Introduction to Personality: Toward An Integration

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471451533 ISBN 13: 9780471451532

Publisher: Wiley, 2003

This introduction to the essential concepts of personality reflects many of the exciting, prolific developments that have occurred in the last decade in personality psychology and related areas. Many of these advances in the field, which come from a variety of diverse sources including behavior genetics, social evolutionary theory, trait theory and the Big Five, social cognitive theory, cognitive neuroscience, and findings at the interface of personality and social psychology, directly impact our understanding of the nature of personality. The text captures the promising new directions the field is taking. This text offers students a perspective to understand the essentials of personality.

From the Back Cover:

In this sixth edition of Introduction to Personality, Walter Mischel is taking the path toward a genuinely cumulative and coherent scienct of personality. No longer can the study of personality be divided strictly between alternative arguments and strategies, often in conflict with each other and discouraging to students seeking a unified view.

Substantive changes in this edition come from Dr. Mischel's collaboration with Robert Plomin, of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, in the revision of Part III, "Trait and Biological Approaches," Dr. Plomin contributes to Chapter 8, "Genetic and Biochemical Roots of Personality," and Chapter 9, "Traits: Biological Bases and Behavioral Expressions." Both of these chapters provides an up-to-date perspective on the important role of genetics in human personality and on the nature of traits.

Further change comes through the complete revision of Part VI, "Social Cognitive-Affective Approaches," which features the development of the Cognitive Affective Personality System (CAPS) model to give a fresh understanding of personality dynamics and dispositions. More attention is givem to the role of effect, emotion, goals, and motivation, and to new findings on the nature of personality coherence and its behavioral expressions. In addition, all other sections of the text are rivised to provide a comprehensive current perspective.

With the addition of the Instruction's Manual/Test Bank, prepared under Dr. Mischel's supervision, Introduction to Personality, sixth edition, wiil be a valuable asset for students learning about the "person" in general and themselves in particular.