What is it about human brains that make some people more capable than others? In an authoritative and critical account, Professor Ian Dreary reviews historical, cognitive, and biological research on the foundations of human mental ability. Where most previous accounts of intelligence have examined how human mental ability can predict success in education, work, and social life, few books have taken as a starting point mental ability (and individual differences in intelligence), and attempted to see what factors could have influenced, and have even predicted mental ability. This book reveals...

This work captures a lifetime of intelligence, from childhood to about age 80, and also explores general matters of intelligence. The book offers information related to IQ and its effects on cognitive aging and physical longevity.

Now in its third edition, this dynamic textbook analyses the traits fundamental to human personality: what they are, why they matter, their biological and social foundations, how they play out in human life and their consequences for cognition, stress and physical and mental health. The text also considers the applications of personality assessment in clinical, educational and occupational settings, providing the reader with a detailed understanding of the whole field of personality traits. This edition, now with improved student features, includes the latest research from behavioural...

Differences between people are a fascinating and long-standing area of psychological inquiry. However, previous research has largely been confined to studies at the descriptive level. This book tries to explain individual difference, rather than merely describe them. Explanations are derived from two major competing frameworks: the biological and social approaches to individuality. The book is based on the contributions of specialists from Europe and North America invited to represent the biological and social points of view. Thus, a direct confrontation is obtained of two approaches that,...