Psychology of Personality

Six Modern Approaches. Edited by J. L. McCary, Ph.D. (New York: Logos Press, 1956. Pp. 383. $6.75.)

The Character of Man. By Emmanuel Mounier. Translated into English by Cynthia Rowland. (London: Rockliffe, 1956. Pp. 341. 42s.)

The concept of personality has in recent years been the most fertile meeting ground for all those concerned with normal and abnormal behaviour. In the book six well known authors have outlined the contributions of their approaches to the knowledge of personality. Leopold Bellak presents the psycho-analytical concepts and makes interesting suggestions for research. Cattell expounds his 'trait psychology' which uses the methods of factorial analysis. George S. Klein's article is concerned with the interplay between perception and motivation within the functions of the personality. Margaret Mead introduces her cross-cultural approach which helps in differentiating biological from cultural sources of manifest human behaviour. Nevitt Sanford enlarges on his concept of authoritarianism, while David C. McClelland attempts to arrive at an integration of the various researches contributing to knowledge of motivation. This volume is an excellent source book for the student of human behaviour.

While in the classical psycho-analytical literature the term 'character' meant 'personality', it has more recently been used for the moral aspects of human behaviour. This is its meaning in Mounier's book, which is an abridged translation of a voluminous collection of treatises by the late psychologist-philosopher. Being an abstract it does not lend itself to a brief review. The author expounds a moral philosophy based on Christian ethics. His descriptions of human behaviour are full of sensitive observations, as is to be expected of a French scholar. He leans on Janet, but is appreciative of the contributions of psycho-analysis and other approaches to the study of personality.