Class Personality Psychology

This curricular unit intends to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the personality construct that enables them to recognize its importance in describing, explaining and understanding psychological functioning and predicting behavior.

1. Personality: basic concepts, definitions, levels and units of analysis

2. Criteria for evaluating the Theories/Models of Personality

3. Assessment/Research Methods in Personality Psychology
4. The formation and development of personality:
     4.1. Biological and genetic factors 

     4.2. Environmental factors
5. Theories of personality

     5.1. Trait perspective
     5.2. Psychoanalytic perspective
     5.3. Humanist perspective
     5.4. Behavior/Learning perspective                                                                                                                                             
     5.5. Cognitive perspective
     5.6. Psychobiological perspective
     5.7. Narrative and life history perspective
6. The complexity of personality and the search for an integrative approach
7. Integration of personality psychology into psychological practice and research

In the theoretical classes, interrogative method in different moments is combined with presenting the contents, fostering an ongoing dialogue about the contents and their implications.  At the beginning of the classes, asking about the main aspect of the previous class fosters attention and recall. In the practical classes, application exercises, individually and in the small group format, as well as the analysis of small cases/situations considering the different theories and models fosters knowledge consolidation. When it is relevant, small illustration videos are used for visioning and discussion. Bibliographic review, scientific papers reading and group discussion is promoted to enhance an autonomous approach to personality variables in the broader scope of psychology.

Cervone, D., & Pervin, L. A. (2015). Personality: Theory and research (13th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Friedman, H. S., & Schustack, M. W. (2016). Personality: Classic theories and modern research (5th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.

John, O. P., Robins, R. W., & Pervin, L. A. (2008). Handbook of personality: Theory and research. The Guilford Press.