Understanding the Self

A stimulating textbook, Understanding the Self introduces a broad range of theoretical perspectives that treat the self as a central concern of social psychology and gives students an insight into contemporary debates about the self. The opening chapter draws out the key features of "being a person" and introduces the idea of a multiple-perspective approach. Subsequent chapters clearly explain biological, cognitive-experimental, experiential (including humanistic, phenomenological, and existential), social constructionist, and psychodynamic approaches. After thorough and thought-provoking discussion, the book concludes with an examination of the dilemmas of self and identity in modern society. Understanding the Self is the perfect overview of theoretical perspectives for use in undergraduate as well as introductory graduate courses in social psychology as well as sociology.