Showing posts with label Psychology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psychology. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
Psychology:A Self-Teaching Guide
Product Description
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you'll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned-at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #368939 in Books
* Published on: 2002-08-02
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 304 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned–at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
About the Author
FRANK J. BRUNO, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at San Bernardino Valley College in San Bernardino, California. He has taught at the college for more than thirty years and has also worked on a part-time basis as a psychotherapist and author. Dr. Bruno has written more than fifteen books, including several Wiley psychology textbooks, and a series of self-help titles called Life's Little Keys.
Popular Psychology: An Encyclopedia
Product Description
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention. A unique and especially helful feature ofPopular Psychology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular "Gurus" and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1041344 in Books
* Published on: 2005-01-30
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 296 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles, and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry, there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to "counteract the tide of misinformation about the field" and "provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student" should know about psychology....[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces....Recommended. General readers; undergraduates.”–Choice
“[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation... this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking.”–Reference Reviews
“After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format....Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended.”–Library Media Connection
“This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments.”–SciTech Book News
“Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
“Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology.”–MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
“[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology....Self help books, "experts" on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation.”–Library Media Connection
About the Author
LUIS A. CORDON is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.
Customer Reviews
Providing a basic guide for high school to college students5
Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology. There are over a hundred entries from acupuncture and alien abduction to brainwashing, chemical imbalance and more. Topics range from mood disorders to stress disorders, seasonal disorders and pop trends which aren't really true psychology.
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention. A unique and especially helful feature ofPopular Psychology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular "Gurus" and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1041344 in Books
* Published on: 2005-01-30
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 296 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles, and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry, there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to "counteract the tide of misinformation about the field" and "provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student" should know about psychology....[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces....Recommended. General readers; undergraduates.”–Choice
“[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation... this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking.”–Reference Reviews
“After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format....Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended.”–Library Media Connection
“This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments.”–SciTech Book News
“Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
“Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology.”–MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
“[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology....Self help books, "experts" on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation.”–Library Media Connection
About the Author
LUIS A. CORDON is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.
Customer Reviews
Providing a basic guide for high school to college students5
Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology. There are over a hundred entries from acupuncture and alien abduction to brainwashing, chemical imbalance and more. Topics range from mood disorders to stress disorders, seasonal disorders and pop trends which aren't really true psychology.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Genes and Behavior
Product Description
In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.
Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1840981 in Books
* Published on: 2006-04-08
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 280 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of "genetic realism" in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School
"Genes and Behavior: Nature-Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists." Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School
"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence
"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement
"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006
"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36
"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442
"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of “genetic realism” in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School
“Genes and Behavior: Nature–Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists.” Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School
"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence
"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement
"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006
"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36
"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442
"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
From the Back Cover
In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.
Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Customer Reviews
Best Introduction5
This is arguably the best introduction to the complex world of how genes affect human personality and behavior. It is far from an easy "read" and doesn't shy from the use of technical terms (an advantage for those who wish to go further but an impediment to more casual readers). The prose is somewhat leaden. Still -- it is a remarkable achievement. Rutter is a distinguished psychiatrist who has made major contributions to our understanding of psychiatric disorders and is well respected across the psychology-psychiatry divide.
The book accomplishes several goals. First, it provides a limited but useful survey of what is presently known about the genetic basis of mental disorders and personality/intelligence. Second (and more usefully) it discusses the logic of genetic causality and surveys the various methods used to uncover same. Third (and most importantly), it provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of all the ways that genes and environmental factors interact to produce human psychology. As such it provides a useful corrective to those who believe that genes are destiny and that there is a "gene (or genes)" for most human characteristics. The human genome project and associated research has now made it clear that the various ways genes affect humans are far more complex than anyone realized even 20 years ago. Unfortunately this has not become part of the popular wisdom, and so this book becomes essential reading for those interested in this fascinating and important topic. The study of psychology will increasingly be dominated by genetic science (and its sister discipline of neurobiology) and lay people as well as professionals will need a book such as this to help them on their way to a more complete understanding of how this is likely to play out. There are many books on the genetic underpinnings of psychological processes, but most are either simplistic or too technical for general consumption. An exception would be the books by Matt Ridley. The Rutter book is less accessible that the Ridley books, but more technically accomplished.
A Brilliant Book by a Brilliant Individual5
I was once in the cafeteria having lunch with some friends, when Sir Michael Rutter came in for a moment to get a sandwich. One of our group leaned over and said, "That man's written more books than I've read. See, he doesn't even have time to sit down for lunch!"
It was said in jest, but my friend had a point: Mike has been re-creating several fields of psychology and psychiatry since the 1960s. Although best known as a child psychiatrist, he has made enormous contributions to the study of child development and the interactions between genes and the environment.
This book is a superb summary of some of the enormous changes that have transformed our understanding of genetics over the last two decades by someone who has been in the thick of it, as an investigator, mentor and teacher.
One of the biggest problems in psychology has been the polarization between the proponents of Nature and Nurture. Most folk psychology is driven by the notion that human behavior can be explained by a combination of learning and the environment, and largely neglects the role of genetics. So in that view, an alcoholic develops the illness because he observed alcohol abuse in the family, and genetics have nothing to do with it. The other extreme view is that the whole of human behavior can be reduced to sets of interacting genes. Both positions are unhelpful. The tension between psychosocial researchers and behavior geneticists has been sustained by the different theoretical perspectives that the two use to describe similar concepts. Most experts now understand that the key to understanding problems like the susceptibility and resilience to mental illness is to understand the interaction of genes and the environment over the lifespan of an individual. This book shows exactly how we can do that.
What this book does, and what makes it unique, is that it presents in
In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.
Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1840981 in Books
* Published on: 2006-04-08
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 280 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of "genetic realism" in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School
"Genes and Behavior: Nature-Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists." Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School
"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence
"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement
"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006
"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36
"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442
"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of “genetic realism” in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School
“Genes and Behavior: Nature–Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists.” Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School
"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence
"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement
"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006
"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36
"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442
"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
From the Back Cover
In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.
Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Customer Reviews
Best Introduction5
This is arguably the best introduction to the complex world of how genes affect human personality and behavior. It is far from an easy "read" and doesn't shy from the use of technical terms (an advantage for those who wish to go further but an impediment to more casual readers). The prose is somewhat leaden. Still -- it is a remarkable achievement. Rutter is a distinguished psychiatrist who has made major contributions to our understanding of psychiatric disorders and is well respected across the psychology-psychiatry divide.
The book accomplishes several goals. First, it provides a limited but useful survey of what is presently known about the genetic basis of mental disorders and personality/intelligence. Second (and more usefully) it discusses the logic of genetic causality and surveys the various methods used to uncover same. Third (and most importantly), it provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of all the ways that genes and environmental factors interact to produce human psychology. As such it provides a useful corrective to those who believe that genes are destiny and that there is a "gene (or genes)" for most human characteristics. The human genome project and associated research has now made it clear that the various ways genes affect humans are far more complex than anyone realized even 20 years ago. Unfortunately this has not become part of the popular wisdom, and so this book becomes essential reading for those interested in this fascinating and important topic. The study of psychology will increasingly be dominated by genetic science (and its sister discipline of neurobiology) and lay people as well as professionals will need a book such as this to help them on their way to a more complete understanding of how this is likely to play out. There are many books on the genetic underpinnings of psychological processes, but most are either simplistic or too technical for general consumption. An exception would be the books by Matt Ridley. The Rutter book is less accessible that the Ridley books, but more technically accomplished.
A Brilliant Book by a Brilliant Individual5
I was once in the cafeteria having lunch with some friends, when Sir Michael Rutter came in for a moment to get a sandwich. One of our group leaned over and said, "That man's written more books than I've read. See, he doesn't even have time to sit down for lunch!"
It was said in jest, but my friend had a point: Mike has been re-creating several fields of psychology and psychiatry since the 1960s. Although best known as a child psychiatrist, he has made enormous contributions to the study of child development and the interactions between genes and the environment.
This book is a superb summary of some of the enormous changes that have transformed our understanding of genetics over the last two decades by someone who has been in the thick of it, as an investigator, mentor and teacher.
One of the biggest problems in psychology has been the polarization between the proponents of Nature and Nurture. Most folk psychology is driven by the notion that human behavior can be explained by a combination of learning and the environment, and largely neglects the role of genetics. So in that view, an alcoholic develops the illness because he observed alcohol abuse in the family, and genetics have nothing to do with it. The other extreme view is that the whole of human behavior can be reduced to sets of interacting genes. Both positions are unhelpful. The tension between psychosocial researchers and behavior geneticists has been sustained by the different theoretical perspectives that the two use to describe similar concepts. Most experts now understand that the key to understanding problems like the susceptibility and resilience to mental illness is to understand the interaction of genes and the environment over the lifespan of an individual. This book shows exactly how we can do that.
What this book does, and what makes it unique, is that it presents in
The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market
Product Description
This book demystifies the foreign exchange market by focusing on the people who comprise it. Drawing on the expertise of the very professionals whose decisions help shape the market, Thomas Oberlechner describes the highly interdependent relationship between financial decision makers and news providers, showing that the assumption that the foreign exchange market is purely economic and rational has to be replaced by a more complex market psychology.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #478859 in Books
* Published on: 2004-12-07
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 278 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
“…there are enough gems in there to keep you reading on.” (The Technical Analyst, March/April, 30th March 2005)
"...a fascinating and entertaining read..." (Economic Issues, June 2006)
From the Inside Flap
The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market.
This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.
In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world's leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.
From the Back Cover
This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.
In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world’s leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.
"Economists propose elegant theories and sophisticated models to explain exchange rates, but to no avail. Traders, however, enjoy uncommon success in these markets. The difference is psychology. Economists deny it. Traders exploit it. And Thomas Oberlechner explains it – very skilfully. Whether you want to be a better economist or a better trader, read this outstanding book!"
—Mark Kritzman, Windham Capital Management Boston, LLC
"Finally, a book that helps us to understand the dynamics of the largest market in the world. As petrodollars and financial trade foreign exchange transactions gave way to pure trading for profit and speculation, it was often difficult to ascertain the dynamics of trading. Thomas Oberlechner has provided an excellent understanding in this book."
—Marshall N. Carter, Chairman/CEO (retired), State Street Bank and Trust Co., Boston
"Financial markets, with their interaction of economic and psychological mechanisms, increasingly attract researchers’ and practitioners’ interests. Thomas Oberlechner brilliantly examines financial markets by taking a psychological perspective. This splendid book impresses by its detailed research and provides a thorough understanding of the complex yet attractive mechanisms of financial markets."
—Professor Erich Kirchler, Institute for Psychology, University of Vienna
"Thomas Oberlechner has pulled together an astonishing array of first-rate research on how financial markets are shaped and shifted through all-too-human interaction and decision. Moreover, he has contributed a good deal of highly original research into the workings of the foreign exchange market and on the people who build and sustain this market. The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market summarizes in a most readable way what we know about the people - traders, analysts and journalists - who make markets and whose everyday decision making has, to say the least, far ranging social consequences. A ‘must read’ for anyone who wonders about the seemingly unfathomable mysteries of exchange rates and the making of markets."
—John Van Maanen, Erwin Schell Professor of Organization Studies, MIT
Customer Reviews
Essentail reading for Forex Dealers5
I am a veteran forex dealer and in-house trainer of our dealers; this book is required reading. From the opening quote in the introduction of the book you are introduced to the concept that "psychology" is everything in dealing. Believe it! Though the book provides no canned solutions to dealing, it does give you the essential foundations to begin to build your own dealing models.
A good dissertation may be, but not a good trading book for sure2
If you are interested in the result of a survey done through over 300 FX traders in 5 countries or over 200 bibliographies for your own thesis, you will be absolutely delighted. If you want to sharpen your trading edge or simply to have fun (like what Fiasco, Pit Bull, Liar's Poker and Wall Street Meat do), you will be very disappointed.
I would like to give you an example. In page 154 the author listed a table of importance ratings of successful trader characteristics (n=291, 1=unimportant, 4=very important) of 23 items ranging from Quick Reaction Time (mean=3.71, sd=0.50) & Discipline (mean=3.65, sd=0.55) to Computer Literacy (mean=2.54, sd=0.78) & Social Skills (mean=2.52, sd=0.74). Some might find it helpful. As a veteran pro FX trader and trading book lover who read to sharpen my edge in one of the most competitive market, I dont.
Perhaps the author had just tried too hard to post the findings of his survey into a book that the chapters and thus content are quite disoriented (I strongly suggest you to take a look of the content page available on Amazon). Sorry to say that there are plenty of much better trading psychology books in the market (though not dedicated to FX, but still relevant and applicable). IMHO, "Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing" by Hersh Shefrin and "The psychology of Finance by Lars Tvede" should be better choices.
p.s. I had overlooked the fact that the two five star reviews (this should be the third review of this book) were written by two one-review-only readers. Shame on me!
A Must Read for Any Trader or Investor5
This book is valuable to any person trading any market. It enforces the thought that you bring yourself to the market, be it currencies, futures, stocks, or bonds. A person is the product of their environment, culture, parents, education and experiences which influences their perception of the markets. It is very difficult to observe what the market is doing without observing what it is doing to you. All markets are a mind game.
This book demystifies the foreign exchange market by focusing on the people who comprise it. Drawing on the expertise of the very professionals whose decisions help shape the market, Thomas Oberlechner describes the highly interdependent relationship between financial decision makers and news providers, showing that the assumption that the foreign exchange market is purely economic and rational has to be replaced by a more complex market psychology.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #478859 in Books
* Published on: 2004-12-07
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 278 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
“…there are enough gems in there to keep you reading on.” (The Technical Analyst, March/April, 30th March 2005)
"...a fascinating and entertaining read..." (Economic Issues, June 2006)
From the Inside Flap
The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market.
This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.
In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world's leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.
From the Back Cover
This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.
In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world’s leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.
"Economists propose elegant theories and sophisticated models to explain exchange rates, but to no avail. Traders, however, enjoy uncommon success in these markets. The difference is psychology. Economists deny it. Traders exploit it. And Thomas Oberlechner explains it – very skilfully. Whether you want to be a better economist or a better trader, read this outstanding book!"
—Mark Kritzman, Windham Capital Management Boston, LLC
"Finally, a book that helps us to understand the dynamics of the largest market in the world. As petrodollars and financial trade foreign exchange transactions gave way to pure trading for profit and speculation, it was often difficult to ascertain the dynamics of trading. Thomas Oberlechner has provided an excellent understanding in this book."
—Marshall N. Carter, Chairman/CEO (retired), State Street Bank and Trust Co., Boston
"Financial markets, with their interaction of economic and psychological mechanisms, increasingly attract researchers’ and practitioners’ interests. Thomas Oberlechner brilliantly examines financial markets by taking a psychological perspective. This splendid book impresses by its detailed research and provides a thorough understanding of the complex yet attractive mechanisms of financial markets."
—Professor Erich Kirchler, Institute for Psychology, University of Vienna
"Thomas Oberlechner has pulled together an astonishing array of first-rate research on how financial markets are shaped and shifted through all-too-human interaction and decision. Moreover, he has contributed a good deal of highly original research into the workings of the foreign exchange market and on the people who build and sustain this market. The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market summarizes in a most readable way what we know about the people - traders, analysts and journalists - who make markets and whose everyday decision making has, to say the least, far ranging social consequences. A ‘must read’ for anyone who wonders about the seemingly unfathomable mysteries of exchange rates and the making of markets."
—John Van Maanen, Erwin Schell Professor of Organization Studies, MIT
Customer Reviews
Essentail reading for Forex Dealers5
I am a veteran forex dealer and in-house trainer of our dealers; this book is required reading. From the opening quote in the introduction of the book you are introduced to the concept that "psychology" is everything in dealing. Believe it! Though the book provides no canned solutions to dealing, it does give you the essential foundations to begin to build your own dealing models.
A good dissertation may be, but not a good trading book for sure2
If you are interested in the result of a survey done through over 300 FX traders in 5 countries or over 200 bibliographies for your own thesis, you will be absolutely delighted. If you want to sharpen your trading edge or simply to have fun (like what Fiasco, Pit Bull, Liar's Poker and Wall Street Meat do), you will be very disappointed.
I would like to give you an example. In page 154 the author listed a table of importance ratings of successful trader characteristics (n=291, 1=unimportant, 4=very important) of 23 items ranging from Quick Reaction Time (mean=3.71, sd=0.50) & Discipline (mean=3.65, sd=0.55) to Computer Literacy (mean=2.54, sd=0.78) & Social Skills (mean=2.52, sd=0.74). Some might find it helpful. As a veteran pro FX trader and trading book lover who read to sharpen my edge in one of the most competitive market, I dont.
Perhaps the author had just tried too hard to post the findings of his survey into a book that the chapters and thus content are quite disoriented (I strongly suggest you to take a look of the content page available on Amazon). Sorry to say that there are plenty of much better trading psychology books in the market (though not dedicated to FX, but still relevant and applicable). IMHO, "Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing" by Hersh Shefrin and "The psychology of Finance by Lars Tvede" should be better choices.
p.s. I had overlooked the fact that the two five star reviews (this should be the third review of this book) were written by two one-review-only readers. Shame on me!
A Must Read for Any Trader or Investor5
This book is valuable to any person trading any market. It enforces the thought that you bring yourself to the market, be it currencies, futures, stocks, or bonds. A person is the product of their environment, culture, parents, education and experiences which influences their perception of the markets. It is very difficult to observe what the market is doing without observing what it is doing to you. All markets are a mind game.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Psychology
Description
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you'll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned-at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #885364 in Books
* Published on: 2002-08-02
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 304 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned–at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
About the Author
FRANK J. BRUNO, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at San Bernardino Valley College in San Bernardino, California. He has taught at the college for more than thirty years and has also worked on a part-time basis as a psychotherapist and author. Dr. Bruno has written more than fifteen books, including several Wiley psychology textbooks, and a series of self-
ries of self-help titles called Life's Little Keys.
