Full Description
A comprehensive and practical guide on conducting rigorous, ethical, and impactful psychobiographical research.
Psychobiography is the intensive psychological study of an individual within their unique socio‑cultural‑historic context. This engaging and exciting approach challenges researchers to apply psychological theories and knowledge of history to understand the inner emotional life of a particular person, usually a prominent historical figure.
This handbook leads readers step-by-step through all aspects of planning and conducting a psychobiography. Readers will learn how to select an appropriate historical subject for research, anchor their study in established theories of psychology, collect and analyze data, monitor ethical considerations, and write the final report. Chapters are richly illustrated with examples from the author amp rsquo s own work, as well as early psychobiographical landmarks, such as Freud's study of Leonardo da Vinci and Erikson amp rsquo s study of Mahatma Gandhi.
With its personal tone and wisdom borne from experience, this book will be a trusty resource for all psychobiographers, from students writing a psychobiography for a course to seasoned researchers writing a book‑length psychobiography for publication.
Contents
Introduction: The Evolving Journey of Psychobiography
Part I. Historical, Methodological, and Ethical Foundations for Psychobiography
Chapter . Defining the Field of Psychobiography
Chapter 2. Historical Perspectives in Psychobiography
Chapter 3. Current Status and Emerging Trends in Psychobiography
Chapter 4. Research Paradigms and Inquiry Approaches
Chapter 5. The Psychobiographer's amp quot Relationship amp quot and Positionality to the Historic Subject
Chapter . The Psychobiographical Subject in Socio-Cultural-Historic Context
Chapter 7. Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychobiography
Chapter 8. Ethical Best Practices: A Checklist and Decision-Making Model
Part II. Conducting Psychobiography: Nuts and Bolts
Chapter 9. Overview of the Process and Steps of Psychobiographical Research
Chapter . Selecting a Subject, Deciding Whether to Work With a Team, and Establishing Initial Research Goals
Chapter . Choosing and Using a Psychological Theory to Guide Your Analysis
Chapter 2. Engaging the Research: Locating, Evaluating, and Integrating Data on Your Subject
Chapter 3. Writing and Disseminating the Psychobiographical Report
Chapter 4. Psychobiographer Self-Care
Epilogue: Top Characteristics of a Strong Psychobiography
References
Appendix A. Initial Content Validity of the Psychobiographer's Competency Self-Assessment Scale
Appendix B. Sample Definitions of Psychobiography
Appendix C. Sample Institutional Review Board Psychobiography Study Proposal
Appendix D. Encountering Erik Erikson: Reflections of Alan C. Elms, William McKinley Runyan, and James W. Anderson
Appendix E. Sample Psychobiography Course Syllabus
