This handbook contains all the information necessary for the study of personality. It examines in depth the theorists who represent the psychoanalytic approach, the neo-psychoanalytic approach, the life-span development approach, genetics, the humanistic approach, the cognitive approach, the behavioral approach, and the social learning approach, as well as contemporary clinical and experimental work. The focus on each personality theorist separately facilitates the understanding of the basic concepts and the overall spirit of their theory. The related biographical material shows how the development of their views may have been influenced by events in their personal and professional life.

The book also describes the most significant ideas, hypotheses, definitions, and methods of each theorist, analyzes the evaluation methods of their approach, and presents judgments and thoughts regarding their work. The reference to the influences of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and child-rearing practices connected to each theory contributes to a more comprehensive examination of it.

Each chapter is enriched with concise contents, summaries, key points of research, review questions, suggestions for further study, definitions of key concepts, tables and diagrams, bibliographic references, and links to related websites. Finally, the review of all perspectives that describe personality development, as well as important suggestions for the future, makes this handbook valuable for readers who want to acquire knowledge and deepen their study in such an important and dynamic field of psychological science.