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you'll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned-at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #885364 in Books
* Published on: 2002-08-02
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 304 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
* A complete course, from brain biology to abnormal psychology
* Hundreds of questions and many review tests
* Key concepts and terms defined and explained
Master key concepts. Answer challenging questions. Prepare for exams. Learn at your own pace.
What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? How do you define abnormal behavior? Is extrasensory perception real? What is Viktor Frankl known for? With Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and many more.
Frank Bruno explains all the major psychological theories and terms in this book, covering perception, motivation, thinking, personality, sensation, intelligence, research methods, and much more. He presents the foundations of psychology and the biology of behavior; explores how children develop into adults and the psychological factors that make us individuals; and examines various mental disorders and the types of therapy used to treat them. The step-by-step, Q&A format of Psychology makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview of the topic.
Like the other popular Self-Teaching Guides, Psychology allows you to build gradually on what you have learned–at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of human behavior.
About the Author
FRANK J. BRUNO, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at San Bernardino Valley College in San Bernardino, California. He has taught at the college for more than thirty years and has also worked on a part-time basis as a psychotherapist and author. Dr. Bruno has written more than fifteen books, including several Wiley psychology textbooks, and a series of self-
ries of self-help titles called Life's Little Keys.
Popular Psychology: An Encyclopedia
Description
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention. A unique and especially helful feature ofPopular Psychology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular "Gurus" and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #336316 in Books
* Published on: 2005-01-30
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 296 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles, and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry, there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to "counteract the tide of misinformation about the field" and "provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student" should know about psychology....[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces....Recommended. General readers; undergraduates.”–Choice
“[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation... this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking.”–Reference Reviews
“After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format....Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended.”–Library Media Connection
“This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments.”–SciTech Book News
“Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
“Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology.”–MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
“[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology....Self help books, "experts" on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation.”–Library Media Connection
About the Author
LUIS A. CORDON is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.
Customer Reviews
Providing a basic guide for high school to college students5
Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology. There are over a hundred entries from acupuncture and alien abduction to brainwashing, chemical imbalance and more. Topics range from mood disorders to stress disorders, seasonal disorders and pop trends which aren't really true psychology.
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention. A unique and especially helful feature ofPopular Psychology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular "Gurus" and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #336316 in Books
* Published on: 2005-01-30
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 296 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles, and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry, there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to "counteract the tide of misinformation about the field" and "provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student" should know about psychology....[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces....Recommended. General readers; undergraduates.”–Choice
“[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation... this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking.”–Reference Reviews
“After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format....Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended.”–Library Media Connection
“This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments.”–SciTech Book News
“Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
“Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology.”–MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
“[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology....Self help books, "experts" on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation.”–Library Media Connection
About the Author
LUIS A. CORDON is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.
Customer Reviews
Providing a basic guide for high school to college students5
Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology. There are over a hundred entries from acupuncture and alien abduction to brainwashing, chemical imbalance and more. Topics range from mood disorders to stress disorders, seasonal disorders and pop trends which aren't really true psychology.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Social Psychology with SocialSense Student CD-ROM
Product Description
David Myers' Social Psychology continues to set the standard by which other Social Psychology texts are judged. Its renowned author’s engaging writing style and unique, intimate voice make the text compelling without being simplistic. The organization logically moves the student through the study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another, with an appropriate balance of basic research and application. This edition features additional contemporary research, supplemented by video clips and vignettes that demonstrate social psychology's relevance.
About the Author
David G. Myers is the John Dirk Werkman Professor of Psychology at Michigan's Hope College, where students have voted him "Outstanding Professor." Myers' love of teaching psychology is manifest in his writings for the lay public. His articles have appeared in two-dozen magazines and he has authored or co-authored ten books, including The Pursuit of Happiness (Avon, 1993) and The American Paradox (Yale University Press, 2000). Also an award-winning researcher, Myers received the Gordon Allport Prize from Division 9 of the American Psychological Association for his work on group polarization. His scientific articles have appeared in more than two-dozen journals, including Science, American Scientist, Psychological Science, and the American Psychologist. He has served his discipline as consulting editor to the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. In his spare time he has chaired his city's Human Relations Commission, helped found a community action agency which assists impoverished families, and spoken to dozens of collegiate and religious groups. David and Carol Myers are parents of two sons and a daughter.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Social Amnesia: A Critique of Contemporary Psychology
Product Description
This series acknowledges the substantial gap that still exists in psychiatry between research evidence and clinical practice: clinicians are sometimes incompletely aware of research findings, or regard them as biased, not convincing or not relevant to their practice. By using systematic reviews with accompanying commentaries this volume is able to assess the "evidence" and "experiences" to give a critical and objective account of the relevant issues, while focusing on key topics. This comprehensive book addresses schizophrenia through a systematic review of the available rearch evidence.
