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Now in a revised and expanded fourth edition, this definitive reference and text has more than 50% new material, reflecting a decade of theoretical and empirical advances. Prominent researchers describe major theories and review cutting-edge findings. The volume explores how personality emerges from and interacts with biological, developmental, cognitive, affective, and social processes, and the implications for well-being and health. Innovative research programs and methods are presented throughout. The concluding section showcases emerging issues and new directions in the field. New to This Edition •Expanded coverage of personality development, with chapters on the overall life course, middle childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. •Three new chapters on affective processes, plus chapters on neurobiology, achievement motivation, cognitive approaches, narcissism, and other new topics. •Section on cutting-edge issues: personality interventions, personality manifestations in everyday life, geographical variation in personality, self-knowledge, and the links between personality and economics. •Added breadth and accessibility--42 more concise chapters, compared to 32 in the prior edition.

This authoritative handbook is the reference of choice for researchers and students of personality. Leading authorities describe the most important theoretical approaches in personality and review the state of the science in five broad content areas: biological bases; development; self and social processes; cognitive and motivational processes; and emotion, adjustment, and health. Within each area, chapters present innovative ideas, findings, research designs, and measurement approaches. Areas of integration and consensus are discussed, as are key questions and controversies still facing the field.

Bringing together leading investigators, this comprehensive handbook is a one-stop reference for anyone planning or conducting research on personality. It provides up-to-date analyses of the rich array of methodological tools available today, giving particular attention to real-world theoretical and logistical challenges and how to overcome them. In chapters filled with detailed, practical examples, readers are shown step by step how to formulate a suitable research design, select and use high-quality measures, and manage the complexities of data analysis and interpretation. Coverage ranges from classic methods like self-report inventories and observational procedures to such recent innovations as neuroimaging and genetic analyses.