Table of Contents

Personality Theory and Research: Suggested readings

Overviews

The field of personality has changed a great deal in the past 20 years and the textbooks in the field have finally caught up with the changes. Texts are now organized around theoretical problems rather than by theorist. There are a growing number of web based resources and these include


More traditional text books that are highly recommended include:

  • McAdams, Dan (2009) The Person: An introduction to the science of personality psychology (5th Edition). Wiley. "Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research, classic personality theories, and stirring examples from biography and literature, The Person presents a lively and integrative introduction to the science of personality psychology. Author, Dan McAdams, organizes the field according to a broad conceptual perspective that has emerged in personality psychology over the past 10 years. According to this perspective, personality is made up of three levels of psychological individuality– dispositional traits, characteristic adaptations (such as motives and goals), and integrative life stories. Traits, adaptations, and stories comprise the three most recognizable variations on psychological human nature, grounded in the human evolutionary heritage and situated in cultural and historical context. The fifth edition of this beautifully written text expands and updates research on the neuroscience of personality traits and introduces new material on personality disorders, evolution and religion, attachment in adulthood, continuity and change in personality over the life course, and the development of narrative identity." (Blurb from Wiley).
  • Funder, David (2010) The Personality Puzzle Norton. (5th Edition). "Organized according to the six main domains of modern personality psychology, David Funder’s market-leading text shows students the field as it exists in the present. By incorporating significant coverage of the great theorists of personality psychology throughout, the book helps students understand how the field developed. And by showcasing the questions driving the research of today, The Personality Puzzle enables students to see the exciting future of the discipline.
    • For the Fifth Edition, every chapter has been updated. A new illustration program supports visual learners with updated versions of the book’s much-loved cartoons and new in-text features to help students visualize and remember concepts. The text covers classic theories of personality as well as all the latest findings, including up-to-date coverage of the biological domain, new material on cross-cultural psychology, and expanded treatment of positive psychology. " (From the amazon blurb).
  • Brody, N. & Ehrlichman, H. (1997) Personality Psychology: The Science of Individuality Prentice Hall. (From the book cover) "This book presents personality from the perspective of existing research. It provides an overview of personality research and demonstrates the relationship between research and real individuals. Readers are encouraged to explore the relationship between the research and their own personalities. It also introduces primary source literature in personality psychology by covering the content, methods, and issues in the journals with minimal jargon. Key Topics: Personality Psychology: The Science of Individuality presents content on its own merits rather than forcing it to fit existing theories. Readers avoid the sometimes inaccurate connections to historical theories found in other books on personality. The book also includes discussions often neglected in other books, such as entire separate chapters on intelligence and cognitive style, the unconscious, and evolutionary personality psychology. Readers will learn important areas in enough depth to appreciate the issues and complexities. The book always attempts to make clear why a particular study is important. This may facilitate the readers' ability to study the subject further. Chapter Two includes a short personality questionnaire designed to measure the Big 5 factors. Since discussions of methodology refer back to the Big 5 factors throughout the book, readers benefit by having a personal involvement through their scores on the questionnaire. It may also help to make some of the material personally relevant. Market: A valuable book for any reader interested in understanding the existing research into personality, or who wishes to understand more about his or her own personality. "
  • Brody, N. (1988) Personality: In Search of Individuality. Academic Press, New York. (from the cover) "In this, his fourth book published by Academic Press, the author pursues current theories in the expansive field of personality research. Presenting a unique perspective on recent developments in the field, this book is an invaluable resource for both graduate students and researchers in the study of personality. The author's emphasis is on empirical research; he presents a limited number of topics in detail, and often includes a presentation of the data obtained in individual studies, in order to illustrate the importance of those studies to the larger topic of personality.")
