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Continuity of Personality

A Genetic Perspective

  • Chapter
Continuities and Discontinuities in Development

Part of the book series: Topics in Developmental Psychobiology ((TDP))

Abstract

There exists a largely unrecognized correspondence between two alter-native views of the nature of longitudinal continuity of behavior and the dual nature of the discipline of genetics. The significance of this corre-spondence lies in its heuristic value for conceptualizing the genetic basis of behavioral continuity and change. The two alternative perspectives on longitudinal continuity are probably apparent in contributions to this volume as well as earlier conceptualizations (e.g., Emde, 1978; Kagan, 1971, 1980; Lewis & Starr, 1979; McCall, 1977; Overton & Reese, 1981; Riegel, 1976; Wohlwill, 1973). At the risk of oversimplifying these contri-butions, two major themes of continuity can be discerned: (1) linear stability, in the sense of maintenance of rank order of interindividual or intraindividual differences in the same, related, or derivative behavioral dimensions; and (2) functional continuity at the level of behavioral systems, including continuity of goals of behavior across periods of reorga-nization. The latter view of continuity, rapidly gaining adherents because it offers explanations for change and emergent behavior as well as con-stancy, will be referred to as the organizational continuity perspective.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA

    H. H. Goldsmith

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  1. H. H. Goldsmith
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Robert N. Emde  & Robert J. Harmon  & 

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© 1984 Plenum Press, New York

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Goldsmith, H.H. (1984). Continuity of Personality. In: Emde, R.N., Harmon, R.J. (eds) Continuities and Discontinuities in Development. Topics in Developmental Psychobiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2725-7_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2725-7_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9690-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2725-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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