Theories of Personality – 8 ed. (2004)
The first person to propose a comprehensive theory of the human personality was Sigmund Freud, a clinical neurologist who formulated his ideas while treating patients in Vienna, Austria, in the 19th century. His work, known as “psychoanalysis,” was based largely on sessions with wealthy White European females who came to him complaining of emotional distress and disturbing thoughts and behaviors.
From his observations of their progress, or lack of it, he offered a theory to explain the personalities of everybody. Freud’s system was important for the concepts he proposed—many of which arc now part of popular culture—as well as for the opposition he provoked, inspiring other theorists to examine and promote their own ideas to explain personality.
Today, personality theorists and researchers recognize that an explanation based on a small, homogeneous segment of the population cannot be applied to the many diverse groups of people sharing living space in our world. The situation is similar in medicine. Doctors and researchers are recognizing that some medications and treatments appropriate for young adults are not suitable for children or elderly people.
Contemporary personality theory and research strives to be inclusive, studying the influences of age, gender, race, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation.
The eighth edition of Theories of Personality retains its orientation toward undergraduate students who have had little previous exposure to personality theories. Our purpose is to reach out to beginning students and ease their task of learning about the study of personality.
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