Personality Psychology: A Student-Centered Approach / Edition 2

by James A. McMartin

Overview

Personality Psychology: A Student-Centered Approach by Jim Mc Martin organizes the field of personality psychology around basic questions relevant to the reader’s past, present, and future selves. Answers to the questions are based on findings from up-to-date research and shed light on the validity of personality theories to help students deepen their understanding of their own personalities. Concise, conversational, and easy-to-understand, the Second Edition is enhanced with new chapters, new research that reflects the latest scholarship, and new photos and illustrations throughout.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483385259
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/28/2016
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jim Mc Martin is Emeritus Professor of Psychology, California State University, Northridge. He began his career as a Research Associate at the Institute for Developmental Studies in New York City. He helped to collect and analyze seminal data showing the academic benefits of pre-school experiences. The data from this well-controlled field experiment, as well as replicated findings from similar research programs across the United States, led to federal funding for the Head Start Program. He earned degrees in psychology from Fordham University (B.S.), Brooklyn College (M.A.), and the University of Minnesota (Ph.D.). He has published in such journals as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Human Relations, Sociometry, among others, as well as invited articles for the International Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and Neurology. He lives in Camarillo, California, with his wife, Rory Ann, who created the illustrations throughout this book, as faithful servants to our fine feline, Samantha, a.k.a. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed.

Table of Contents

Part I: Basic Issues in Personaility Psychology
Chapter 1: Using Theory and Research to Understand Personality
Basic Questions about Theories
Five Personality Theories
Chapter 2: Research Methods and Personality Assessment
Research Methods
Personality Assessment
Ethical Issues In Research And Assessment
Summing Up: How Should I Interpret My Score On A Personality Test?
Part II: My Past Self
Chapter 3: Genetic and Temperamental Influences
Behavioral Genetics: The Seeds of Personality
Temperament
Chapter 4: Cultivating Personality
Ingredient #1: Parenting Styles
Ingredient #2: Attachment
Ingredient #3: Identification
Part III: My Present Self
Chapter 5: Identity and Self- Esteem
Introduction
Psychosocial Theory Of Identity
Humanistic/Narrative Approaches To Identity And Self-Esteem
Single-Variable Research Programs
Chapter 6: Needs, Motives, and Goals
Alfred Adler’s Fundamental Human Motive
Three Humanistic Approaches to Motivation
Evolutionary Psychology’s View Of Motivation
Dispositional Approaches To Motivation
Cognitive Approaches To Motivation
Chapter 7: Stress And Coping
Interpretational Approaches
Dispositional Approaches
Psychodynamic Approaches
Positive Psychology And Coping
Chapter 8: Disorders Of Personality
What Is A Personality Disorder?
Thinking About Personality Disorders: Syndromes or Dimensions?
Ten Personality Disorders
Syndromes Vs. Dimensions: Strengths And Weaknesses
Sources For Diagnosis
Personality Disorders Over The Life Span
Part IV: My Future Self
Chapter 9: Expectations, Plans, And Self- Regulation
The Psychology Of Personal Constructs
Expectancies And Internal Working Models
Self-Regulation: Threats And Theories
Chapter 10: Continuity And Change Over The Life Course
Personality Stability And Change
Levels Of Personality
Humanistic And Existential Approaches
Psychodynamic Approaches to Continuity and Change