Descriptive Psychology and the Person Concept: Essential Attributes of Persons and Behavior

Descriptive Psychology and The Person Concept: Essential Attributes of Persons and Behavior outlines a foundation to better understanding the language of psychology and the social sciences. It introduces people to Peter Ossorio’s "person concept", arming readers with the knowledge needed to engage in a pre-empirical analysis of the essential attributes of persons and behavior. Providing in-depth explications of complex issues such as empathy, emotional behavior, action, and more, the book aims to organize and connect the range of theoretical orientations and perspectives within all fields of psychology and the other social sciences. Real-world examples of these theories are provided throughout for more concrete understanding and clinical application.

Defines common terms in psychologyAllows the field to better articulate and measure empirical findingsClarifies how conflicting theories may both be trueExplores concepts of personhood, behavior, action, intention, and learningApplies this shared lexicon to positive psychology, behavioral economics, and moreCovers status dynamic concepts like therapeutic policies, negotiation, and degradation

1. What is Descriptive Psychology and The Person Concept? 2. Individual Persons, Personhood, and the Problem of Definition 3. Behavior as Intentional Action 4. The Judgment Diagram, Some Categories of Cognizance, and the Unconscious 5. Relationships, the Relationship Formula, and Emotional Competence 6. Verbal Behavior, Language, and Linguistic Self-Regulation 7. Community and Culture 8. Reality and the Worlds 9. Empathy in Practice: A Demonstration of Some Person Concepts

Afterword and Summary: Satisfaction and the Construction of Worlds or, At the End of the Day, How Does It Feel? Appendix One: Ossorio's Status Dynamic Maxims, Behavioral Logic, and Reminders for Proper Description (Place, 1998) Appendix Two: A Glossary of Descriptive Psychology Concepts Compiled by Clarke Stone