PSYC 4456 Psychology of Personality

About the Course

This course offers a psychological study of the structure, organization, and development of the person as a whole. Analysis of major theories, methods, and research, including topics such as emotion, motivation, temperament, inner experience, identity and the self, personality change, and the influence of sociocultural context. Restricted to juniors and seniors.

Objectives/Outline

By the end of the course, students will be evaluated regarding their abilities to:

• Identify, recognize, and discuss the fundamental constructs associated with major theories of personality.
• Differentiate and integrate individual theories systematically according to their characteristics and perspectives (e.g., explain how two different theories are both humanistic and how, as such, they are different from trait theories.)
• Both recognize and apply basic personality constructs in various sociocultural contexts: art, literature, music, observed behavior, popular culture, current events.

Unit Outline
With some exceptions, each unit is presented in the following order:

• Initial Concerns
• Instructor Commentary
• The Chapter(s)
• Activities
• Assignments

Grade Breakdown

Your grade will be based on a total of 1200 points. Each assignment is worth 100 points (1/12) and each exam is worth 200 points (2/12).

Required Text

Ewen, R. B. (2010). bn introduction to theories of personality (7th ed.). NY: Psychology Press.

Instructor Contact

Tim C. Bockes earned a PhD at the University of Colorado Boulder in 1991, specializing in Sociocultural Psychology. His BA in English was earned at the University of Vermont. Dr. Bockes’s research interests include authoritarianism, social learning and bullying, and individualism. After a few years of teaching psychology in West Texas, Dr. Bockes and his family now reside in western New York State, where he is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Nazareth College.

Email: tbockes@rochester.rr.com