Optimal Human Being: An Integrated Multi-level Perspective

by Kennon M. Sheldon

Ken Sheldon's comprehensive new book addresses two how can individuals best integrate the different facets of themselves to achieve "optimal human being", and how can researchers best integrate the different levels of analysis within the human sciences to understand "optimal human being" in general? In the process, the book supplies two new frameworks―one for viewing the human sciences as a group, and the other for viewing personality theory within that group.

Optimal Human Being features a multi-level model that moves from biologically based levels of analysis to higher, socially based levels, and demonstrates how these different levels interact to determine behavior. The author then proposes a new way of looking at personality by examining four "tiers": organismic foundations, personality traits, goals/intentions, and self-concepts, and demonstrates how these levels relate to the state of optimal human being. The book concludes with two higher levels of analysis relevant to personality―social interaction and culture―and proposes a new profile of optimal human being.

Intended for researchers and students in social and personality, clinical, developmental, and industrial psychology and other social sciences, the book will also serve as a supplement in a variety of courses including personality, positive psychology, well being, personal development, and motivation.

Genres: Psychology

250 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

Reviews

[Sandeep Gautam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful gem of a book. It mines for diamonds through the field of personality psychology and uses that to make prescriptions or how an optimal human being should live. It combines rigorous study of personality psychology with an equally rigorous focus on what that means for being happy and flourishing (achieving optimal psychological well-being).
Drawing inspiration form the 'consilience' of E O Wilson, Sheldon, tries to put forth a multi level coherent view of a person, understandable at biology, brains, personality , social cultural influences etc.
This book does provide 27 prescriptions and 5 meta prescriptions for achieving optimal human being status, but nothing of that is superficial- its borne out of a deep marriage of personality science with positive psychology. I wish I had prioritized this book and read it earlier. It may not appeal to all readers, but given my interests in personality as well as well-being this has just become my new favorite book!