Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpts: Man's interest in character is founded on an intensely practical need. In whatsoever relationship we deal with our fellows, we base our intercourse largely on our understanding of their characters. The trader asks concerning his customer, "Is he honest?" and the teacher asks about the pupil, "Is he earnest?" The friend bases his friendship on his good opinion of his friend; the foe seeks to know the weak points in the hated one's make-up; and the maiden yearning for her lover whispers to, herself, "Is he true?" Upon our success in reading the character of others, upon our understanding of ourselves hangs a good deal of our life's success or failure... CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I: THE ORGANIC BASIS OF CHARACTER II: THE ENVIRONMENTAL BASIS OF CHARACTER III: MEMORY AND HABIT IV: STIMULATION, INHIBITION, ORGANIZING ENERGY, CHOICE AND CONSCIOUSNESS V: HYSTERIA, SUBCONSCIOUSNESS AND FREUDIANISM VI: EMOTION, INSTINCT, INTELLIGENCE AND WILL VII: EXCITEMENT, MONOTONY AND INTEREST VIII: THE SENTIMENTS OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, HATE, PITY AND DUTY, COMPENSATION AND ESCAPE IX: ENERGY RELEASE AND THE EMOTIONS X: COURAGE, RESIGNATION, SUBLIMATION, PATIENCE, THE WISH AND ANHEDONIA XI: THE EVOLUTION OF CHARACTER WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE GROWTH OF PURPOSE AND PERSONALITY XII: THE METHODS OF PURPOSE-WORK CHARACTERS XIII: THE QUALITIES OF THE LEADER AND THE FOLLOWER XIV: SEX CHARACTERS AND DOMESTICITY XV: PLAY, RECREATION, HUMOR AND PLEASURE SEEKING XVI: RELIGIOUS CHARACTERS: DISHARMONY IN CHARACTER XVII: SOME CHARACTER TYPES
