Personology: Method and Content in Personality Assessment and PsychobiographyHow can we know what another human being is like in some meaningful, dynamic way? Can we distill the signature-like features of an individual personality? What is the relationship between personal experience and our attempts to describe the person who has that experience? This work by a highly respected senior psychologist is an effort to answer these questions. Irving E. Alexander presents a case for considering the personal narrative of a human life as the most compelling aspect of that life to be decoded and understood. In part a critique of an exclusive reliance on general theories about the development of personality and ways of knowing based primarily on comparison with others, Personology is illustrated with material drawn from the lives, personal writings, and theories of Freud, Jung, and Sullivan. Alexander develops new insights into the lives of these men and offers methods and guidelines for investigating and teaching personology and psychobiography. |
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affect analysis anger asked aspects assigned attempt aware Bellinger biographical C. G. Jung Chapman chapter Chatelaine clearly clinical concerned conjecture countertransference dealing discussion doctrine dream earlier early emphasis essay examination example experience extracted fantasy father fear Freud Harry Stack Sullivan homosexual homosexual panic human hypotheses ideas identified imagery impact important indicated individual instance intellectual interaction interest interpersonal interview involved issues Jewish Jones Jung Jung's later lead major material means-end ment MMPI Moses and Monotheism mother negative Oedipal origin outcome participants path perhaps period Perry Perry's personality assessment personological positive possible problem produced psychiatry psychoanalysis psychobiography psychological psychopathology psychotherapy question relationship response revealed role Rorschach salience schizophrenic scripts seems selective inattention self-esteem semester seminar members sequence sexual Sigmund Freud story Sullivan theory tion Tomkins Totem and Taboo uncon unconscious understanding various