Synopses & Reviews
Personality can be defined along a small number of well established dimensions, each of which is partially determined by hereditary factors. Heredity acts on behavior through its influence on variations in the structure and function of neural and biochemical systems. This book explores the biological basis of individual differences in personality from genes to the structure, chemistry, and function of the brain and peripheral nervous system. In addition to basic dimensions of normal personality, the book examines the biology of several types of psychopathology. The concluding chapter provides a psychobiological model for personality. This thorough analysis of the pathway from gene to personality trait will be of interest not only to biologists, but also to psychologists and psychiatrists.
Review
"...effectively brings the integration of psychology and biology closer to a reality....a valuable addition to undergraduate libraries if only to show other approaches to the study of personality." Choice"An up-to-date review of thinking and research dealing with personality, primarily from a psychobiological point of view.....provides the reader with a broad grasp of the field as well as an understanding of some of the important conceptual and methodological problems inherent in much of the research described." American Journal of Psychiatry"Zuckerman has that rare facility to explicate the significance of a body of work simply and cogently, to focus on what is contributes and the limit of its scope. The reader expereiences the pleasure of chatting with a master of his area without being bogged down with detail or overwhelmed with information...Zuckerman's work helps us to peer into the future and see possibilities unimagined 50 years ago in the field of personality assessment. Any truly excellent text stimulates thought and, one hopes, research. By this criterion, Zuckerman's is an excellent text." - PsycCRITIQUES, Arnold R. Bruhn
Synopsis
Revised and updated edition of graduate level overview, describing biological basis of behaviour and personality.
Synopsis
This revised and updated edition of Psychobiology of Personality describes what is currently known about the biological basis of the primary personality traits, including genetic, neurological, biochemical, physiological, and behavioral influences, and is essential reading for advanced students of psychology and psychiatry.
About the Author
Marvin Zuckerman is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Delaware. He has written over 200 articles and six books, including the first edition of Psychobiology of Personality (1991).
Table of Contents
Preface; 1. Temperament and personality: trait structure and persistence; 2. Psychobiological methods; 3. Extraversion/sociability; 4. Neuroticism; 5. Psychoticism (psychopathy), impulsivity, sensation and/or novelty seeking, conscientiousness; 6. Aggression-hostility/agreeableness; 7. Consilience; References.