Kharlamenkova N.E. Psychology of Personality: from Theory to Scientific Evidence. M.: Publishing House “Institute of Psychology RAS”, 2023
Abstract
Abstract
Monograph N.E. Kharlamenkova is aimed at educating a research culture. It is emphasized that the scientific fact should be interpreted at different levels of generalization. Otherwise, empirical knowledge runs the risk of remaining fragmented and useless. The book has many merits, among which there is a discussion of the problems of norm and pathology, nomothetic and idiographic methods in personality psychology. The monograph is distinguished by a very balanced vision of how scientific research should be conceived, carried out and understood.
Discussion
Modern science is characterized by a high level of differentiation, which is reflected in both research practices and training programs for psychologists. As a result, we often must deal either with extremely detailed research without understanding its value for science or practice, or with “narrow” specialists who turn out to be incompetent in a related field of knowledge. There is a lack of understanding of each scientific fact interpreted at different levels of generalization, leaving empirical knowledge at risk of remaining fragmentary and useless.
To understand and accurately interpret a scientific fact, the logic of its generation must be reproduced over time from its conception to its realization, and then interpreted in the context of the other facts. Such precise process requires a wider outlook and scale of thinking of the cognitive subject. We believe that the book reviewed is designed to develop a research culture.
N.E. Kharlamenkova, being one of highly qualified researchers in a rapidly developing field that might be called “psychology of personality under stress”, possesses a balanced outlook on the way scientific research should be conceptualized, conducted, and interpreted. Therefore, her expertise may be useful to researchers and practitioners.
The book consists of six chapters and more than 400 pages. Despite the overwhelming number of foreign references, N.E. Kharlamenkova prioritizes the Russian methodology, and she focuses on the views of the leading scientists of the past such as K.K. Platonov, L.I. Antsyferova, and K.A. Abulkhanova. There are many advantages of the book, such as discussion of the nomothetic/idiographic relationship in personality psychology, the history of the scientific school of personality psychology developed at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and discussion of the topic of scientific fact in psychology, which has not been common practice in Russia. The paper analyzes current studies carried out by N.E. Kharlamenkova herself or under her supervision: coping with life-threatening disease, children’s and parents’ relationship in adolescence, emotional violence, the role of social support in coping with difficult situations related to the disease. The complex and at times sensitive issues of normality and pathology in personality psychology are discussed with new data. The final chapter and the conclusion raise new questions and open up prospects for future research in personality psychology.
The book, which is written as a scientific monograph, can be recommended to a wide range of intellectually active people such as researchers, students of different levels of education, people mastering the psychology as a second career, as well as to readers who are interested in psychology.
Conclusions
Acknowledgment:
The author thanks the assistant editor N.E. Volkova for translating the manuscript.
CRediT author statement:
The author has read and approved the final version and bear responsibility for all aspects of the publication.
References
- Kharlamenkova, N.E. (2023). Psychology of personality: from methodology to scientific fact. Moscow: Publishing house “Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences” [Kharlamenkova N.Ye. Psikhologiya lichnosti: ot metodologii k nauchnomu faktu. Moskva: Izd-vo «Institut psikhologii RAN», 2023].
Comments (0)
Monograph N.E. Kharlamenkova is aimed at educating a research culture. It is emphasized that the scientific fact should be interpreted at different levels of generalization. Otherwise, empirical knowledge runs the risk of remaining fragmented and useless. The book has many merits, among which there is a discussion of the problems of norm and pathology, nomothetic and idiographic methods in personality psychology. The monograph is distinguished by a very balanced vision of how scientific research should be conceived, carried out and understood.
Modern science is characterized by a high level of differentiation, which is reflected in both research practices and training programs for psychologists. As a result, we often must deal either with extremely detailed research without understanding its value for science or practice, or with “narrow” specialists who turn out to be incompetent in a related field of knowledge. There is a lack of understanding of each scientific fact interpreted at different levels of generalization, leaving empirical knowledge at risk of remaining fragmentary and useless.
To understand and accurately interpret a scientific fact, the logic of its generation must be reproduced over time from its conception to its realization, and then interpreted in the context of the other facts. Such precise process requires a wider outlook and scale of thinking of the cognitive subject. We believe that the book reviewed is designed to develop a research culture.
N.E. Kharlamenkova, being one of highly qualified researchers in a rapidly developing field that might be called “psychology of personality under stress”, possesses a balanced outlook on the way scientific research should be conceptualized, conducted, and interpreted. Therefore, her expertise may be useful to researchers and practitioners.
The book consists of six chapters and more than 400 pages. Despite the overwhelming number of foreign references, N.E. Kharlamenkova prioritizes the Russian methodology, and she focuses on the views of the leading scientists of the past such as K.K. Platonov, L.I. Antsyferova, and K.A. Abulkhanova. There are many advantages of the book, such as discussion of the nomothetic/idiographic relationship in personality psychology, the history of the scientific school of personality psychology developed at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and discussion of the topic of scientific fact in psychology, which has not been common practice in Russia. The paper analyzes current studies carried out by N.E. Kharlamenkova herself or under her supervision: coping with life-threatening disease, children’s and parents’ relationship in adolescence, emotional violence, the role of social support in coping with difficult situations related to the disease. The complex and at times sensitive issues of normality and pathology in personality psychology are discussed with new data. The final chapter and the conclusion raise new questions and open up prospects for future research in personality psychology.
The book, which is written as a scientific monograph, can be recommended to a wide range of intellectually active people such as researchers, students of different levels of education, people mastering the psychology as a second career, as well as to readers who are interested in psychology.
Acknowledgment:
The author thanks the assistant editor N.E. Volkova for translating the manuscript.
CRediT author statement:
The author has read and approved the final version and bear responsibility for all aspects of the publication.
- Kharlamenkova, N.E. (2023). Psychology of personality: from methodology to scientific fact. Moscow: Publishing house “Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences” [Kharlamenkova N.Ye. Psikhologiya lichnosti: ot metodologii k nauchnomu faktu. Moskva: Izd-vo «Institut psikhologii RAN», 2023].