This book "...was a pleasure to review. One can dip in and out of it at random to find an important aspect of schizophrenia summarised in a few paragraphs. The reviews are all well written, balanced and up-to-date. It is designed for an international readership, and come commentaries, such as those on continental concepts of schizophrenia, or experience of stigma in the less industrialised world, are rarely found together in one volume." —British Journal of Psychiatry, 2001
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #448762 in Books
* Published on: 2003-02-21
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 514 pages
Editorial Reviews
Download Description
"Be Guided by the Evidence. In this new edition of the second volume in the WPA Series, Evidence and Experience in Psychiatry, focuses on the controversial issues surrounding schizophrenia. By using systematic reviews with accompanying commentaries this volume is able to assess the 'evidence' and 'experience' to give a critical and objective account of the relevant issues, while focusing on key topics, such as diagnosis and prevention of disability and stigma. This revised and updated volume provides: The best available evidence to enable well-informed clinical decision making Valuable insights from some of the world's leading experts in the field of schizophrenia Coherent description and discussion of the relevant issues. This new edition will be a vital source of information for psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, managers and policy makers. "
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #996653 in Books
* Published on: 1997-01-01
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 191 pages
Customer Reviews
Analysis in it's finest hour4
This is one of the most insightful works on Psychology that I've ever read. His 'critique' is insightful but I found the book more edifying when he expounds on the relation between subjectivity and objectivism concomitant with his Marxian analysis on reification and the 'false' societal interactions as a corollary. I recommend Joel Korvel's work 'A Complete Guide to Therapy - From Behavior Modification to Psychoanalysis' as well.
them is fightin' words....4
...and Jacoby holds none of them back when it comes to disembowling humanistic psychology, especially its neo- and post-Freudian fronts with their annoying Allportian optimism and their "cult of subjectivity."
There are books that seem to have been written in one long bad mood, and this is one of them. Whether the mood is justified is another matter. In this case, it would seem so. Jacoby presents convincing examples of how thoroughly the psychologies he discusses sell themselves out to the economic and political machinery of civilization--while regarding themselves as tools of "authenticity," "awakening," "sensitivity," and "self-realization."
One example: by insisting on these nice goals in the face of, say, corporate takeovers, the implication is that the pain people feel is entirely subjective. By focusing on finding "meaning" and a "new attitude" in the face of societally inflicted adversity, psychologists do their part in making that adversity seem like business as usual rather than a form of injustice that ought to be protested. (Compare this with Martin-Baro's insight that plenty of psychological pain is actually psychosocial rather than individual.)
Fromm, Maslow, and Rogers get a particularly bad beating, and perhaps their counter-phobic and regressive cheeriness deserves it. Nevertheless, it's painful to see such pummelings inflicted on these men. I can see using sarcasm and irony on, say, the get-rich-and-grow notions of a Deepak Chopra. Salesmen like him are asking for it. The same with all these "we make our reality" New Agers whose mania is matched only by their denial. But Abe Maslow?
In his desire to unmask the humanists and neoanalysts as hypocrites and philosophical dilettantes, Jacoby says next to nothing about their accomplishments--Karen Horney's modification of Freud's useless theory of women, Fromm's illumination of the flight from freedom, etc. Nor about Freud's shortcomings, his reductionism in particular. The word doesn't even appear in the index. Cutting criticism serves a useful purpose, but this verges on throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Even so, Jacoby's concise, forcible, organized prose is a pleasure to read, even when one flinches at a particularly scathing observation.
still the best4
Jacoby's critique of Neofreudian psychology is still the best there is. With the kind of relentless critical thinking so characteristic of the Frankfurt school, in which Jacoby is deeply schooled, this book is at once penetrating and witty on almost every page. I'm rather shocked by the fact that he's almost always right. An astonishingly original book.
Book Info
Univ. of Naples, Italy. Focuses on the controversial issues surrounding schizophrenia. Discusses pharmacological treatments, psychotherapies, and spectrum disorders. Addresses the prevention of disability and the stigma and economics of schizophrenia. For psychiatrists. Previous edition: c1999. Softcover.
The publisher, John Wiley & Sons
Provides those working in the mental health sector with information that can be helpful in making decisions that are clinically sensitive, economically feasible and socially acceptable. This volume is extremely timely in view of the current problems with mental health care and the funding for treatment of such long term illnesses as schizophrenia.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Psychology of Emotion: From Everyday Life to Theory by Kenneth T. Strongman
Product Description
'It is late at night and you are sitting quietly. The neighbours are all away. Suddenly, there is a huge thump on the door, a scream and then a deathly silence...'
As emotion and emotional experience are a daily occurrence, they have always been key topics of study for psychologists. Now in its fifth edition, The Psychology of Emotion is a classic student text on the subject. This textbook offers a comprehensive guide to all the main theories and concepts of emotion, and relates these back to everyday life, using examples that everyone can identify with.
Written in an engaging, accessible style, this fully revised edition features:
* Comprehensive overview and discussion of main theories of emotion
* Real life examples to illustrate key concepts
* Discussion topics
* Chapter summaries
* Suggestions for further reading
The multi-disciplinary approach taken will appeal to those investigating emotion in the fields of philosophy and the social sciences, as well as to psychology students and lecturers. Everyone studying or teaching emotion will find The Psychology of Emotion to be an invaluable resource.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1503613 in Books
* Published on: 2003-12-09
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 340 pages
Editorial Reviews
Book Info
Univ. of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Textbook offers a comprehensive guide to all the main theories and concepts of emotion. Uses real-life examples to illustrate key concepts and features discussion topics, chapter summaries, and suggestions for further reading. Previous edition: c1998. Softcover, hardcover available and listed in week 2004-10.
From the Back Cover
‘It is late at night and you are sitting quietly. The neighbours are all away. Suddenly, there is a huge thump on the front door, a scream and then a deathly quiet…’
As emotion and emotional experience are a daily occurrence, they have always been key topics of study for psychologists. Now in its fifth edition, The Psychology of Emotion is a classic student text on the subject. This textbook offers a comprehensive guide to all the main theories and concepts of emotion, and relates these back to everyday life, using examples that everyone can identify with.
Written in an engaging, accessible style, this fully revised edition features:
* comprehensive overview and discussion of the main theories of emotion
* real-life examples to illustrate key concepts
* discussion topics
* chapter summaries
* suggestions for further reading.
The multidisciplinary approach taken will appeal to those investigating emotion in the fields of philosophy and the social sciences, as well as to psychology students and lecturers. Everyone studying or teaching emotion will find The Psychology of Emotion to be an invaluable resource.
