes to choose from when building a personality profile. Each entry lists possible causes for why a trait might emerge, along with associated attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and emotions * Real character examples from literature, film, or television to show how an attribute drives actions and decisions, influences goals, and steers relationships * Advice on using positive traits to immediately hook readers while avoiding common personality pitfalls * Insight on human needs and morality, and how each determines the strengths that emerge in heroes and villains alike * Information on the key role positive attributes play within the character arc, and how they’re vital to overcoming fatal flaws and achieving success * Downloadable tools for organizing a character’s attributes and providing a deeper understanding of his past, his needs, and the emotional wounds he must overcome If you find character creation difficult or worry that your cast members all seem the same, The Positive Trait Thesaurus is brimming with ideas to help you develop one-of-a-kind, dynamic characters that readers will love. Extensively indexed, with entries written in a user-friendly list format, this brainstorming resource is perfect for any character creation project.




The General Factor of Personality


Book Description

The General Factor of Personality improves our understanding of the personality structure and the relations between major personality dimensions, as well as major dimensions of the entire non-cognitive sphere of psychological variables. The results of the empirical testing and theoretical evaluations in this book contribute to the more comprehensive and precise theoretical framework of the General Factor of Personality (GFP) and that of the entire personality structure. Additionally, the book answers some unresolved questions concerning the nature of the GFP, including whether it is based more on correlations in real behavior or on other less substantial factors between lower-order dimensions of personality. This book is crucially important not only for theoretical reasons, but also for the tremendous practical and applied value of the assumed general dimension of personality. As a common denominator of all the most important fields of personality beyond cognition (Big Five, well-being, coping, emotionality, motivation, self-concept, self-esteem, control, wisdom and others), the GFP represents an extremely strong single predictor of the quality of life, mental health and well-being, career, academic success, and the quality of family and interpersonal relations. - Reviews the theoretical and methodological work on the General Factor of Personality (GFP) - Presents major research results in the field of GFP and the dimensional structure of personality - Provides a balanced and objective approach to the topic of GFP, addressing criticisms and controversies - Considers the practical and applied aspects of this research - Draws conclusions on the bioevolutionary model of GFP to give a more thorough understanding of biological bases of human personality




Character Strengths and Virtues


Book Description

"Character" has become a front-and-center topic in contemporary discourse, but this term does not have a fixed meaning. Character may be simply defined by what someone does not do, but a more active and thorough definition is necessary, one that addresses certain vital questions. Is character a singular characteristic of an individual, or is it composed of different aspects? Does character--however we define it--exist in degrees, or is it simply something one happens to have? How can character be developed? Can it be learned? Relatedly, can it be taught, and who might be the most effective teacher? What roles are played by family, schools, the media, religion, and the larger culture? This groundbreaking handbook of character strengths and virtues is the first progress report from a prestigious group of researchers who have undertaken the systematic classification and measurement of widely valued positive traits. They approach good character in terms of separate strengths-authenticity, persistence, kindness, gratitude, hope, humor, and so on-each of which exists in degrees. Character Strengths and Virtues classifies twenty-four specific strengths under six broad virtues that consistently emerge across history and culture: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each strength is thoroughly examined in its own chapter, with special attention to its meaning, explanation, measurement, causes, correlates, consequences, and development across the life span, as well as to strategies for its deliberate cultivation. This book demands the attention of anyone interested in psychology and what it can teach about the good life.




Personality Traits


Book Description

Now in its third edition, this dynamic textbook analyses the traits fundamental to human personality: what they are, why they matter, their biological and social foundations, how they play out in human life and their consequences for cognition, stress and physical and mental health. The text also considers the applications of personality assessment in clinical, educational and occupational settings, providing the reader with a detailed understanding of the whole field of personality traits. This edition, now with improved student features, includes the latest research from behavioural genetics, neuroscience, social psychology and cognitive science, assesses the impact of new research techniques like brain imagery, and provides additional content on positive aspects of traits and practical uses of personality assessment. This is an essential textbook for students taking courses in personality and individual differences and also provides researchers and practitioners with a coherent, up-to-date survey of this significant area.




Personality and Assessment


Book Description