Handbook of Research Methods in Personality Psychology

Synopsis

bringing Together Leading Investigators, This Comprehensive Handbook Is A One-stop Reference For Anyone Planning Or Conducting Research On Personality. It Provides Up-to-date Analyses Of The Rich Array Of Methodological Tools Available Today, Giving Particular Attention To Real-world Theoretical And Logistical Challenges And How To Overcome Them. In Chapters Filled With Detailed, Practical Examples, Readers Are Shown Step By Step How To Formulate A Suitable Research Design, Select And Use High-quality Measures, And Manage The Complexities Of Data Analysis And Interpretation. Coverage Ranges From Classic Methods Like Self-report Inventories And Observational Procedures To Such Recent Innovations As Neuroimaging And Genetic Analyses.

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reviewer:christopher J. Graver, Phd(madigan Army Medical Center)
description:personality Psychology Is A Broad And Far-reaching Field In Both Its Topics And Methods For Research. Nevertheless, There Is No Single Book That Brings Together These Methods In An Instructive Manner. This Book Is Designed To Do Just That.
purpose:the Intent Of The Authors Was To Provide A Compendium Of Research Methodologies In Personality Psychology. Their Aim Was To Create A Book That Could Serve As A Step-by-step Guide In Developing, Conducting, And Analyzing Personality Psychology Research.
audience:the Target Audience Is Quite Obviously Personality Psychologists. Other Psychologists May Find Some Of These Methods Useful, And Certainly There Will At Least Be A Chapter Or Two Of Interest To Researchers In Other Fields Such As Education And Sociology. The Contributors Are Immersed In Personality Research And Bring A Ground-level Perspective To The Topic.
features:the Amount Of Useful Information In This Book Is Apparent From The First Chapter. Not Only Are The Chapters Well Organized, But There Are Abundant Graphs, Charts, And Illustrations To Summarize The Data. Examples Of Methodological Designs Are Found Throughout The Book, And These Are Wide-ranging From Mining Archival Data To Using The Internet For Research, From Cross-cultural Personality Research To Studies With Animals. The Latter Chapters Even Cover Issues That Involve Statistics And Psychometrics. The Authors' Suggestions Are Practical And Helpful (e.g., Choosing Sem Software, Creating Html Code For Internet Surveys, And Limiting Attrition In Longitudinal Studies) And When Space Allows For Only A Brief Comment On A Topic, They Provide Additional Resources For Readers To Reference (e.g., A Brief Introduction To The Complexities Of Measuring Cortisol Is Provided, But Refers The Reader To A Web Site With Detailed Instructions). Unfortunately, A Few Chapters Are Rather Limited And The Neuroimaging Chapter Is The Most Prominent Example. It Covers Only Fmri And Eeg/erp And Does Not Offer Practical Suggestions For Actually Conducting Studies In These Modalities As It Does For Other Modalities.
assessment:this Is An Exceptional Addition To The Field. Researches And Students Will Find Answers To Almost Any Personality Research Question Whether It Involves Methodology, Measurement Techniques, Or Statistical Analyses. The Suggestions Are Immensely Useful And, If Followed, Can Clearly Lead To Well Designed Studies For Both Personality Researchers And Researchers In Related Fields.