MPM2008

Personality theory (semester 2)

Associate Professor S Bloch and Mr L Rodriguez

Synopsis The focus of this subject is the study of the theory of personality and its clinical and therapeutic implications. Its chief aim will be to consider the various theoretical approaches which have been applied to the understanding of an individual's intra and interpersonal psychological world. Topics to be covered include the concept of personality, different theoretical approaches to the conceptualisation of personality and psychological functioning and the relationship between these approaches and the empirical study of personality. Throughout the subject links will be made between the theoretical subject matter and its relevance to the clinical situation. In particular, psychotherapeutic implications will be considered. Although the subject will not serve as an introduction to practical psychotherapy, there will be a regular opportunity to study relevant aspects of the different schools of psychological treatment. Students will be encouraged to share their clinical experience and there will be scope to present case material from their ongoing therapeutic encounters. An important goal in linking theory and practice in this way will be to enable students to learn how to apply various theories of personality and human behaviour to their patients, and how to become more critically aware of the relative strengths and limitations of these theories.

Assessment Essay (4000 words on an assigned topic)

Recommended texts

Bloch S (Ed) An introduction to the psychotherapies 3rd edn, OUP, 1996
Brown J A C Freud and the post-Freudians Pelican, 1971
Engler B Personality theories: An introduction Houghton Mifflin, 1991
Gay P (Ed) The Freud reader Vintage, 1995
Monte C F Beneath the mask: An introduction to theories of personality 5th edn, Harcourt Brace, 1995

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