The Dynamics of Personality Approach (DPA): 20 Tenets for Uncovering the Causal Mechanisms of Personality |
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| Authors: | Markus Quirin Michael D Robinson John F Rauthmann Julius Kuhl Stephen J Read Mattie Tops Colin G DeYoung |
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| Institution: | 1. Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany;2. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA;3. Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany;4. Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany;5. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA;6. Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands;7. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA |
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| Abstract: | Over the last few decades, most personality psychology research has been focused on assessing personality via scores on a few broad traits and investigating how these scores predict various behaviours and outcomes. This approach does not seek to explain the causal mechanisms underlying human personality and thus falls short of explaining the proximal sources of traits as well as the variation of individuals' behaviour over time and across situations. On the basis of the commonalities shared by influential process-oriented personality theories and models, we describe a general dynamics of personality approach (DPA). The DPA relies heavily on theoretical principles applicable to complex adaptive systems that self-regulate via feedback mechanisms, and it parses the sources of personality in terms of various psychological functions relevant in different phases of self-regulation. Thus, we consider personality to be rooted in individual differences in various cognitive, emotional–motivational, and volitional functions, as well as their causal interactions. In this article, we lay out 20 tenets for the DPA that may serve as a guideline for integrative research in personality science. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology |
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| Keywords: | dynamics of personality approach (DPA) systems theory cybernetics within-person variability personality structure personality processes personality functions cybernetic big five theory personality systems interactions theory virtual personalities model computational modelling personality neuroscience / predictive and reactive control systems theory |
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