Power, Intimacy, and the Life Story: Personological Inquiries Into Identity

by Dan P. McAdams

Book Overview

Who am I? And how do I fit into the world? These are the questions individuals ask themselves to make sense of their lives. Power, Intimacy and the Life Story addresses the human quest for identity. The author reinterprets some of the classic writings in psychology as he shows how each of us constructs a life story in order to meet the identity challenge and create a sense of unity and purpose in our lives.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898625068
• ISBN13: 9780898625066
• Release Date: May 1988
• Publisher: Guilford Publications
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A good starting point should never be the last word!

McAdams, a genius in this remarkable psychological field, presents a clear and interesting perspective on identity. I suggest this book to psychology students, creative writers, and individuals who seek to understand patterns in individual lives. This work is a noteworthy and valid effort, however it is obviously biased toward the male perspective. It is important to note that McAdam's model for narrative development does not fully account for women's unique ways of expressing agency in their life stories. McAdam's book is a good beginning point, but for those studying women in particular, he simply does not embrace women's own expressions of agency WITHIN communion in ways it deserves. Overall,McAdam's presents a strong classroom text and narrative tool as ONE part of a greater puzzle toward learning what the psychological approach of storied lives can offer us.

Advances the methodology of personality trait assessment

Daniel McAdams has focused on personality assessment of the adult, using trait theory to document and describe higher levels of ego development in the normal range of individuals. His writing style is evocative and specific enough to engage the reader, whether a practicing psychologist, an aspiring novelist interested in the portrayal of character development, or an individual who wants to understand interpersonal conflict in daily life. While Power and Intimacy are described as alternative themes or preoccupations, the author actual posits that both drives could be high in the same individual, although that would be rare. It will be interesting to see if subsequent works pursue the portrayal of such individuals, who would be markedly charasmatic