Individual Differences and Personality

Individual Differences and Personality provides a student-friendly introduction to both classic and cutting-edge research into personality, mood, motivation and intelligence, and their applications in psychology and in fields such as health, education and sporting achievement. Including a new chapter on 'toxic' personality traits, and an additional chapter on applications in real-life settings, this fourth edition has been thoroughly updated and uniquely covers the necessary psychometric methodology needed to understand modern theories. It also develops deep processing and effective learning by encouraging a critical evaluation of both older and modern theories and methodologies, including the Dark Triad, emotional intelligence and psychopathy. Gardner’s and hierarchical theories of intelligence, and modern theories of mood and motivation are discussed and evaluated, and the processes which cause people to differ in personality and intelligence are explored in detail. Six chapters provide a non-mathematical grounding in psychometric principles, such as factor analysis, reliability, validity, bias, test-construction and test-use. With self-assessment questions, further reading and a companion website including student and instructor resources, this is the ideal resource for anyone taking modules on personality and individual differences.

Preface 1. Introduction to individual differences 2. Personality by introspection 3. Measuring individual differences 4. Depth psychology 5. Factor analysis 6. Broad trait theories of personality 7. Emotional intelligence 8. Reliabilityans validity of psychological tests 9. Narrow personality traits 10. Sub-clinical and antisocial personality traits 11. Biological, cognitive and social bases of personality 12. Structure and measurement of abilities 13. Ability processes 14. Personality and ability over time 15. Environmental and genetic determinants of personality and abilities 16. Psychology of mood and motivation 17. Applications in health, clinical, counselling and forensic psychology 18. Applications to education, work and sport 19. Performing and interpreting factor analyses 20. Constructing a test 21. Problems with tests 22. Integrations and conclusions Appendix A Correlations Appendix B Code of fair testing practices in education Index

Colin Cooper lectured in Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast for 20 years before emigrating to Canada. He is the author of several books on personality, intelligence and psychological measurement and of numerous research articles. He was elected president of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences from 2021-2023.