Animal Personality Meets Personality Psychology

Basic data for this project

Description

Personality is a fundamental characteristic of both humans and animals. Differences in personality define individuality, shape life courses, and affect well-being, performance as well as social relationships. The Topical Programme ‘Animal Personality Meets Personality Psychology’ integrates animal personality research with human personality psychology. This innovative cross-species approach facilitates a unified understanding of personality and the development of new methodologies for assessing and analysing personality. It tackles key questions about the nature of personality, including its genetic and environmental underpinnings, its development throughout the lifetime, and its impact on behaviour and life outcomes. The interdisciplinary research within this Topical Programme also has far-reaching implications for various applied fields, such as education, psychotherapy, and conservation. By promoting a firm understanding of personality and its role in shaping individual differences in behaviour, this programme provides the foundation for evidence-based, tailored approaches to improving educational strategies, mental health treatments, and animal welfare, for instance.