Introductory Materials on Personality
Here are some great resources to get your toes wet in the
field of personality research:
Quick clear medical metaphor for conceptualizing an Axis II Personality Disorder, from Theodore Millon.
An Online Course in Theories of Personality
This is an excellent resource, clear and very accessible to the general reader.
by Dr. C. George Boeree of Shippensburg University
The Personality Project at Northwestern
UniversityExcellent compilation of references to all the latest research in Personality Psychology research.
No matter what your take, you'll find it represented here, from circumplex models to evolution to Freud.
For a somewhat less daunting review, check out Scott Acton's
Great Ideas in PersonalityMy Genes Made Me Do It: The Three Faces of
Human Psychologyby Joseph Santoro
Psycheducation.orgExcellent, excellent site on the biology of mental health. Dr. Phelps treats Bipolars, Borderlines, and Schizophrenics, and really knows his brain chemistry.
How does Prozac work? Just what is a seratonin receptor, and why does it need to be inhibited? What do hormones have to do with mood? Is there such a thing as the "primitive brain"?
→ Don't forget to take the exceedingly cool illustrated brain tours while you're there!
Delving in a Bit More: The Theorists & Their Schools
Stages of Social-Emotional Development in Children and Teenagers
A great overview of Erik Erikson's model of how human personality develops in stages.
Another good Erikson overview
Jean Piaget on the Cognitive Development of Children
Personality TypesVery good and thorough site that offers an introduction to David Keirsey's reconfiguration of the Myers-Briggs typology, as well as numerous summaries of other models (Millon, etc), links and resources.
Alfred Adler's Thinking on Personality DevelopmentGreat straightforward introduction to Adlerian theory.
An Analysis of Carl Rogers' Theory of
PersonalityFabulous, clear overview of this important field of thought, by Dagmar Pescitelli
Correspondence of Five Personality Typologies
Interesting chart of the correspondences between 5 different models of personality. Includes Kiersey, Personality Disorders, and Astrological types.
Self-infliction, social adaptation or biological
destiny? Models of psychopathology and their relationship to
stigmatizationby Michael Gelder
Excellent overview of the 6 major models of the etiology of mental disorders.
Psychoanalytic Formulations of Personality Development and Psychopathology
(Scroll down just a bit for the relevant sections of the article)
If you're a hard-core Freudian, or just want to know how traditional psychoanalytic theorists explain personality disorders, this interesting article is for you. From a seminar sponsored by Psychoanalysis.net, 1998.
The New Schizophrenia
by Alvin Pam, 1994
"Culture is a major determinant of personality and mental health. [...] I start with the general social-systems premise that psychiatric symptoms may not only be a reaction to the environment, but also an implicit, non-verbal, and veiled criticism of the environment. Thus, such symptoms may be used as an index to family and social stresses, as well as to culture-induced conflicts around forbidden impulses."
Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Mechanism and the Unification Model for Mental Illness
A very intriguing study by Clancy D. McKenzie, M.D, 1998
The Etiology of Mental Illness
From the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health
An excellent general overview of how researchers are conceptualizing and researching mental illness today.
Self-Control: Theory and Research
Interesting review by Joseph M. Jr. Strayhorn, Jan, 2002
An Evolutionary Theory of Personality
by Theodore Millon, M.D., the creator of the MCMI Axis I and II assessment instrumentation.
To learn more than you ever wanted to know about the MCMI and psychological assessment, visit Millon's site
The Heritability of a Trait
Great overview of how researchers approach questions of the genetic heritability of behavioral traits.
Genetics and Mental Disorders
An excellent 1997 report on inheritability, etc., by the NIMH Genetics researchers.
Behavior Online for mental health professionals and theorists
Lots of different message boards with well-attended discussions; of primary interest to academics looking for research on various theoretical models.
The New Psychiatry; How Genes and Neurotransmitters Shape Your Mind, Personality, and Mental Health
Great book by Larry Siever, William Frucht, 1997
Relatives at Risk for Mental Disorder (American Psychopathological Series)
A 1988 book on this issue by David L. Dunner, Elliot S. Gershon, James E. Barrett
This Page Last Updated: October 06, 2002
Helen's World of BPD Resources