Saturday, December 25, 2004

my life in prose

A great thing about reading a lot of academic psychology is that you occasionally get to read sentences that provide a dyspiphanic insight into one's own past, present, and continuing-impending doom. To whit, from McCrae and Costa's Personality in Adulthood, 2nd edition:
"It is perhaps not surprising that individuals high in Neuroticism, whose authentic nature is to be miserable, keep trying new self-definitions, like an insomniac who cannot find a comfortable position in bed." (p. 229)
or, for that matter:
"Personal projects are also intriguing because the dimensions on which they are rated can be related to dimensions of personality. Little et al. (1992) reported that highly conscientious people feel their projects are progressing well, [people highly open to experience] believe their projects are particularly meaningful, and that those high in Neuroticism find their projects stressful." (p. 221)
(originally guest-posted to Pub Sociology)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"dyspiphanic insight"? I've never seen the word "dyspiphanic" before, but I think I'm having a dyspiphany in realizing that there's a word for that experience. Thanks a lot!