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Biographical Dictionary of Psychology Provides biographical information and critical analysis of the influences and reception of people who have made a significant contribution to the field of psychology.
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The Brain Book A complete guide to the one organ in the body that makes each of us what we are - unique individuals.
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The Cambridge Handbook of Sociocultural Psychology This book, first published in 2007, is an international overview of the state of our knowledge in sociocultural psychology - as a discipline located at the crossroads between the natural and social sciences and the humanities. Since the 1980s, the field of psychology has encountered the growth of a new discipline - cultural psychology - that has built new connections between psychology, sociology, anthropology, history and semiotics. The handbook integrates contributions of sociocultural specialists from fifteen countries, all tied together by the unifying focus on the role of sign systems in human relations with the environment. It emphasizes theoretical and methodological discussions on the cultural nature of human psychological phenomena, moving on to show how meaning is a natural feature of action and how it eventually produces conventional symbols for communication. Such symbols shape individual experiences and create the conditions for consciousness and the self to emerge; turn social norms into ethics; and set history into motion.
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The Concise Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science Edited by high caliber experts, and contributed to by qualityresearchers and practitioners in psychology and relatedfields. Includes over 500 topical entries Each entry features suggested readings and extensivecross-referencing Accessible to students and general readers Edited by two outstanding scholars and clinicians
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The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Psychology Psychology is a fascinating subject which attracts much interest from both students and the general public. It covers the whole span of human activity from childhood development, to the study of the elusive concept of consciousness to disorders, such as those based around anxiety, mood and eating. The scientific study of psychology also requires an understanding of research methods and conceptual issues. The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Psychology addresses all these issues and more, and is a core reference for any student of psychology. It is authoritative and accessible, and covers the basic curriculum content of a degree course along with more specialised material in areas of widespread interest. This important reference book presents more than 1500 different entries grouped into 8 thematic topic areas, and on a range of levels from brief definitions to more substantial discussions which allow the reader to obtain a fuller grasp of important terms and concepts. For key issues, the explanation is supported with illustrations, tables and photographs, and relevant contemporary references are provided throughout to allow the reader to pursue more widely their particular interests. The book is comprehensively cross-referenced for ease of use.
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Encyclopedia of Consciousness Consciousness has long been a subject of interest in philosophy and religion but only relatively recently has it become subject to scientific investigation. Now, more than ever before, we are beginning to understand this mental state. Developmental psychologists understand when we first develop a sense of self; neuropsychologists see which parts of the brain activate when we think about ourselves and which parts of the brain control that awareness. Cognitive scientists have mapped the circuitry that allows machines to have some form of self awareness, and neuroscientists investigate similar circuitry in the human brain. Research that once was separate inquiries in discreet disciplines is converging. List serves and small conferences focused on consciousness are proliferating. New journals have emerged in this field. A huge number of monographs and edited treatises have recently been published on consciousness, but there is no recognized entry point to the field, no comprehensive summary. This encyclopedia is that reference. Organized alphabetically by topic, coverage encompasses a summary of major research and scientific thought regarding the nature of consciousness, the neural circuitry involved, how the brain, body, and world interact, and our understanding of subjective states. The work includes contributions covering neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence to provide a comprehensive backdrop to recent and ongoing investigations into the nature of conscious experience from a philosophical, psychological, and biological perspective.
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Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology introduces the life, thought and work of some of the most influential figures who have shaped and developed modern psychology. It features accessibly written and fully cross-referenced entries on such figures as: Sigmund Freud, Noam Chomsky, Carl Jung, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Anne Anastasi, Konrad Lorenz, Hans Eysenck and William James. This fascinating and informative guide is an invaluable resource for those studying, working in, or who simply want to find out more about psychology.
