The Personality Puzzle, Third Edition [Hardcover]

David C. Funder (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393979962 | ISBN-13: 978-0393979961 | Publication Date: January 2004 | Edition: 3rd

In this update of the 2001 and 1997 editions, Funder (psychology, U. of California-Riverside) continues to show that personality psychology matters, while incorporating recent research on biological, cross-cultural, and cognitive aspects of personality. He reassures students that recurring themes ar

Editorial Reviews

Review

A refreshing diversion from the traditional assembly-line approach of other textbook authors. -- D. Brett King, University of Colorado, Boulder

The author did a fine, balanced, careful job, and the writing is a pleasure. -- Drew Westen, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

David C. Funder is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. He is editor of the Journal of Research and Personalityand a former associate editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. He is best known for his research on personality judgment and has also published on the delay of gratification, attribution theory, and the longitudinal course of personality development. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 556 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc (Np); 3rd edition (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393979962
• ISBN-13: 978-0393979961
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic easy-to-read book on personality psychology!, March 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Personality Puzzle (Paperback)

I recently took a class on personality psychology and Funder's "The Personality Puzzle" was the textbook for the class. The book clearly presents concepts and theories on personality psychology, and frequently provides real-life examples. Overall, an excellent read!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, June 23, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Bethel, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Personality Puzzle (Paperback)

This is probably one of the most interesting introductory personality books I have read. It is different than the typical book available for a course on the Psychology of Personality. The book (which I have used during the past two years in the university level Psychology of Personality course I teach) provides the student with a provocative blending of research, assessment, and theory. I highly recommend it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virtually the best personality textbook available., February 1, 2006

By 

M. Pang "starving student" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Personality Puzzle, Third Edition (Hardcover)

Funder's book is a nice example of what a psychology textbook ought to be: entertaining, witty, objective, concise, and informative.

Rather than being dry, technical, or long-winded, the book is fascinating and intelligent (and this is coming from someone who had no interest in personality psychology and used her textbooks as a quick way to fall asleep in the middle of the day).

It takes boring or vague ideas and makes them clear, simple and interesting - I even enjoyed the chapters on test development and research methods. He also sprinkles the text with anecdotes, jokes, quips and cartoons to keep it from getting dull.

It features:

+ Easy advantage/disadvantage info on the main concepts
+ Clear, understandable explanations of statistical concepts
+ Simple jargon-free definitions
+ Unique, memorable examples to demonstrate trickier concepts
+ A sense of humour mixed with a passion for being logical and scientific

From a scientific perspective, Funder is willing to carefully explain and illuminate his own biases, he details the relative advantages and disadvantages of everything, and he never oversteps his liberties as a writer.

I highly recommend it to any psychology student who wants a good read about personality. Well worth the money.