The concert of personality: Explaining personality functioning and coherence by personality systems interactions

Abstract

Several psychological approaches concern explaining the dynamic psychological processes and mechanisms that render personality a coherent whole, a “well-sounding concert.” Building upon personality systems interactions (PSI) theory, which explains personality functioning on the basis of interactions among cognitive and affective-motivational personality systems, we demonstrate how diverse perspectives on personality coherence may functionally be integrated. To do so, we describe interactions among four cognitive personality systems considered to underlie and optimize two meta principles of personality functioning—self-growth (in terms of the integration of adverse experiences) and action control (in terms of goal pursuit). These meta principles establish different subtypes of personality coherence differentially focused by psychological perspectives. We highlight the interdisciplinary relevance and practical application of the present approach and conclude with implications for future research.

Personality coherence: Advances in theory, assessment, and research

“…In two novel models presented in this special issue, personality coherence is seen as a complex phenomenon (-a) emerging from the dynamic interactions of a person’s internal properties (Quirin & Kuhl, 2022) or the integration of a person’s internal properties and environmental characteristics (Kandler & Rauthmann, 2022). More precisely, Quirin and Kuhl (2022), building upon the Personality Systems Interactions theory (cf.…”

“…In two novel models presented in this special issue, personality coherence is seen as a complex phenomenon (-a) emerging from the dynamic interactions of a person’s internal properties (Quirin & Kuhl, 2022) or the integration of a person’s internal properties and environmental characteristics (Kandler & Rauthmann, 2022). More precisely, Quirin and Kuhl (2022), building upon the Personality Systems Interactions theory (cf. Kuhl, 2000; Kuhl & Baumann, 2021; Kuhl et al, 2021), define personality coherence as the degree to which psychological elements (single mental contents or entire systems) work together to establish adaptive personality functioning.…”

“…The first three paths concern cross-situational coherence in experience and action across psychologically “equivalent” situations for the individual. Like Quirin and Kuhl’s (2022) approach, here the concept of “personality coherence” relates to a set of distinct, yet interrelated phenomena. The presentation of these five paths/aspects of personality coherence extends the KAPA model in novel directions.…”

“…Focusing on the relationship between personality coherence and integration, Quirin and Kuhl (2022) see intergation as a general, organizing (meta)mechanism (see also Fajkowska, 2013; 2022) serving the self to reach coherence. According to these authors, integration is the creation of broad (many) and strong memory connections with the integrative self (i.e., with aspects already integrated with the self).…”

“…Accordingly, to advance the field of personality coherence, this special issue of the European Journal of Personality was designed to call for new approaches to the understanding and assessment of personality coherence. Seven papers have been brought together as a result: three theoretical (Cervone, 2022; Qurin & Kuhl, 2022; Kandler & Rauthmann, 2022) and four empirical (Beck & Jackson, 2022; FournierDong et al, 2022; McKenna et al, 2022; Scott et al, 2022). Although these papers are devoted to portraying novel or expanded existing conceptual and methodological approaches to personality coherence, they also share a historic commitment to studying this phenomenon.…”