Brian R. Little

"Traditionally, scientists have emphasized what they call the first and second natures of personality--genes and culture, respectively. But today the field of personality science has moved well beyond the nature vs. nurture debate. In Who Are You, Really? Dr. Brian Little presents a distinctive view of how personality shapes our lives--and why this matters. Little makes the case for a third nature to the human condition--the pursuit of personal projects, idealistic dreams, and creative ventures that shape both people's lives and their personalities. Little uncovers what personality science has been discovering about the role of personal projects, revealing how this new concept can help people better understand themselves and shape their lives" -- provided by publisher.

The Surprising Puzzle of Personality

Who Are You, Really?

Are you hardwired for happiness, or born to brood? Do you think you’re in charge of your future, or do you surf the waves of unknowable fate? Would you be happier, or just less socially adept, if you were less concerned about what other people thought of you? And what about your “Type A” spouse: is he or she destined to have a heart attack, or just drive you to drink? In the past few decades, new scientific research has transformed old ideas about the nature of human personality. Neuroscientists, biologists and psychological scientists have reexamined the theories of Freud and Jung as well as the humanistic psychologies of the 1960s, upending the simplistic categorizations of personality types, and developing new tools and methods for exploring who we are. Renowned professor and pioneering research psychologist Brian R. Little has been at the leading edge of this new science. In this wise and witty book he shares a wealth of new data and provocative insights about who we are, why we act the way we do, what we can—and can’t—change, and how we can best thrive in light of our “nature.” Me, Myself, and Us explores questions that are rooted in the origins of human consciousness but are as commonplace as yesterday’s breakfast conversation, such as whether our personality traits are set by age thirty or whether our brains and selves are more plastic. He considers what our personalities portend for our health and success, and the extent to which our well-being depends on the personal projects we pursue. Through stories, studies, personal experiences and entertaining interactive assessments, Me, Myself, and Us provides a lively, thought-provoking, and ultimately optimistic look at the possibilities and perils of being uniquely ourselves, while illuminating the selves of the familiar strangers we encounter, work with, and love.

The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being

Me, Myself And Us

Cum ne modelează personalitatea viața? Putem schimba ceva în această privință? Ești programat să fii mereu fericit sau condamnat la nefericire? Crezi că îți poți controla viitorul sau navighezi pe valurile unui destin necunoscut? Ai fi mai fericit sau doar mai puțin adaptat din punct de vedere social dacă ți-ar păsa mai puțin de ce cred ceilalți despre tine? În ultimele câteva decenii, noile cercetări științifice au transformat radical vechile idei despre natura personalității umane. Neurocercetători, biologi și psihologi au reexaminat teoriile lui Freud și Jung, precum și psihologia umanistă a anilor 1960, răsturnând categorizările simpliste ale tipurilor de personalitate și dezvoltând noi instrumente și metode pentru a analiza cine suntem. Renumitul profesor Brian R. Little, un pionier în cercetarea psihologică, ne împărtășește în cartea de față numeroase informații și explicații despre cine suntem, de ce acționăm așa cum o facem, ce putem și ce nu putem schimba și cum putem evolua cel mai bine, ținând cont de natura noastră. Profesorul Brian R. Little este un cercetător recunoscut internațional, care susține prelegeri în domeniul psihologiei personalității și al psihologiei motivaționale. În prezent, este membru al Institutului Stării de Bine și director al Grupului de Cercetare pentru Ecologie Socială, în cadrul Facultății de Psihologie, la Universitatea Cambridge; profesor emerit la Universitatea Carleton. Anterior, a predat la Universitățile McGill, Oxford și Harvard. A fost ales trei ani la rând „Profesorul preferat“ de către seriile de studenți din anii terminali de la Harvard.

Psihologia personalitatii si arta de a te simti bine

Katariina Salmela-Aro

Susan D. Phillips

Personal Project Pursuit is the first book to feature Brian Little's highly respected personal projects analysis (PPA), one of the pioneering theories in contemporary personality and motivational psychology. The book examines both the internal and external dynamics of personal goals and projects and clearly demonstrates that human flourishing is enhanced when individuals are engaged in the pursuit of personal projects. The book opens with the theory and methodologies of personal projects research. The historical perspective on the development of the two dominant research perspectives from personality and developmental psychology is explored. Section II examines the internal dynamics and competing demands of goal formulation and project inception. The third part accentuates the role that social ecologies play in shaping the nature and outcomes of personal projects. These chapters highlight the importance of interpersonal relationships, organizational contexts, and the societal and cultural expectations in affecting the pursuit of personal projects. Ideas for orchestrating the environment to enhance human flourishing are explored. Section IV demonstrates how personal projects can illuminate and enhance human flourishing, from psychological well being to physical health. The book concludes with applications for enhancing human flourishing from individual counseling to public policy. Personal Project Pursuit is intended for advanced students, researchers, and practitioners in personality, social, developmental, industrial/organizational, health, environmental, clinical and counseling psychology interested in motivation and well being. An excellent supplemental text for courses on personality, motivation, positive psychology, well being, personal and life span development, the book's applied focus will appeal to counselors and rehabilitation/occupational therapists.

Brian R. Little

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