About the Author
Kenneth Strongman is Professor of Psychology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Besides the four previous editions of this book, his publications include four other books and numerous papers, mainly on emotion, emotional experience and its implications. He has also written extensively at the popular level.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Investment Psychology Explained: Classic Strategies to Beat the Markets by Martin J. Pring
Product Description
Expert advice in a back-to-basics handbook on how to beat the market-the classic way
In Investment Psychology Explained Martin J. Pring, one of the most respected independent investment advisors in the world, argues that in the revisionist '90s there are no quick, magical paths to market success. Rather, he emphasizes the timeless values of hard work, patience, and self-discipline-and much more. Drawing on the wisdom of creative investors such as Jesse Livermore, Humphrey Neill, and Barnard Baruch, as well as his own experience, Pring shows how to:
* Overcome emotional and psychological impediments that distort decision making
* Map out an independent investment plan-and stick to it
* Know when to buck herd opinion-and "go contrarian"
* Dispense with the myths and delusions that drag down other investors
* Resist the fads and so-called experts whose siren call to success can lead to disaster
* Exploit fast-breaking news events that rock the market
* Deal skillfully with brokers and money managers
* Learn and understand the rules that separate the truly great investors and traders from the rest
Reading Investment Psychology Explained will give you a renewed appreciation of the classic trading principles that, through bull and bear markets, have worked time and again. You'll see, with the help of numerous illustrative examples, what goes into making an effective investor-and how you can work toward achieving that successful profile.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #13675 in Books
* Published on: 1995-10-20
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 288 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Expert advice in a back-to-basics handbook on how to beat the market-the classic way
In Investment Psychology Explained Martin J. Pring, one of the most respected independent investment advisors in the world, argues that in the revisionist '90s there are no quick, magical paths to market success. Rather, he emphasizes the timeless values of hard work, patience, and self-discipline-and much more. Drawing on the wisdom of creative investors such as Jesse Livermore, Humphrey Neill, and Barnard Baruch, as well as his own experience, Pring shows how to:
* Overcome emotional and psychological impediments that distort decision making
* Map out an independent investment plan-and stick to it
* Know when to buck herd opinion-and "go contrarian"
* Dispense with the myths and delusions that drag down other investors
* Resist the fads and so-called experts whose siren call to success can lead to disaster
* Exploit fast-breaking news events that rock the market
* Deal skillfully with brokers and money managers
* Learn and understand the rules that separate the truly great investors and traders from the rest
Reading Investment Psychology Explained will give you a renewed appreciation of the classic trading principles that, through bull and bear markets, have worked time and again. You'll see, with the help of numerous illustrative examples, what goes into making an effective investor-and how you can work toward achieving that successful profile.
About the Author
MARTIN J. PRING is publisher of the highly regarded newsletter, The Pring Market Review. A frequent contributor to Barron's and other leading investment periodicals, he is the author of The All-Season Investor, the bestselling Technical Analysis Explained, and a number of other books on interest rates, international investing, and commodities and futures.
Customer Reviews
Heavy reading, but worth it.4
This is a more advanced strategy based bible for the busy trader and the mindset involved. I bought this one along with Trading in the Zone and found the two of them compliment each other quite nicely. He covers a wide range of philosophies from the greats, and helps you see through the problems of over trading today with an overload of access to information, and a media full of pump and dump charlatans.
Knowing yourself3
A serious trader or investor can never dismiss this book. It's a must read considering there are not very many investment psychology books written with a comprehensive coverage. And if you know Pring's background and have read more of his books, you will understand this work better. He has done a good work in nailing the points of Investment psychology specially by dedicating a section on "Knowing yourself". Easily one of the best books written on the subjet. One reading is not enough if you want to really get "IT".
Good read but not very useful for beginners3
This book utilizes the historical events of various markets (mostly the US stock market) to explain various behaviours of market participants. The information is concise and each chapter deliver its points clearly. Part 3 of the book even list the trading rules of various well known authors/traders so that the readers can feel the importance of discipline as these well known individuals have to list a set of rules to remind themselves what not to do.
One thing I do not like are quoted results from research on trader psychology. The conclusions mentioned do not really sound very scientific nor making any sense. e.g. only "successful" traders are studied and conclusion is made without mentioning any similar study to prove such quality do not exist on "unsucessful" traders.
Overall, this is a good read for someone who already have experience in trading the market and would like to start learning something about the psychology aspect of trading. It will not be useful at all for a beginner who has not experience the emotional ups and downs related to trading, as the beginner is not likely to be able to connect with the content at all.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Psychology Of Achievement, By Brian Tracy, 6 Audio Cassettes
Product Description
"Brian Tracy, author/narrator of Psychology of Achievement, is a true cosmopolitan, having lived, studied and worked in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia and North America. This fact alone provides him with a unique vantage point from which to view his chosen subject matter. He has served business and industry as a top-level executive, responsible for over $200 million in assets and as a consultant. And he is an inveterate reader, student, mountain climber, karate instructor, swimmer and jogger, as well as a husband and father. Brian Tracy is in touch with himself...with the times...and with people. This makes him the ideal author/narrator of The Psychology of Achievement. The Psychology of Achievement has been presented to more than 5,000 persons since its recent inception as a seminar program. Corporate sponsors have included firms both large and small, including IBM and TWA. Brian Tracy holds a B. Comm. and MBA and is president of his own firm, the Institute for Executive Development." "Twelve Exciting Audio Sessions: (1.) Building a Positive Self-Concept. The success instinct. Its six ingredients. The locus of control... (2.) Accepting Responsibility and Taking Charge. Anger, blaming, accepting guilt, worry-why they should be eliminated... (3.) Programming for Success. Improving self-esteem. Selecting a reference group right for you. Five steps to changing your belief structure... (4.) Goals and Goal Achieving. Develping specific goals for your life. Why goals are important. Obstacles to goals... (5.) Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making. Raising expectations=raising performance. The supraconscious solution. Why adversity shouldn't always be unwelcome. (6.) Superior Human Relations. How to develop and maintain winning relationships. Why self-esteem is requisite. The secret to building self-esteem in others..." [from case, cassettes and paper document]
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #476343 in Books
Published on: 1984
Binding: Audio Cassette
6 pages
Customer Reviews
The best newcomes self-help course!
