Abstract
This chapter begins with the simplest definition of personality to be found in Sullivan’s writings and lectures. Personality “is the relatively enduring pattern of recurrent interpersonal situations which characterize a human life” (Sullivan, 1953). The organism’s relatively enduring pattern of recurrent interpersonal relations is what, in the main, characterizes a person. In the later years of his professional life, Sullivan got very defensive about the uniqueness of any person. Perhaps he was reacting against an excessive emphasis on individuality. One is dealing with different levels of reality. Hence, it seems wise to ignore this highly technical and controversial topic.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
American Psychiatric Association, Task Force on Nomenclature and Statistics. DSM III—Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd. ed., Washington, D. C., APA, 1980.
Havens, L. L. Approaches to the Mind. Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1973.
Kerenberg, O. The Borderline Condition and Pathological Narcissism. Jason Aronson, New York, 1975.
Nemiah, J. C. Conversion Reaction, in Freeman, A. M., Kaplan, H. L., and Sadock, B. S. Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry III. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 1980.
Nemiah, J. C. Psychoneurotic Disorders, in Nicholi, A. M. ed., The Harvard Guide to Modern Psychiatry. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1975.
Randall, J. H., Jr. Nature and Historical Experience. Columbia University Press, New York, 1958.
Sullivan, H. S. Conceptions of Modern Psychiatry. 2nd ed., W. W. Norton, New York, 1953.
Sullivan, H. S. The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry. W. W. Norton, New York, 1953.
Sullivan, H. S. The Psychiatric Interview. W. W. Norton, New York, 1954.
Sullivan, H. S. Clinical Studies in Psychiatry. W. W. Norton, New York, 1956.
Sullivan, H. S. Personal Psychopathology. W. W. Norton, New York, 1972.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1983 Spectrum Publications, Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mullahy, P., Melinek, M. (1983). Dynamisms of Difficult Mental Disorders. In: Interpersonal Psychiatry. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7292-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7292-9_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-011-7294-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-7292-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive