Zigzag: Reversal and Paradox in Human Personality

by Michael J. Apter

The conventional assumption in psychology is that our personalities consist of fixed traits that endure over time. The present book takes issue with this over-simple idea and suggests something much more interesting and surprising, known as Reversal Theory. This proposes that we tend to switch back and forth between opposing personalities in the course of our everyday lives. For example, sometimes we are serious and sometimes playful, sometimes we are conforming and sometimes rebellious. And we switch (reverse) backwards and forwards, from one to another, over time.

Our personalities are therefore dynamic rather than static and can even be self-contradictory. Personality is about the characteristic ways we navigate such change and we are dancers rather than statues and dance to our own music. This can lead to puzzling paradoxes and problems but can also, handled appropriately, help us to achieve productive and happy lives, because it shows how rich in possibilities we all are. It has been said that Reversal Theory liberates rather than limits, and in this respect goes beyond most self-help theories.

Illustrated with case histories of well-known celebrities and historical figures, with the results of psychological studies, and with personal anecdotes, Apter brings the provocative ideas of Reversal Theory to life and is a highly relevant contribution to the contemporary psychology of motivation and personality. In the process he deals coherently with a variety of interesting topics risky sport, terrorism, domestic violence, art and humour.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2018

Reviews

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I delved right into this book because of my background training in Psychology and I was really fascinated by the author's take that we embody contradictions and that these contradictions are paradoxical.
He also goes further to argue that though we exhibit these inconsistencies, there is a pattern to them and he explores this using four fundamental kinds of contradiction.
Aside from the Psychology, I loved that he did his research and even explored various theories and provided case examples. I do however wish that the style of writing was like it was in the first chapter, because this gave it a more conversational appeal, when the facts start coming in, it loses this feel. I received a digital copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review and my parting shot is this, if you'd love to learn a thing or two about personality traits, then get this book.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrary to much of psychological literature the books offers the perspective of how we are closer to dancers (personality-wise) than fixed statuses along with a nicely connected conceptual framework of why this is possible. Meaning many pschological tests that I even personally use at work show a picture in that given moment, and validity of it is not like organisational psychologists as myself would like it to be.
My 5 star rating doesn't mean the book is The perfect book, it could have more evidence to support it's conceptual framework (it reframed some well known studies elegantly in the light of their narrative, which was very well done, I would have loved to see more of that. However since this is one of the pioneer books, stepping onto uncharted territory, we cannot have it all at once).

[Karma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about reversal theory and tries to make sense of things that seem counterintuitive at first glance - jihadis, bungee jumping etc. It was interesting to read.

The only negative was that it didn't flow as well as it should have. I think it could use some better editing.

I received a free copy from Netgalley. This hasn't affected my review.