Theories of Personality - 6th ed. ⋆ Book Box PDF

Theories of personality by less Feist, Gregory J. Feist.—6th ed. (2005)

Early personality theorists, such as Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung, relied mostly on clinical observations to construct models of human behavior. Although their data were more systematic and reliable than those of earlier observers, these theorists continued to rely on their own individualized way of looking at things, and thus they arrived at different conceptions of the nature of humanity.

Later personality theorists tended to use more empirical studies to learn about human behavior. These theorists developed tentative models, tested hypotheses, and then reformulated their models. In other words, they applied the tools of scientific inquiry and scientific theory to the area of human personality.

Science, of course, is not divorced from speculation, imagination, and creativity, all of which are needed to formulate theories. Each of the personality’ theorists discussed in this book has evolved a theory based both on empirical observations and on imaginative speculation. Moreover, each theory is a reflection of the personality of its creator.

Thus, the different theories discussed in these pages are a reflection of the unique cultural background, family experiences, and professional training of their originators. The usefulness of each theory; however, is not evaluated on the personality of its author but on its ability to enerate research, offer itself to falsification, integrate existing empirical knowledge, and suggest practical answers to everyday problems.

CONTENTS:

Part I: Introduction to Personality Theory

Part II: Psychodynamic Theories