Book Review: Understanding the Self

Understanding the Self is a core course-book for the Open University's Social Psychology course. As such, while very much an introductory text aimed at the undergraduate student and hence, very general in its scope and limited in the space it can provide for any particular issue, debate or approach, it nevertheless succeeds exceedingly well in highlighting key concerns regarding the notion of 'the self' and presenting their (often highly competing) perspectives in a fair and engaging style.

Following an introductory chapter that sets the scene for subsequent chapters, the text then presents a lively and informative exploration of five principal perspectives: the biological, the experientialist, the experiential, the social constructivist and the psychodynamic. The final chapter attempts (none too convincingly in my view) to 'draw together' several elements from each of these perspectives.

I suspect that readers of this Journal will be most interested in the last three perspectives under discussion. Interestingly, existential contributions are dealt with most fully in the discussion of the experiential perspective, while more obvious phenomenological arguments play key roles throughout the social constructivist chapter.

As might be expected from an introductory book of this sort, some of the statements made regarding both existential and phenomenological contributions reveal either limited or inaccurate understanding. Still, there have been far worse incorrect statements made in any number of recent texts and, to be fair, what each of us might find irritating is usually more than matched by worthwhile information that is typically presented in an easy, and easily-understandable style. The psychodynamic chapter is, unfortunately, something of a 'rag-bag' of ideas that seeks to introduce readers to some features of Freud, Klein and Jung's work (among other representative authors). Unfortunately, it is so difficult to separate specific aspects of such authors' theories from their 'whole accounts' without making them seem somewhat absurd (or, alternatively, somewhat more absurd than they already are) that a number of the relevant points being addressed will likely only attract the critical attention of those who already possess an adequate knowledge of the models under discussion.

So, while I have some difficulties with this text as a whole it seems to me that it encapsulates one of those instances where various of its 'parts' really do add up to more of worth than the sum total of the book. For those wishing to gain an initial idea of what makes the study of 'self' so fascinating and exasperating, this book will certainly succeed in providing you with a challenging précis of the territory. Equally, those wishing to learn more about any one of the perspectives under discussion will find a valuable initial stimulus that may entice you enough to further your quest elsewhere.

Literary quotes are scattered throughout the text as are various pictures and images (some relevant, some less so). They succeed in making the book attractive in an 'American undergraduate textbook' sort of way. Depending upon how you feel about that, it will make this interesting book more or less enticing to you.

Ernesto Spinelli