Personality Psychology

What is Personality Psychology?

Personality psychology is the study of what makes us unique. How do human individuals vary in terms of their fundamental psychological traits, how are those differences produced, and how do they affect a person throughout his or her lifetime? These are the kind of questions addressed by personality theorists. Although some professionals believe that personality psychology should be considered a form of social psychology, it is a large enough discipline that it deserves mention in its own right.

Personality theorists usually work by identifying variables, or particular qualities in which people differ, and then sometimes grouping people into personality “types” based on those variables. For example, personality theorists have long recognized that people’s personalities are deeply influenced by where they fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Introverts are usually reserved and introspective, and prefer to socialize with small groups or one-on-one, whereas extroverts are gregarious and talkative, and find it energizing to be in large groups. This is a fundamental personality characteristic, and most people can be placed on one or the other end of the introvert-extrovert scale. Other personality variables include conscientiousness and openness to experience.

Who Should Study Personality Psychology?

Personality psychology is of interest to nearly everyone, since understanding our own personalities can go a long way toward understanding our strengths, weaknesses, and desires. This is a profoundly valuable insight, which is why so many people are interested in taking personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs. These tests are worth a look no matter what your interests or career path, but if you find such testing and the science behind it especially fascinating, then you may find a career in personality psychology to be a good choice. Experts in personality theory can apply their knowledge in a many different kinds of careers, ranging from career counseling and relationship advice to experimental research.

Personality psychology also includes the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders. Because they are so deeply-rooted and so essential to the patient’s identity, personality disorders are particularly difficult to identify and treat. There are also ethical concerns connected with treating personality disorders, since the line between people who are different and those are truly sick is thin and inherently somewhat arbitrary. This makes applied personality psychology a very interesting and challenging line of work for clinical psychologists.

The History of Personality Psychology

Sigmund Freud, the grandfather of psychology, was especially interested in personality psychology. He believed that people’s personalities were determined largely by their “psychosexual development,” and that personality disorders were the result of people getting stuck at certain stages in that development. We often hear the term “anal retentive” used to refer to someone who is meticulous and compulsively orderly – that’s because Freud thought that these people’s development had been impeded at an early stage, and that they were literally (if subconsciously) obsessed with their own excretory functions. Freud’s colorful theories are no longer considered valid by the vast majority of psychologists, but his interest in personality inaugurated a vibrant and long-lasting tradition of inquiry that has led to modern personality psychology.

Today, personality psychology is one of the most contentious fields in the whole discipline. Because personality is so complicated and because it is so difficult to directly study personality scientifically, research into personality theory remains a largely speculative area. Personality psychology, however, is both a research field and an applied field. Because personality is so crucial for understanding all other areas of psychology, the latest theories of personality are eagerly taken up by clinical psychologists, industrial/organizational psychologists, and school psychologists for use in their work. It remains one of the most mysterious and exciting areas of psychological research.