Editors' introduction: Contemporary perspectives on the psychology of individual differences.

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions In summary, the psychology of individual differences has a rich history extending back throughout the 20 th century. The creation of intelligence tests demonstrated that this illusive construct could be operationally defined and measured, but also that the results could be effectively and usefully applied in such diverse settings as schools, mental health settings, and the military. This gave the needed impetus to the systematic study of of individual differences that is so conspicuous in current research and applied psychology. Clearly, the psychological study of individual differences has made a major contribution towards our understanding of human kind. The broad individual differences' areas of intelligence, personality, motivation, and emotions (i.e., cognition, affection and conation) can be seen in their contributions not only to clinical psychological practice, but also to psychological health and well-being, more generally. The advantage that psychology brings to the study of individual differences is the application of a scientific methodology. It is the very methods of science that allows the generation of hypotheses, their testing, and the determination of whether the ideas and resulting findings are either more or less useful or useless in explaining, predicting and even changing behaviour.

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