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Freud : A Very Short Introduction Anthony Storr offers a lucid and objective look at Freud's major theories, evaluating whether they have stood the test of time, and in the process examines Freud himself in light of his own ideas.'a model exercise in synthesis, and the final essay on the 'appeal' of psychotherapy is especially neat.' -Independent
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Implicit Bias and Philosophy: Metaphysics and Epistemology There is abundant evidence that most people, often in spite of their conscious beliefs, values and attitudes, have implicit biases. "Implicit bias" is a term of art referring to evaluations of social groups that are largely outside conscious awareness or control. These evaluations aretypically thought to involve associations between social groups and concepts or roles like "violent," "lazy," "nurturing," "assertive," "scientist," and so on. Such associations result at least in part from common stereotypes found in contemporary liberal societies about members of these groups. Implicit Bias and Philosophy brings the work of leading philosophers and psychologists together to explore core areas of psychological research on implicit (or unconscious) bias, as well as the ramifications of implicit bias for core areas of philosophy. Volume I: Metaphysics and Epistemology iscomprised of two sections: "The Nature of Implicit Attitudes, Implicit Bias, and Stereotype Threat," and "Skepticism, Social Knowledge, and Rationality." The first section contains chapters examining the relationship between implicit attitudes and "dual process" models of the mind; the role ofaffect in the formation and change of implicit associations; the unity (or disunity) of implicit attitudes; whether implicit biases are mental states at all; and whether performances on stereotype-relevant tasks are automatic and unconscious or intentional and strategic. The second section containschapters examining implicit bias and skepticism; the effects of implicit bias on scientific research; the accessibility of social stereotypes in epistemic environments; the effects of implicit bias on the self-perception of members of stigmatized social groups as rational agents; the role of genderstereotypes in philosophy; and the role of heuristics in biased reasoning. This volume can be read independently of, or in conjunction with, a second volume of essays, Volume II: Moral Responsibility, Structural Injustice, and Ethics, which explores the themes of moral responsibility in implicit bias, structural injustice in society, and strategies for implicit attitudechange.
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Key Ideas in Psychology `This would be an excellent companion to an A-level or first year degree course or indeed anyone with an interest in psychology. The book aims to `tell people what psychology is about' and it does this in an extremely well structured and accessible fashion. It gives a good introduction to severaldifferent elements of the study of psychology and provides further reading for those wishing to gain a deeper understanding. As each chapter can be read alone it is also a useful reference tool to provide explanations of subjects and quick overviews of areas. Each chapter is written in a balanced way and allows the reader room for reflection.'-Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling & Psychotherapy`It is truly very difficult to describe books such as this, which through the use of clear and simple language achieve accessibility for those interested as long as they take account of the scientific style of the psychological terminology so well defined throughout its chapters As if this were not enough, at the end of every chapter the author presents us with a selection of fundamental books so that if we wish we can further our knowledge of each subject.'- European Journal of Psychiatry`This is an excellent book, and for anyone who is not a psychologist but would like to understand the basic concepts within its different fields, is difficult to better, given its size. The text is lucid, readable and provides both a good selection of references and some judiciously chosen further reading. The author consistently introduces the major concepts of each subject, and then goes onto discuss the recent developments in each field. The chapter on Biopsychology not only discusses the biological basis of nerve function but discusses sleep and the mind-body relationship in a cogent and helpful way to those needing a quick basis for further reading. The lack of illustrations anywhere in the text coming in the chapter on statistics. Having said that, the text itself reads in such a way - even the statistics chapter - that these are almost rendered unnecessary. A book like this is difficult to write, because no matter why is selected, someone will complain that there are gaps, but these are understandable. It would have been extremely helpful to have health psychology treated in the same way that the author treats other subjects, but given the plethora of texts on health psychology available these days, it's hardly surprising the author didn't cover this topic, and this is rather a grudging complaint. The publisher is providing a solid and growing range of titles, and the present author himself has authored a number of other texts which are of value to more specialised audiences. This book is ideal for professionals with little or no grounding in psychology, or those new to the subject, who need to know something about the field and its concepts. Excellent as an A Level background text or for other readers wanting to update their knowledge, this book should find a wide readership.'- Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of HealthThis accessible book has a simple aim - to tell people what psychology is about. It presents a review of the key areas of the subject as it is traditionally taught, and provides the reader with an introduction to important concepts and findings within each of these. Armed with the information in this book, the reader should be able at least to make sense of most psychological topics. At the end of each chapter is a set of suggested further readings which will enable a more detailed exploration of the particular topic under discussion to be made.The book will be of interest to two groups of readers. The first comprises people who are new to the subject and simply want to know what psychology is. The second consists of those who want a general guide to an area but who wish to make up their minds on the details for themselves. Hence the basic information and arguments are explained, but details are not elaborated.
