PSY 380A1 - Psychology of Personality

Prerequisite

PSY 210 (Psychology of Differences) or PSY 250 (Research Methods in Psychology) or instructor permission. (Credit not allowed for both PSY 380A1 and PSY 325)

Description

Why are people the way they are? What accounts for why different people think, feel, and act differently? The answers to these questions are perhaps the central interest of personality psychologists.

This course provides a survey of the field of Personality Psychology. At ground level, the purpose of the course is to introduce you to the most important issues, methods, theories, research, and applications that comprise Personality Psychology as an academic discipline.

After a general introduction, we will discuss basic research methods and assessment techniques used by psychologists in their attempt to learn more about personality.

We then will proceed to discuss and critically evaluate the major theoretical perspectives on personality. These include the Trait and Biological approaches, the Psychoanalytic and Neo-Freudian approaches, the Behavioral approaches, the Humanistic approaches, and the Social-Cognitive approaches.

Along the way, we will discuss the roles of gender and culture in personality processes as well as a number of contemporary controversies and issues that divide personality psychologists.

Tim Doenges, M.S., serves as course facilitator.

Important Information

PSY 325 and PSY 380A1 are equivalent courses and credit is not allowed for both.

Textbooks and Materials

Unless otherwise indicated, textbooks and materials are required and can be purchased at the CSU Bookstore.

1. The Personality Puzzle, 4th Ed.
   Funder, David C.
   ISBN: 0-393-92858-6

Instructors

Bryan Dik
(970) 491-3235
bryan.dik@colostate.edu

Bryan J. Dik is an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology in the psychology department at Colorado State University. His research interests focus on work as a calling or vocation, the role of interests in work and leisure, and the interface of psychology and faith. He teaches courses in vocational psychology, personality psychology, and the psychology of religion. He also supervises graduate student counseling and research activities and maintains a small private counseling and consulting practice.

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