Levels of Personality (3^rd Ed.)

A completely revised and updated edition of a much-acclaimed textbook providing a critical introduction to human personality for psychology students. Levels of Personality carefully avoids the traditional 'catalogue of theories' approach. Instead it relates theories to each other within a conceptual framework of different levels of behaviour, moving inwards and downwards from 'surface level' explanations. Analytic case studies then apply these levels of understanding to areas of special interest such as aggression and sexuality. The author adopts a deep analytical and critical approach and questions whether personality theory and research have really addressed important questions, or produced useful answers. This new edition incorporates two new chapters on personality disorders and on personality in the workplace, as well as improved pedagogical features including statistics boxes, assessment boxes, relevant websites and key references for each chapter.

1. Gideon's army: the study of individual differences; Part I. The Surface: 2. A rather dull person: personality as traits and factors; 3. Working for the Peace Corps: criticisms of traits and factors; Part II. Below the Surface 1: The Biological Line: 4. Brave new world: learning and habit models; 5. Eysenck's demon: biological accounts of personality; Part III. Below the Surface 2: The Phenomenal Line: 6. Tumbleweed or boulder? The phenomenal approach to personality; 7. I didn't get where I am today by reading stuff like this: explaining personality by the self-concept; Part IV. Below the Surface 3: The Motivational Line: 8. The ancient Greek export drive: motives and instincts; 9. The man who collects Bradshaws: psychodynamic accounts of personality; Part V. Examples: 10. The school bully: aspects of aggression; 11. Does peace prevent homosexuality? Theories of sexual orientation; 12. Bouncing back: resilience; 13. Is Hitler mad? Personality disorders; 14. Square pegs and round holes: personality in the workplace; 15. The line ahead: the future of personality research.

Mark Cook is a Lecturer in Psychology at Swansea University.