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Key Thinkers in Psychology `For anyone that has spent years rowing off into convoluted estuaries, and would like an entertaining and useful chart to remind them of River Psychology as a whole, I thoroughly recommend this book′ - The Psychologist `This is a highly enjoyable, erudite and beautifully written manuscript. It conveys a rare depth of understanding and ability to strike at the core debates. The lively style, concentration on the biopic, use of text features such as links between names, and formal division of each sub-section will all appeal.... I have taught History of Psychology for nearly 6 years. This text will prove for more palatable to students than any of the competitors′ - Dr Steve Brown, Loughborough University `This book is well-written. It is clever, flowing and engaging. The balance between biography and contribution is excellent and makes it almost un-put-downable′ - Professor Adrian Furnham, University College London The 20th Century was rich in attempts to characterize and explain psychological phenomena and so to understand the human mind. These projects were undertaken by a huge and diverse list of characters from B F Skinner to James Gibson, from Gordon Allport to Hans Eysenck. It is important for every student of psychology, wherever they might be in the world, to understand the classic scholars, the classic studies, and the subsequent generations of people and ideas that have come to define the broad discipline that is `psychology′. This book achieves this in the most accessible and engaging manner possible. Rom Harré presents a unique textbook orientation, combining the biopic with the significance of the major protagonists of the last century, organized by `schools of thought′, yet with cross-references throughout the text.
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The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology The Penguin Dictionary of Psychologyhas become a byword for demystifying the language of this complex subject. Now fully updated for its fourth edition, this wide-ranging and accessible dictionary is invaluable for both students and professionals, and an indispensable guide to all areas of psychology and psychiatry. - Includes thousands of definitions and a detailed appendix on phobias - Covers related fields such as neuroscience and social psychology - Describes how terms are employed, their wider connotations and past usage - Looks in detail at such key concepts as additionand instinct 'Provides keen insights on concepts . . . I highly recommend it' Henry L. Roediger III, President, American Psychological Society 'Far and wide the best reference work of its kind' Paul Edwards, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, City University of New York
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Psychology and 'Human Nature' Psychology and 'Human Nature' problematizes what psychology usually takes for granted - the meaning of the psyche or 'human nature'. Peter Ashworth provides a coherent account of many of the major schools of thought in psychology and its related disciplines, including: sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, radical behaviourism, existentialism, discursive psychology and postmodernism. For each approach he considers the claims or assumptions being made about 'human nature', especially regarding issues of consciousness, the self, the body, other people and the physical world. Psychology and 'Human Nature' will be essential reading for all students of psychology. Series Details; The Psychology Focus Series provides students with a new focus on key topic areas in psychology. Each short book: * presents clear, in-depth coverage of a discrete area with many applied examples * assumes no prior knowlede of psychology * has been written by an experienced teacher * has chapter summaries, annotated further reading and a glossary of key terms
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Psychology Basics Psychology Basics highlights theories and concepts in the following areas: aging, childhood adolescence, cognition, conditioning, consciousness, depression, development, diagnosis, emotions, experimentation, intelligence, language, learning, memory, methodology, motivation, origin/definition of psychology, personality, psychobiology, psychopathology, psychotherapy, sensation and perception, sexuality, social psychology, stress, thought, and treatments.
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Psychology For Dummies® This guide introduces the reader to the basics of human behavior and mental processes. This author explains what psychology is all about and what it tells us about why we do the things we do.
