Handbook of Personality

“The study of personality is the study of the person in context—and requires psychologists to integrate the contributions of disciplines as disparate as genetics, biology, mathematics, sociology, and economics. This handbook is a powerful example of the breadth of the field. The contributions of over 75 leading scholars are organized into one volume. This fourth edition will be required reading for graduate students and will help scholars continue to integrate the diverse approaches to personality.”

—William Revelle, PhD, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University


“This fourth edition is a tour de force! Chapters cover the gamut of contemporary personality theory and research, ranging from biological to cultural approaches. Several chapters unpack in great detail the biological underpinnings of personality. A particularly great addition to this volume is Carol Dweck’s chapter on her integrative theory of motivation, personality, and development. The writing is engaging and clear, at a level of detail suitable for graduate students and advanced undergraduates; instructors can pick and choose chapters and the order in which they appear in a syllabus. This is a terrific resource for any psychologist’s bookshelf.”

—Jennifer Crocker, PhD, Ohio Eminent Scholar in Social Psychology, The Ohio State University


“The contributors to this book are a stellar group of researchers and scholars. As a developmental scientist, I am particularly interested in the numerous chapters in the fourth edition that touch on developmental issues from a personality psychology perspective. I am also excited to see the fundamental topics of emotion and self-regulation addressed from so many different perspectives. The knowledgeable and nuanced discussions of important topics will provide graduate students, researchers, and instructors with a valuable overview of the field. This is an excellent volume for graduate classes on personality.”

—Nancy Eisenberg, PhD, Regents' Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University


“The Handbook of Personality has been the go-to reference for summaries of cutting-edge personality science for decades. The fourth edition brings together a range of researchers to cover all of the important topics. This edition has expanded coverage on personality development, a key sub-area that has witnessed dramatic growth during the last decade. It also addresses new questions, such as the efficacy of personality interventions and geographic differences in personality traits. This is an indispensable resource for students and scholars of personality psychology.”

—Christopher J. Hopwood, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis


“With the publication of its fourth edition, this handbook now enters its fourth decade of defining the state of the science in personality theory, research, and application. Balancing coverage of classically enduring themes with newly emerging directions, the editors and contributors have captured the field's conceptual sophistication and methodological rigor. Forty-two chapters—many of them new to this edition—are organized to capture both the breadth and depth of personality science, and written in an informed and informative style.”

—Mark Snyder, PhD, Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Psychology, University of Minnesota