Module: Personality Psychology

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Personality Psychology
Module Code	PSY1014 (ITS: PSYC111)
Faculty	Psychology	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

To Promote a broad and critical understanding of the ways in which personality and individual differences influence various aspects of human behaviour. To make explicit the problems and issues surrounding the measurement of personality and individual differences. To promote a broad understanding of the application of a range of psychometric tests and the theoretical underpinnings of such tests in both normal and clinical populations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the main theories and research findings in personality psychology
2. Evaluate approaches to studying and assessing personality
3. Critically assess the usefulness of the concepts of personality and individual differences in accounting for human behaviour
4. Understand the application of a range of psychometric tests and the theoretical underpinnings of such tests both in normal and abnormal populations

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Tutorial	4	No Description
Independent Study	52	No Description
Assignment Completion	45	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20962	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Lisa Fitzgerald	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	Major essay 2500 words	40%	As required
Portfolio	individual eportfolio based on main theories and research findings in personality psychology	40%	As required
In Class Test	Series of short answer and MCQ questions.	20%	As required

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Defining Personality

Abnormal and normal personality

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theories

Trait Theories

Behaviourist and Social Learning Theories

Phenomenological approaches

Cognitive approaches

Biological approach

Evolutionary approach

Intelligence

Psychological testing: measurement issues

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Cervone,D., & Pervin, L.A: 2022, Personality: Theory and Research, 15th Edition, 15th edition, Wiley, 9781119891
Randy J. Larsen,David M. Buss: 2021, Personality Psychology, McGraw Hill, 1260254127
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: 2016, Personality and Individual Differences, 3rd, BPS Blackwell, 456, 978-1405199278
Burger, J.M., & Reevy, G.M.: 2022, Personality 11TH EDITION, sage, 9781071857281
Friedman, H.S., & Schustack, M.W.: 2022, Perspectives on Personality: Classic Theories and Modern Research, 6th edition, Pearson,
David Funder: 2019, The Personality Puzzle, 8th, Norton UK, 9780393441208

Articles:

0: Personality and Individual differences, 63970, 1
International Journal of Testing: 63971, 1,
63972: 1, 0, Human Factors,
1: 0, Human Performance,

Other Resources

None