Personality Devel/Psychopath:

by Norman Cameron and Joseph F. Rychlak

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395343879
• ISBN13: 9780395343876
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 747 Pages
• Weight: 2.54 lbs.

Customer Reviews

the freudian view of man and madness

This is a freudian interpretation of psychopathology - thorough and careful, very well organised (each chapter has a summary of its contents) and presented in a clearly readable way. It's suitable for anyone without much or any background in neither psychoanalysis or psychiatry (indeed, its a excellent place to start learning about both), but serves as much more than a simple introduction, as its lenght also suggests (700+ pages). It's authors relate their psycho-dynamic approach well with the philosophical problems underlying much of the controversies in the mental health field, and though in general remaining true to the strictly freudian way of conceptualizing development and pathology - through the Oedipal complex, fixation points, regression and resolution etc. - they apply these notions with a critical sense and present cautions and elaborations whenever considere it necessary, either by the promtings of philosophy of science (the energy mataphors of libido) or the works of later psychoanalysts. Thus, they begin with a consideration of the mechanistic and teleological aspects both present in Freud's work, and take the latter as the keystone to the presentation of his whole body of conceptions. Which is not to say that the book ignores or overrides the biological side to the picture - quite on the contrary. It's always overtly acknowledged, and at times woven (e.g. the "catecholamine hypothesis", relation of blood-groups to schizophrenia, behavioristic therapies...) into the main line of teleological argumentation, reflecting the flexible and tolerant outlook of its authors, termed biosocial. I found it very informative and interesting both in a professional "strict" sort of way, with its exemplyfing discussions of the (sometimes pages-long) wealth of case histories, but also a pleasure to read due to its cultural and personal "digressions" into the life histories of Freud and his associates, when beneficial to the general discussion of his theories. Can't think of any drawbacks for the moment (of course due to my own lack of expertise and experience in the fields, also). Make sure to get the 1985 edition, which is updated to consider (not always meet, sometimes polemize, but always note) the criteria of DSM III, and co-authored with J.F. Rychlak, the student of N. Cameron, to considerably revise and expand the original work.

don't leave home without reading it

This is a very good book! It explains the development of a person's personality since infancy. The pathologies that could result from a very dysfunctional upbringing is likewise presented in clear and simple terms that makes it easy to understand. I strongly recommend this book, not only for the students of psychiatry but for anyone who wants to understand what makes up his/her personality!