This influential work examines how enduring dispositions or traits affect the process of aging and shape each individual's life course. From two well-known authorities in the field, the volume is grounded in a growing body of empirical evidence. Critically reviewing different theories of personality and adult development, the authors explain the logic behind the scientific assessment of personality, present a comprehensive model of trait structure, and examine patterns of trait stability and change after age 30, incorporating data from ongoing cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Written in a clear, jargon-free style, this book is an ideal text for advanced students and a timely reference for researchers and clinicians.
1. Facts and Theories of Adult Development
2. A Trait Approach to Personality
3. Measuring Personality
4. The Search for Growth or Decline in Personality
5. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Personality and Aging
6. The Course of Personality Development in the Individual
7. Stability Reconsidered: Qualifications and Rival Hypotheses
8. A Different View: Ego Psychologies and Projective Methods
9. Adult Development as Seen through the Personal Interview
10. A Five-Factor Theory of Personality
11. The Influences of Personality on the Life Course