I would recommend Brian Tracy's "The Psychology of Achievement" to anyone that is interested in getting into self-improvement and changing their entire life. There are tons of books and audio courses out there that are really good for self-improvement, but this is the best introductory one I could get my hands on.
Beware of movies like "The Secret" that try to create this fantasy that you can get what you want just by thinking of it. Brian Tracy does none of this in this course. He gives you an extremely detailed plan on how to get what you want in life and how to remove negative thinking patterns that are greatly responsible for where you are today.
Hope this helps!
Behavior Analysis and Learning by W. David Pierce
Product Description
Behavior Analysis and Learning is an essential textbook covering the basic principles in the field of behavior analysis and learned behaviors. Both active researchers, the authors are disciples of a coherent theory--experimental analysis of behavior--pioneered by B.F. Skinner. Using this theory as a base to explain human behavior, researchers must understand the interactions between an individual and his or her environment.
Expanding on concepts of the past editions, this book:
*is an advanced introductory text on operant conditioning from a very consistent Skinnerian perspective;
*covers a range of principles from basic respondent conditioning through applied behavior analysis into cultural design;
*treats the topic from a consistent world view of selectionism;
*elaborates on Darwinian components and biological connections with behavior; and
*expands most chapters with revised references and additional citations.
The material presented inthis book provides the reader with the best available foundation in behavior science. The discovery of functional relations between the organism and the environment constitute the objective foundation for this book. These functional relationships are described, and their application in accounting for old behavior and generating new behavior is illustrated. As such, this book is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in psychology or other behavior-based disciplines.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #576352 in Books
Published on: 2003-08-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
528 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
This introduction focuses on basic research findings and illustrates behavior principles with everyday human examples. The Second Edition has retained the positive features of the first edition, while adding new aspects as suggested by reviewers, instructors and students. It now contains a more thorough treatment of the principles and processes of respondent conditioning, dividing its coverage into two chapters—one devoted to reflexes and simple conditioning and the other focused on compound conditioning and complex respondent processes.
Customer Reviews
Excellent Resource
The 3rd edition of this text was extremely helpful for me in my behavior analysis course. Word definitions were listed in the back for easy access, if they weren't defined in the text itself. Examples given were very helpful in understanding concepts and a lot of diagrams were given to help those of us who understand better via visual learning. Reviews at the end of each chapter included study questions which were very helpful. It was an interesting read, at least for someone already interested in the topic.
Terrible!
This text is simply awful. It's badly written, sports terrible examples, gives outright incorrect information at times, and includes a full glossary of completely useless definitions. Half of said definitions don't even qualify as valid members of that category - the entries drone on about related concepts and examples without ever defining the word. Even when things are actually defined, they're often defined very very badly or just wrong. There's typos everywhere and even simple math errors. Please don't waste your money and PLEASE don't use this text for any valid course on Behavior Analysis. You'll loose credibility immediately, not least with your students.
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Psychology Of Achievement, By Brian Tracy, 6 Audio Cassettes From Nightingale-Conant Corporation
Product Description
"Brian Tracy, author/narrator of Psychology of Achievement, is a true cosmopolitan, having lived, studied and worked in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia and North America. This fact alone provides him with a unique vantage point from which to view his chosen subject matter. He has served business and industry as a top-level executive, responsible for over $200 million in assets and as a consultant. And he is an inveterate reader, student, mountain climber, karate instructor, swimmer and jogger, as well as a husband and father. Brian Tracy is in touch with himself...with the times...and with people. This makes him the ideal author/narrator of The Psychology of Achievement. The Psychology of Achievement has been presented to more than 5,000 persons since its recent inception as a seminar program. Corporate sponsors have included firms both large and small, including IBM and TWA. Brian Tracy holds a B. Comm. and MBA and is president of his own firm, the Institute for Executive Development." "Twelve Exciting Audio Sessions: (1.) Building a Positive Self-Concept. The success instinct. Its six ingredients. The locus of control... (2.) Accepting Responsibility and Taking Charge. Anger, blaming, accepting guilt, worry-why they should be eliminated... (3.) Programming for Success. Improving self-esteem. Selecting a reference group right for you. Five steps to changing your belief structure... (4.) Goals and Goal Achieving. Develping specific goals for your life. Why goals are important. Obstacles to goals... (5.) Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making. Raising expectations=raising performance. The supraconscious solution. Why adversity shouldn't always be unwelcome. (6.) Superior Human Relations. How to develop and maintain winning relationships. Why self-esteem is requisite. The secret to building self-esteem in others..." [from case, cassettes and paper document]
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #74003 in Books
Published on: 1984
Binding: Audio Cassette
6 pages
Customer Reviews
The best newcomes self-help course!
I would recommend Brian Tracy's "The Psychology of Achievement" to anyone that is interested in getting into self-improvement and changing their entire life. There are tons of books and audio courses out there that are really good for self-improvement, but this is the best introductory one I could get my hands on.
Beware of movies like "The Secret" that try to create this fantasy that you can get what you want just by thinking of it. Brian Tracy does none of this in this course. He gives you an extremely detailed plan on how to get what you want in life and how to remove negative thinking patterns that are greatly responsible for where you are today.
Hope this helps!
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness (Penguin Psychology) By R. D. Laing
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #133641 in Books
Published on: 1965-08-30
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
224 pages
Customer Reviews
ontological roots of schizophrenia
This is an interesting book on how schizophrenia is more of an 'existential' problem than an illness. I think it has some real practical applications for those who work with this population. I wouldn't, however, throw out the more clinical way of viewing psychosis.
R. D. Laing is good
In particular, I endorse the back cover of another of his books, where it says that schizophrenics constantly try to escape because they perceive it is impossible to fulfill their needs. He stated it in a better way, of course; this is just how I remember it.
respect
i just think that this book should be one that everyone reads at some point in their lives (sooner rather than later!). it really gives you something special, something i have very rarely experienced in a book. open the book and open your mind!
