Individual Differences

Why, and precisely how, do we differ from one another? Does parenting affect children's abilities and personalities, or are they largely genetically determined? If personality and intelligence can be assessed, how exactly do psychometric tests work? And just how useful is the information they provide?

"Individual Differences" offers an integrated and objective presentation of this fascinating field. At once accessible, engaging and completely up-to-date, it covers the psychology of human personality, ability, mood and motivation. The author shows how psychological tests can be used to measure individual differences, and provides sufficient background in psychometric theory (including factor analysis and item-response theory) to enable the reader to understand how psychological tests are constructed, evaluated and used. Specifically designed for psychology students taking a course on personality or individual differences, the text contains self-assessment exercises (and answers) in each chapter.

Colin Cooper, Lecturer in Psychology, Queen's University, Belfast.