  • Cook, M. (1993). Levels of Personality. London: Cassell.
  • Derlega, V., Winstead, B.A., Jones, W.H. Personality: Contemporary Theory and Research. (2nd Edition). Nelson Hall, 1999, Chicago. This text "is intended for undergraduate students studying the topic of personality. Its two major sections discuss the fundamental issues of personality, tracing the origins of the field in modern research, and examining the topics studied by contemporary psychologists. The origins of personality in heredity, the structure of the brain, gender, and childhood are probed. Other sections of the book look at the manifestations and effects of personality in morality, sex roles, aggression, and relationship with others. All of these topics have broader relevance to other areas of psychology, as they focus on the age-old question of defining what makes a person an individual. Includes selections by twenty-five experts in the field of personality." ... and focuses "on contemporary theories and research rather than the usual emphasis on classical experts such as Freud and Skinner." (From the publishers' web site.) Includes chapters by Briggs, Davidson, Leary, McAdams, Rowe and twenty others. Similar in empahsis to the Pervin handbook, but written more for undergraduates.
  • Eysenck, H.J. (1997) Personality and Experimental Psychology: The Unification of Psychology and the Possibility of a Paradigm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73 , 1224-1237. An overview of H.J. Eysenck's contributions to the field of personality and his hope that the field has finally become a science.
  • Eysenck, H.J. and Eysenck, M.W (1985). Personality and Individual Differences: A Natural Science Approach. Plenum: New York. Although somewhat out dated, this text set the agenda for studies of the biological basis of personality for the last 35 years.
  • Funder, D., Parke, R. D., Tomlinson-Keasey, C., & Widaman, K. (Ed.). (1993). Studying Lives through Time. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Matthews, G., & Deary, I. J. (1998). Personality Traits: New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press. 1998, xx, 299. (From the cover: "Personality research has been transformed by recent advances in our understanding of personality traits. This book reviews the origins of traits in biological and social processes, and their consequences for cognition, performance, and mental and physical health. Contrary to the traditional view of personality research as a collection of disconnected theories, Personality Traits presents an integrated account, linking theory-driven research with applications in clinical and occupational psychology. It provides a comprehensive, up-to-date, and accessible survey of research on traits; proposes a coherent, integrated account of personality; and emphasizes the scientific basis of personality research. This work is an essential text for students doing courses in personality and differential psychology and provides researchers and practitioners with an overview of this area.")
  • Heatherton, T., & Weinberger, J. (Ed.). (1994). Can Personality Change? Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Nyborg, H. (Ed). (1997). The Scientific Study of Human Nature: Tribute to Hans Eysenck at Eighty. Oxford; Elsevier (Pergamon). Includes chapters by many personality researchers whose work has been influenced by Eysenck.
  • Pervin, LA. (Ed.). (1990a). Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research. New York: Guilford. See also:
  • Pervin, LA and John, O. (Eds) Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research, 2nd Edition. New York: Guilford. 1999 "Illuminating important advances in the study of personality since the publication of this classic Handbook in 1990, the fully revised second edition now ushers the field into the 21st century. From foremost authorities, new and updated chapters provide a historical overview of modern personality theory, bring major theoretical perspectives into focus, and report on the current state of the science in a range of key domains. Documenting the ongoing evolution of psychoanalytic, trait, social cognitive, and interactional approaches, the volume explores the dynamic interface between personality psychology and other disciplines. In particular, the recent explosion of knowledge about biological aspects of personality is reflected in completely new chapters on evolutionary psychology, behavioral genetics, neuroscience, and temperament. Major new research is also presented on such defining topics as the self; the psychological unconscious; motivational processes; emotion and emotion regulation; stress, coping, and health; interpersonal behavior; personality assessment; and more." (From the publisher's web page.) "