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The Psychology of Genocide, Massacres, and Extreme Violence Chronicling horrific events that brought the 20th century to witness the largest number of systematic slaughters of human beings in any century across history, this work goes beyond historic details and examines contemporary psychological means that leaders use to convince individuals to commit horrific acts in the name of a politial or military cause. Massacres in Nanking, Rwanda, El Salvador, Vietnam, and other countries are reviewed in chilling detail. But the core issue is what psychological forces are behind large- scale killing; what psychology can be used to indoctrinate normal people with a Groupthink that moves individuals to mass murder brutally and without regret, even when the victims are innocent children. Dutton shows us how individuals are convinced to commit such sadistic acts, often preceded by torture, after being indoctrinated with beliefs that the target victims are unjust, inhuman or viral, like a virus that must be destroyed or it will destroy society.
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Social Psychology of Gender Advances in Group Processes publishes theoretical analyses, reviews, and theory-based empirical chapters on group phenomena. Volume 24 includes papers that address fundamental issues relating to the Social Psychology of Gender. The social psychology of gender analyzes the ways gender shapes and is shaped by social interaction. This includes the cognitive processes through which gender influences the way we perceive, interpret, and respond to our social world; it also includes the mechanisms through which interaction defines and transmits meaning about gender. The volume emphasizes the importance of understanding gender as a multilevel structure that includes cultural beliefs and distributions of resources at the macro level, patterns of behavior at the interactional level, as well as roles and identities at the micro level.The volume begins with an introduction that discusses the overall theoretical and methodological orientation of the social psychology of gender. The first chapter after the introduction reviews the history of gender research in psychology, and in particular provides excellent accounts of research on benevolent sexism and backlash effects. The second chapter provides an overview of research on two types of stereotyping descriptive and prescriptive as well as offering suggestions for organizations interested in pre-empting these types of bias. The third chapter reviews recent research on the role that beliefs about gender play in organizational decision-making, with an emphasis on hiring and firing decisions.The fourth chapter synthesizes a range of literatures in order to explain how interactional mechanisms restrict womens ability to be both liked and respected, such that their choices are often made by navigating pragmatic alternatives rather than any explicit consent to hierarchical gender relations. The fifth chapter develops a theory of the authors that addresses the interaction of gender and social networks in the workplace; the central argument is that, because men occupy most of the high status positions in organizations, women and men must follow different strategies when developing their professional networks.Taken as a whole, the first five chapters provide a thorough exploration of a number of pressing problems in the area of gender in the labor market and the workplace. The sixth chapter reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on gender and emotions, and then presents results from a new study showing that contextual factors matter more than gender in determining responses to personal experiences of injustice. The seventh chapter empirically and formally evaluates the hypothesis that women are more religious than men because they are more risk-averse and therefore are more motivated by the threat of punishment in the afterlife, and concludes that risk aversion does not explain differences in mens and womens religiosity.The eighth chapter engages a new and more sophisticated perspective on the interactive process of socialization to set a research agenda for obtaining better knowledge about childhood sexual socialization. The ninth chapter presents the results of two new experiments, which suggest that mens tendency to self-handicap (impair their own performance) to a greater degree than women is related to concerns about protecting their status or self-image.The tenth chapter proposes a novel social psychological explanation for the predominance of women on college campuses and develops an experimental paradigm to evaluate this explanation. This group of chapters develops explanations for a variety of similarities and differences in the experiences of men and women throughout the life course. The volume closes with a chapter that draws on a group process approach to explain why gender inequality persists in the face of economic and institutional changes that increasingly de-emphasize difference based on gender.Overall, the volume includes papers that reflect a wide range of theoretical approaches to the social psychology of the workplace, and contributions by major scholars from multiple disciplines that work in the general area of group processes. It includes papers that address fundamental issues relating to the Social Psychology of Gender. It explains the cognitive processes through which gender influences the way we perceive, interpret, and respond to our social world. It emphasizes the importance of understanding gender as a multilevel structure.