Individual Differences and Personality

4th Edition - March 26, 2022

Author: Michael C. Ashton

Paperback ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 9 5 0 - 9

eBook ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 9 5 1 - 6

Individual Differences and Personality, Fourth Edition provides a comprehensive overview of research regarding what personality is and how and why it differs between people. This… Read more

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Individual Differences and Personality, Fourth Edition provides a comprehensive overview of research regarding what personality is and how and why it differs between people. This book begins with a description of the study of personality and then presents basic principles of personality measurement, the concept of personality traits, and the major dimensions of personality variation. Further chapters review personality change and stability, biological causal mechanisms, genetic and environmental influences, and evolutionary adaptive function. Personality disorders are examined as are life outcomes (such as relationships, work, and health) that are predicted by personality characteristics. In addition, the book examines important individual differences beyond personality, such as mental abilities, religious beliefs, political attitudes, and sexuality.

Revisions to the fourth edition include updates to all chapters and substantial new content. For example, the developmental change chapter includes new studies of long-term stability, and the biological bases chapter includes new research about the effects of dopamine-like substances on impulse control. The genetics chapter has been heavily revised to cover recent meta-analyses and large-scale studies of the heritability of personality traits. In the chapter on the evolutionary function of personality, the discussion of sex differences is expanded to include cross-cultural variation. The chapter on personality and life outcomes includes new coverage of rating the personality of one's hypothetical ideal partner. The chapter on mental ability has updates on brain volume and IQ and on motivation and IQ.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Study of Personality
The Universal, the Unique, and the In-Between
Idiographic Versus Nomothetic Approaches
Outline of This Book
References
Chapter 1: Basic Concepts in Psychological Measurement
Abstract
1.1: Some Simple Statistical Ideas
1.2: Assessing Quality of Measurement: Reliability and Validity
1.3: Methods of Measurement: Self- and Observer Reports, Direct Observations, Biodata
1.4: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 2: Personality Traits and the Inventories That Measure Them
Abstract
2.1: The Idea of a Personality Trait
2.2: Personality Traits and Other Psychological Characteristics
2.3: Do Personality Traits Exist?
2.4: Measuring Traits by Self- or Observer Report: Structured Personality Inventories
2.5: Strategies of Personality Inventory Construction
2.6: Self- and Observer Reports on Personality Inventory Scales
2.7: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 3: Personality Structure Classifying Traits
Abstract
3.1: Which Traits to Measure? Completeness Without Redundancy
3.2: A Gentle Introduction to Factor Analysis
3.3: Factor Analysis of Personality Traits: How to Find a Representative Set of Traits?
3.4: Lexical Studies in the English Language: The Big Five Personality Factors
3.5: Lexical Studies in Many Languages: The HEXACO Personality Factors
3.6: What It All Means: A Few Dimensions, But Many Personalities
3.7: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 4: Developmental Change and Stability of Personality
Abstract
4.1: Defining Change and Stability
4.2: Developmental Changes in Mean Levels of Personality Traits
4.3: Stability of Traits Across the Years (and the Life Span)
4.4: Personality in Childhood and Infancy: Measurement and Structure
4.5: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 5: Biological Bases of Personality
Abstract
5.1: Early Ideas: The Four “Humors” and Personality
5.2: Neurotransmitters
5.3: Brain Structures
5.4: Hormones
5.5: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 6: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Personality
Abstract
6.1: The Question: Nature Versus Nurture
6.2: Examining the Similarity of Relatives
6.3: Separating Heredity and Environment
6.4: The Answers
6.5: Assumptions Underlying Heritability Studies in General
6.6: Assumptions Underlying Twin-Based Heritability Studies in Particular
6.7: Effects of the Unique Environment on Personality? Parental Treatment, Peer Groups, and Birth Order
6.8: Summary and Conclusions
6.9: Appendix: Difficulties in Separating the Effects of Heredity and Environment
References
Chapter 7: The Evolutionary Function of Personality
Abstract
7.1: The Idea of Evolution by Natural Selection
7.2: Why Are We Not All the Same? Fluctuating Optimum and Frequency Dependence
7.3: Adaptive Trade-offs Between High and Low Levels of the HEXACO Personality Factors
7.4: Cross-Generational and Cross-National Differences in Mean Levels of Personality Traits
7.5: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 8: Personality Disorders
Abstract
8.1: The Idea of a Personality Disorder
8.2: The DSM-5 Personality Disorders
8.3: An Alternative System for Personality Disorders
8.4: Origins of Personality Disorders: Developmental Change and Stability, Biological Bases, Heredity and Environment, and Evolutionary Function
8.5: Treatment of Personality Disorders
8.6: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 9: Personality and Life Outcomes
Abstract
9.1: Does Personality Matter in Life?
9.2: Relationships and Marriage
9.3: Friendships and Other Peer Relationships
9.4: Health-Related Outcomes
9.5: Academic Performance
9.6: Job Performance
9.7: Law-Abidingness Versus Criminality
9.8: Life Satisfaction
9.9: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 10: Mental Ability
Abstract
10.1: The Domain of Mental Ability
10.2: The Structure of Mental Ability: One Dimension or Many?
10.3: Developmental Change and Stability in Mental Ability
10.4: Biological Correlates of Mental Ability
10.5: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Mental Ability
10.6: Evolutionary Function of Mental Ability
10.7: Mental Ability and Life Outcomes
10.8: Not All g-Loaded Tasks Are the Same
10.9: Alternative Ideas About Mental Ability
10.10: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 11: Vocational Interests
Abstract
11.1: How Vocational Interests Are Measured
11.2: Score Reports From Vocational Interest Surveys
11.3: Constructing Vocational Interest Scales: Empirical and Rational Strategies
11.4: Major Dimensions of Vocational Interests
11.5: Vocational Interests and Personality
11.6: Vocational Interests and Mental Abilities
11.7: Validity of Vocational Interest Surveys
11.8: Origins of Vocational Interests: Developmental Change and Stability, Genetic and Environmental Influences, Biological Bases, and Evolution
11.9: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 12: Religion and Politics
Abstract
12.1: Religion
12.2: Politics
12.3: Origins of Religious Beliefs and Political Attitudes: Biological Bases, Genetic and Environmental Influences, and Evolutionary Function
12.4: Summary and Conclusions
References
Chapter 13: Sexuality
Abstract
13.1: Major Dimensions of Sexuality
13.2: Sexuality and Personality
13.3: Origins of Variation in Sexuality: Developmental Stability and Change, Genetic and Environmental Influences, Biological Bases, and Evolution
13.4: Sexual Arousal
13.5: Sexual Commitment (or Restricted Versus Unrestricted Sociosexuality)
13.6: Sexual Orientation
13.7: Summary and Conclusions
References
Conclusions
What We Have Learned So Far
What We Have Yet to Learn
Final Remarks
References
Index