Although not texts, useful overviews of the field that are web available include:

  • Biological Approaches
    • Davidson, R.J. (1999) Biological Bases of Personality. In Derlega, V., Winstead, B.A., Jones, W.H. Personality: Contemporary Theory and Research. (2nd Edition). Nelson Hall, 1999, Chicago.
    • Depue, R. A. and Collins, P.F. (1999) Neurobiology of the Structure of Personality: Dopamine, Facilitation of Incentive Motivation, and Extraversion. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, , 491-569. An ambitious article outlining a biological model for extraversion. Includes extensive commentaries by other personality and biological theorists.
    • Bates, JE., & Wachs, TD. (Eds.). (1994). Temperament: Individual Differences at the Interface of Biology and Behavior. American Psychological Association.
    • Buss, DM. (Ed.) (1990). Special Issue: Biological Foundations of Personality: Evolution, Behavioral Genetics, and Psychophysiology. Journal of Personality, 58.
    • Eysenck, H.J. and Eysenck, M.W. Personality and Individual Differences: A Natural Science Approach. Plenum: New York.
    • Gale, A., & Eysenck, MW. (Eds.). (1992). Handbook of Individual Differences: Biological Perspectives. Chichester: Wiley.
    • Zuckerman, M. (1991). Psychobiology of Personality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Behavior Genetics and Personality Theory
    • Recent Books that Provide Good Overviews
      • Eaves, L., Eysenck, HJ., & Martin, NG. (1989). Genes, Culture, and Personality. New York: Academic.
      • Loehlin, JC. (1992). Genes and Environment in Personality Development. Newberry Park, Ca.: Sage.
      • Plomin, R. (1994). Genetics and Experience: The Interplay between Nature and Nuture. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
      • Plomin, R., & McClearn, GE. (Ed.). (1993). Nature, Nurture, and Psychology. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
      • See also Rowe, D. C., 1999 In Derlega, V., Winstead, B.A., Jones, W.H. Personality: Contemporary Theory and Research. (2nd Edition). Nelson Hall, 1999, Chicago.

    • Recent Research Articles
      • Plomin R, Corley R, Caspi A, Fulker DW, DeFries J. (1998). Adoption Results for Self-reported Personality: Evidence for Nonadditive Genetic Effects? J Pers Soc Psychol 1998 75 : 211-218 (Abstract)
      • Klaus-Peter Lesch et al. (1996) Association of Anxiety-Related Traits with a Polymorphism in the Serotonin Transporter Gene Regulatory Region Science, 274.
      • Goldman, D,(1996) High Anxiety, Science, 274. A commentary on the use of genetic marker studies of behavioral traits.
      • Hershberger SL, Plomin R, Pedersen NL, Traits and Metatraits: Their Reliability, Stability, and Shared Genetic Influence. J Pers Soc Psychol 1995 Oct; 69(4): 673-685 (Abstract)
      • Bergeman CS, Chipuer HM, Plomin R, Pedersen NL, McClearn GE, Nesselroade JR, Costa PT Jr, McCrae RR Genetic and Environmental Effects on Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness: An Adoption/Twin Study. J Pers 1993 Jun; 61(2): 159-179 (Abstract)
      • Carey G, DiLalla DL Personality and Psychopathology: Genetic Perspectives. J Abnorm Psychol 1994 Feb; 103(1): 32-43 (Abstract)
      • Plomin R, Nesselroade JR. Behavioral Genetics and Personality Change. J Pers 1990 Mar; 58(1): 191-220. (Abstract)

  • Psychoanalytic Reading Lists

    • R.M. Young has compiled an extensive reading list of psychoanalytic theory.

  • Personality Taxonomies

    Dimensional representations of personality dimensions have emphasized between three to seven fundamental dimensions. These dimensions are, in turn, used to organize research across different laboratories. Although there is strong agreement about the importance of Introversion/Extroversion and Emotional Stability, Psychoticism, the third factor in the "Giant 3", is seen as being composed of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness in the "Five Factor Model."

