What makes people behave as they do? Are people ordinarily aware of what they are doing, or are their behaviors the result of hidden, unconscious motives? Are some people naturally good and others basically evil? Or do all people have potential to be either good or evil? Is human conduct largely a product of nature, or is it shaped mostly by environmental influences? Can people freely choose to mold their personality, or are their lives determined by forces beyond their control? Are people best described by their similarities, or is uniqueness the dominant characteristic of humans? What causes some people to develop disordered personalities whereas others seem to grow toward psychological health? These questions have been asked and debated by philosophers, scholars, and religious thinkers for several thousand years; but most of these discussions were based on personal opinions that were colored by political, economic, religious, and social considerations. Then, near the end of the 19th century, some progress was made in humanity's ability to organize, explain, and predict its own actions. The emergence of psychology as the scientific study of human behavior marked the beginning of a more systematic approach to the study of human personality. This edition continues to emphasize the strong and unique features of earlier editions, namely the overviews near the beginning of each chapter, a lively writing style, the thought- provoking concepts of humanity as seen by each theorist, and the structured evaluations of each theory

This 8th edition centres on the premise that personality theories are a reflection of the unique cultural background, family experiences, personalities, and professional training of their originators. It presents 23 major theories; coverage of each theory also encompasses a biographical sketch of each theorist, related research, and applications to real life.

Accurate and authoritative, "Theories of Personality" by Jess and Gregory Feist presents 23 leading theories of personality in a thorough, interesting and logical manner. The book begins with an introductory chapter designed to acquaint students with the meaning of personality and provide them with a solid foundation for understanding the nature of theory and its crucial contributions to science. The next seventeen chapters present twenty-three major theories with a fresh approach and a more complete view encompassing, a biographical sketch of each theorist, related research and applications to real life. When appropriate, the authors point out ways in which the theorists' life experiences may have helped shape her or his theory.

The 8th edition of Theories of Personality follows in the tradition of the previous versions, by centering on the premise that personality theories are a reflection of the unique cultural background, family experiences, personalities, and professional training of their originators. The book begins by acquainting students with the meaning of personality and providing them with a solid foundation for understanding the nature of theory, as well as its crucial contributions to science. The chapters that follow present twenty-three major theories: coverage of each theory also encompasses a biographical sketch of each theorist, related research, and applications to real life. Changes in the 8th edition included a new chapter 8 on evolutionary personality theory, focusing on the work of David Buss. The Related Research sections in each chapter have also been updated.

Accurate and authoritative, "Theories of Personality" by Jess and Gregory Feist presents 23 leading theories of personality in a thorough, interesting and logical manner. The book begins with an introductory chapter designed to acquaint students with the meaning of personality and provide them with a solid foundation for understanding the nature of theory and its crucial contributions to science. The next seventeen chapters present twenty-three major theories with a fresh approach and a more complete view encompassing, a biographical sketch of each theorist, related research and applications to real life. When appropriate, the authors point out ways in which the theorists' life experiences may have helped shape her or his theory.

Accurate and authoritative, "Theories of Personality" by Jess and Gregory Feist presents 23 leading theories of personality in a thorough, interesting and logical manner. The book begins with an introductory chapter designed to acquaint students with the meaning of personality and provide them with a solid foundation for understanding the nature of theory and its crucial contributions to science. The next seventeen chapters present twenty-three major theories with a fresh approach and a more complete view encompassing, a biographical sketch of each theorist, related research and applications to real life. When appropriate, the authors point out ways in which the theorists' life experiences may have helped shape her or his theory.

This text covers a variety of subjects in the field of health psychology, such as stress, pain, coping, behavior and chronic disease, and preventing injuries and disease through behavioral modification. Each chapter begins with the basic questions the material will try to address and a case study that applies to these issues, and ends with summarized answers, a glossary, and suggested readings. Brannon and Feist, both of McNeese State University, address a number of controversial subjects, and encourage their readers to view the research critically. Scattered throughout the material are tips about how to check your health risks and how to become healthier, making this book both an academic text as well as a practical guide to health. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A sound, pragmatic understanding of the behaviours that affect health is presented in this study. It explains experimental design and critique studies and their findings and offers an increased emphasis on psychological interventions.