An Introduction to Theories of Personality: 7th Edition

by Robert B. Ewen

This 7th Edition helps students unravel the mysteries of human behavior through its highly readable introduction to the ideas of the most significant personality theorists. Engaging biographical sketches begin each chapter, and unique capsule summaries help students review key concepts. Theories come alive through the inclusion of quotations from the theorists’ writings and numerous applications such as dream interpretation, psychopathology, and psychotherapy. Significant changes in the 7th edition include an extended discussion of the practical applications of personality theory, with an emphasis on guidelines that can help people increase their self-knowledge, make better decisions, and live more fulfilling lives. Fictionalized but true-to-life examples illustrating the perils of inadequate self-knowledge include college students, parents, terrorists, business executives, and politicians, while other examples show the positive outcomes that can result from a better understanding of one’s unconscious. This 7th edition also includes a more extensive discussion of how a lack of self-understanding caused difficulties for such noted theorists as Freud and Erikson, and a new section that explains how behavior can be strongly influenced by the situation as well as by one’s personality.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Reference

470 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1980

Reviews

[Mihai_Elrond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true gem in understanding the basics of the theories of personality, a fundamental part of psychology. In a crystal-clear style, Robert Ewen presents the most important psychology theoreticians (Freud, Jung, Adler, Horney, Fromm, Sullivan, Erikson, Carl Rogers, Maslow, Rollo May, Skinner, Bandura and some more).

The most important aspects of the various theories of personality are treated with a critical eye, giving perspectives and inviting the reader to form his own opinion. The theories are complex and many of the famous personalities have a list of neologisms. The author comes up with a smart idea to make it easier to grasp: the  smart book structure - a frame for each theory. At the end of each chapter (one for each theory) there is a section of questions for study which I found to be of tremendous value. There are no "correct" answers (so is life, isn't it?), only some commentaries and suggestions from the author. Another star move from the author was the inclusion of the study-case. The pages are all the way covered with wisdom and elegance. Robert Ewen is a beacon of hope, guiding us on dark waters.

At the end of this book, you probably have a lot of questions (hopefully more than at the beginning) but there is a certain clarity earned, some guidelines, in this vast ocean called psychology (a vastness that reminds us of the unconscious).

There are more to be said about this great book, but more will overpower you? I'll leave you with that and go for a dive in that above-mentioned ocean.

[Khali Liddiard]

good read. this book has me thinking a lot

[August · Rating 3 out of 5]

God introduktion til emnet

[Maarja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ewen gives a good chronological overview of the main theories of personality, starting with psychoanalysis and finishing with social cognitive theory. Each theory is compared to the next, so by the end you'll have a good grasp of how they all evolved from and relate to each other. It's easy to read and covers the main points in a clear, structured way, adding information about how something was received at the time and how it's viewed nowadays. Excellent for study purposes if you're new to personality theories.