  • Evolutionary Psychology

  • Other

  • Recent publications in the field by members of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences
    • Ackerman, P.L. (Ed.), Kyllonen, P.C. (Ed.) & Roberts, R.D. (Ed.) (1999). Learning and Individual Differences: Process, Trait, and Content Determinants. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1557985367
    • Buss, D.M. (1999). Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0205193587
    • Buss, D.M. (in press). The Dangerous Passion: Why Jealousy is as Necessary as Love and Sex. New York: Free Press.
    • Claridge, G. (Ed.) (1997). Schizotypy: Implication for Illness and Health. Oxford, England UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019852353
    • Cooper, C. & Varma, V. (1997). Processes in Individual Differences. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-14119-2
    • Cooper, C. (1998). Individual Differences. London: Arnold. ISBN 0-340-66274-3
    • Cooper, C. (1999). Intelligence and Abilities. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-18869-5
    • Eysenck, H.J. (1998). Intelligence: A New Look. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publisher. ISBN 156000360
    • Eysenck, H.J. (1999). The Psychology of Politics. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publisher. ISBN 0765804301
    • Furnham, A. (1998). The Psychology of Managerical Incompetence: A Sceptic´s Dictionary of Modern Organizational Issues. London, England UK: Whurr Publisher Ltd. ISBN 186156063
    • Furnham, A. (1997). The Psychology of Behaviour at Work: The Individual in the Organization. Hove, England UK: Psychology Press/Earlbaum (UK) Taylor and Francis. ISBN 0863774938
    • Furnham, A. & Argyle, M. (1998). The Psychology of Money. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0415146054
    • Grigorenko, E., Ruzgis, P. & Sternberg, R. (1997). Psychology of Russia: Past, Present, Future. Commack, NY: Nova Science Publisher, Inc. ISBN 1560723890
    • Matthews, G. (Ed.)(1997). Cognitive Science Perspectives on Personality and Emotion: Advances in Psychology, Vol. 124. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publisher. ISBN 0-444-82450-2
    • Matthews, G. & Deary, I.J. (1998). Personality Traits. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521497396
    • Mervielde, I., Deary, I., De Fruyt, F., & Ostendorf, F. (1999). Personality Psychology in Europe Volume 7. Tilburg: Tilburg University Press. ISBN 90-361-9828-3
    • Nyborg, H. (Ed.)(1997). The Scientific Study of Human Nature: Tribute to Hans J. Eysenck at Eighty. Oxford, England UK: Pergamon/Elsevier Science Inc. ISBN 0080427871
    • Piedmont, R.L. (1998). The Revised NEO Personality Inventory: Clinical and Research Applications. New York, NY: Plenum Press. ISBN 0306459434
    • Riemann, R. (1997). Persönlichkeit: Fähigkeiten oder Eigenschaften? Lengerich: Pabst Science. ISBN 3 -931660-37-0
    • Ruch, W. (1998). The Sense of Humor. Explorations of a Personality Characteristic. Berlin: Moutonde Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-016207-5
    • Saklofske, D. (Ed.) & Eysenck, S.B.G. (1998). Individual Differences in Children and Adolescents. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. ISBN 1560009810
    • Sternberg, R.J. & Gregorenko, E.L. (1997). Intelligence, Heredity, and Environment. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 052146904
    • Sternberg, R.J.(Ed.) & Horvath, J.A. (Ed.) (1999). Tacit Knowledge in Professional Practice: Researcher and Practitioner Perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, Publisher. ISBN 0805824359
    • Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) (1999). Handbook of Creativity. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521572851
    • Sternberg, R.J. (1998). Cupid`s Arrow: The Course of Love through Time. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521473209
    • Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) & Williams, W.D. (Ed.) (1998). Intelligence, Instruction, and Assessment: Theory into Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, Publisher. ISBN 080582510
    • Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) (1997). Career Paths in Psychology: Where your Degree Can Take You. Washington, DC: American Psychology Association. ISBN: 1557984115
    • Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) (1997). Teaching Introductory Psychology: Survival Tips from the Experts. Washington, DC: American Psychology Association. ISBN 1557984174
    • Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) & Hojjat, M. (Ed.) (1997). Satisfaction in Close Relationships. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. ISBN 1572302178
    • Sternberg, R.J. (1997). Thinking Styles. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. ISBN 0521553164
    • Strelau, J. (1999): Temperament: A Psychological Perspective. New York, NY: Plenum Press. ISBN 0306459450
    • Strelau, J., Angleitner, A. & Newberry, B.H. (1999). The Pavlovian Temperament Survey (PTS): An International Handbook. Seattle: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers. ISBN 0889372047
    • Zuckerman, M. (1999). Vulnerability to Psychopathology: A Biosocial Model. Washington, DC: American Psychology Association. ISBN 1-55798-566-9