The Nature and Tasks of a Personalist Psychology

by James M. DuBois

The Nature and Tasks of a Personalist Psychology explores the findings and tenets of personalist psychology. This collection of essays offers philosophies of the human person, of science, and of psychological practice. Pursuing a dialogue between philosophers and psychologists, this collection confronts a broad range of issues, including religious ones, which are often held as taboo for psychologists. Section One, Systematic Contributions, contains chapters addressing the issue of whether humans are intrinsically good or bad, tracing the concept of person back to its Trinitarian roots, and arguing that human beings mature as persons only in relation to parents and friends. Section Two, Critical Studies, contains chapters which discuss the superego or authoritarian conscience, explore how the role of theory affects the lives of real human beings, and analyze Alfred Adler's insights into the human condition. The chapters in Section Three, Introduction to Systems, introduce the reader to a number of general characteristics to certain psychological or anthropological theories, allowing the reader to see different ways in which a personalist psychology might become manifest. This volume provides a foundation for personalist psychology. Co-published with the Institute for Personalist Psychology. Contributors: Annemarie Buchholz-Kaiser, William R. Coulson, John F. Crosby, James M. DuBois, Keith A. Houde, Josef Seifert, Philip M. Sutton, Fr. Adrian van Kaam, Paul C. Vitz.

200 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995