Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons (4th Edition) [Hardcover]

Susan C. Cloninger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0131832042 | ISBN-13: 978-0131832046 | Publication Date: July 20, 2003 | Edition: 4

Designed to prepare readers to apply theories of personality to understanding particular individuals who they may encounter in professional work and in their personal lives, this engaging volume provides an overview of major classic and current theories of personality, together with clear explanation of the latest research. It brings the theories to life through the interpretation of illustrative historic and current biographies. This book covers the important theories in personality research—psychoanalysis, individual psychology, personological trait theory, psychoanalytic learning theory, behaviorism, cognitive social learning theory—as well as the people that pioneered those theories—Freud, Adler, Allport, Skinner, Staats, Dollard, Miller, Mischel, and Bandura. For anyone who wants a better handle on understanding the people in their professional and personal lives.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This engaging text provides an overview of major classic and current theories of personality, integrating clear explanation of theory with the latest research. It conducts an up-to-date evaluation of the scientific status of theoretical assertions, bringing theories to life through the interpretation of illustrative biographies. The Second Edition has been updated to include the most current research available. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Designed to prepare readers to apply theories of personality to understanding particular individuals who they may encounter in professional work and in their personal lives, this engaging volume provides an overview of major classic and current theories of personality, together with clear explanation of the latest research. It brings the theories to life through the interpretation of illustrative historic and current biographies. This book covers the important theories in personality research—psychoanalysis, individual psychology, personological trait theory, psychoanalytic learning theory, behaviorism, cognitive social learning theory—as well as the people that pioneered those theories—Freud, Adler, Allport, Skinner, Staats, Dollard, Miller, Mischel, and Bandura. For anyone who wants a better handle on understanding the people in their professional and personal lives.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 576 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4 edition (July 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131832042
• ISBN-13: 978-0131832046
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime Introductory Textbook, September 18, 2001

By 

Todd Krainin (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons (Hardcover)

A wonderful introduction to the major personality theorists of the past century or so -- from Freud to Kelly -- written with insight, clarity, and a creative educational 'gimmick' that encourages the reader to apply the theories to many well-known personalities. Not only does the reader learn the fundamental ideas of theorists such as Jung, Adler, and Maslow; he applies those concepts to analyze the likes of Shirley MacLaine, Donald Trump, and Martin Luther King.

If a textbook could be self-actualized, this one is it. Excellent!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre book on a fascinating subject, February 13, 2011

By 

Tired of Mediocrity (Bay Area, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

I was so looking forward to this class about personality theories, and this book is a major disappointment. While some chapters are educating and written in a fairly engaging and flowing manner, others are plain difficult to go through. There is a lot of oversimplification, a lot of mentioning important concepts that only get half a sentence and a reference - am I wrong in thinking that a textbook is aimed at teaching rather than merely referring?

It would have been more acceptable if the book kept a consistent level of addressing the various theories, but that is not the case. Some theorists get the limelight with in-depth discussion, while with others the author hovers quickly at 100 feet and fills pages with disconnected sketchy paragraphs that don't flow and don't really say much. Even the graphic presentation makes this book tiresome to follow, as it's hard to tell a chapter from a sub-chapter.

It's a serious challenge to not let this book ruin this subject, it's a challenge to keep reading and at times it's a challenge to understand what the author is trying to say. I fully agree with the reviewer who wrote "It's almost like it was written by some grad student for extra-credit... It's like a REALLY LONG, REALLY bad term paper...". Some of the chapters make one wonder if they were edited at all, as they are written so offhandedly and with so many repetitions.

I'm SO glad I found a used book of the 4th edition and didn't pay the outrageously high price for the new edition, which - mind you - is almost identical except for a more appealing graphic design and an additional chapter about Buddhism. This is not a book I'd keep.

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't plan on learning anything......, September 19, 2011

By 

Tencil Strength - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

This author writes herself in circles, jumps around, interjects silly metaphors throughout, and ultimately vomits too much information at the reader that is not properly disseminated (too much information on the irrelevant, not enough on what she is attempting to describe). It takes 110% of your attention just to make down a page to try and follow the train-of thought. You will find yourself day-dreaming......even in the middle of the night!