Personality Library
Scientific personality dimensions, attachment patterns, communication styles and descriptive behavioural profiles — presented so you always know which is which.
A descriptive interpersonal pattern — not a clinical type — in which a person habitually prioritises others' approval and comfort over their own needs. What people mean by it, the research constructs nearby, what it costs, what it protects, and what helps.
A research-based attachment pattern — not a diagnosis — marked by heightened sensitivity to a partner's availability, strong need for reassurance and intense reactions to distance. What it is, where it comes from, how it shows up and what genuinely helps.
Perfectionism is one of the best-researched personality dimensions — and one of the most misunderstood. The research separates high standards (which can be fine) from the fear of falling short (which carries most of the cost). What perfectionism is, where it comes from, how it shapes relationships, what it protects and what genuinely helps.
Narcissism is a personality dimension with two very different faces — grandiose and vulnerable — that the research has only recently pulled apart. Neither is a diagnosis. This profile sets out what the trait is, how each expression shows up in relationships, what it costs the people around it, and how to think about someone you suspect of it without diagnosing them.
A behavioural pattern — not a personality type — in which one partner uses isolation, monitoring, intimidation, degradation and regulation of everyday life to dominate the other. Called coercive control in the research, and a criminal offence in England and Wales. What the pattern looks like, what the research shows, why it is not 'just a difficult personality', and where to get help.
A research-based attachment pattern — not a diagnosis — marked by discomfort with closeness and dependence, a strong preference for self-reliance, and a tendency to create distance under emotional pressure. What it is, where it comes from, how it shows up, what it protects and what genuinely helps.
'Highly sensitive person' began as a research construct — sensory processing sensitivity — and became a popular identity. The research supports a real trait: deeper processing, stronger reactions to stimulation, and heightened responsiveness to both good and bad environments. It does not support the idea of a rare, fragile minority. What the trait is, what it is not, and how it shapes relationships.
A descriptive conflict style — not a clinical type — in which a person habitually sidesteps, postpones or withdraws from disagreement, keeping the peace at the cost of unresolved problems. What people mean by it, the research constructs nearby, what it costs, what it protects and what helps.
Descriptive behavioural profiles describe recurring patterns, not fixed identities. Nobody fits one profile all the time, and observing a pattern does not establish why it occurs.