Psychology Basics (Magill's Choice)
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1881516 in Books
Published on: 2004-12
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
1000 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The 127 essays here, averaging seven pages each, appeared originally in Magill's Encyclopedia of Social Science: Psychology (2003). All bibliographies have, according to the publisher, been updated; accordingly, one will find some books and articles dated 2004 among the annotated reading lists. An earlier edition of Psychology Basics (1998) was drawn from Survey of Social Science: Psychology (1993). Each clearly written essay and its accompanying matter provide a basic overview of the topic and guides to further study, both within and beyond these two volumes.
Essays address historical and contemporary issues, all major theoretical approaches, and topics ranging from psychological aspects of daily life to the varieties of abnormal behavior. In each entry, the type of psychology, field(s) of study, a brief abstract (which often contains a definition), and a list of key concepts precede the essay. The essay itself is subdivided into more discrete topics and followed by well--annotated sources for further study and a list of see also references. All entries are signed by contributors, who are almost entirely from American colleges and universities.
Other features add to the ease of use and reference value. Concluding volume 2 are a glossary, capsule biographies of prominent psychologists, an annotated Web-site directory, and a thorough index, with main entries in boldface. Black-and-white illustrations include diagrams and photographs of psychologists. A very helpful feature is the inclusion of DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria for relevant entries, such as Mental retardation, Phobias, and Substance use disorders.
Highly recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries not already owning Magill's Encyclopedia of Social Science: Psychology (2003). Craig Bunch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Qualitative Research in Psychology: Expanding Perspectives in Methodology and Design
Product Description
Qualitative Research in Psychology brings together a diverse group of scholars who share valuable qualitative research techniques and rich case examples. Qualitative methodologies and the different paradigms which guide them can be seen as both an alternative and complementary approach to quantification and positivism in social, personality, developmental, health, clinical, counseling, community and school psychology. Qualitative methodology seen as an alternative approach seeks to answer questions that cannot be answered through quantification, random sampling, probability testing and other measures, which seek to control the environment of the participant. Viewed as a complementary approach to research, qualitative methodology can be utilized alongside quantitative methods, bringing a new depth and richness to data analysis. The wide variety of innovative techniques and theoretical perspectives offered in this volume will challenge readers to think about and expand on their understanding of qualitative research and its continually emerging applications.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #255338 in Books
Published on: 2003-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
315 pages
Editorial Reviews
Book Info
Columbia College, Chicago, IL. Text presents an integration of qualitative methods into academic and applied psychology. Also presents a compilation of material from experts with a variety of psychological perspectives who are establishing and using qualitative methods. Focuses on the benefits and limitations of both qualitative and quantative approaches.
Customer Reviews
Long Overdue
Psychological research has veered away from qualitative design, often because the methodologies have been misunderstood. Dr. Camic and his colleagues offer us a great deal in this book. Chapters talk about both attitude and strategies. Some are familiar methods, others are newer. It is an essential book for students and researchers, and I hope it will bring more psychologists back to qualitative work.
Friday, March 14, 2008
50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do; Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books by Tom Butler-Bowdon
Product Description
In his newest addition to the 50 Classics series, Butler-Bowden provides concise summaries and commentaries on fifty of the most influential works on the human mind and behavior, along with special features to provide additional context. Drawing on the rich vein of the classics as well as contemporary works, this book is a worthy addition to a series that has sold over 100,000 copies in English and been translated into 17 languages.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #63495 in Books
* Published on: 2007-01-25
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 324 pages
Editorial Reviews
VS Ramachandran, MD, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego
"This delightful book provides thoughtful and entertaining summaries of 50 of the most influential books in psychology. Its a "must read" for students contemplating a career in psychology."
From the Publisher
50 Psychology Classics is a thinking person's guide to popular psychology. In a journey that spans 50 books, hundreds of ideas, and over a century in time, it explores important contemporary writings such as Gladwell's Blink and Seligman's Authentic Happiness as well as wisdom from key figures in psychology's development.
EXPLORE the work of some of the greatest thinkers in psychology, including: Alfred Adler, Albert Ellis, Milton Erickson, Erik Erikson, Viktor Frankl, Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud, Harry Harlow, Karen Horney, William James, Carl Jung, Afred Kinsey, Melanie Klein, RD Laing, Abraham Maslow, Stanley Milgram, Ivan Pavlov, Fritz Perls, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, BF Skinner
GAIN insights into the scientific research of leading contemporary psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists.
DISCOVER why we think and act the way we do through the landmark bestsellers of psychology.
With insightful commentaries on each classic, biographical information on the authors, plus a guide to further key titles, 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS provides a unique overview of this fascinating subject.
From the Inside Flap
"A brilliant synthesis. With clarity and intelligence, the author makes complex ideas accessible and practical. I found myself thinking over and over again, Oh, that's what that guy meant."
Douglas Stone, Harvard Law School and co-author of Difficult Conversations
We would all like to know the secrets of human nature - who we are, how we think, and what we do. 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS explores writings from such iconic figures as Freud Adler, Jung, Skinner, James, Piaget, and Pavlov, and also highlights the work of contemporary psychologists such as Howard Gardner, Daniel Gilbert, and Martin Seligman. In addition, there are fascinating insights from writers and thinkers like Isabel Briggs Myers, Eric Hoffer, and William Styron.
The focus is on 'psychology for non psychologists', books that everyone can read and be enlightened by, or that were expressly written for a general audience. We are in a new golden age of popular psychology writing, and 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS reveals a diversity of ideas:
What happiness really is
How intuition can save your life
The secrets to better communication and influencing skills
The science behind successful relationships
Why smart people get swept up in mass movements
Also exploring some of psychology's most famous experiments and research, such as Stanley Milgram's chilling demonstrations of the human willingness to obey authority, Harry Harlow's work with baby monkeys revealing the importance of physical contact to mental health, and Alfred Kinsey's pot-stirring revelations about people's real sex lives, 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS highlights the often surprising scientific work that has changed what we believe about ourselves and what makes people tick.
Customer Reviews
Bulter-Bowdon Has delivered the quintessential text for psych majors or anyone wanting an overview of Psychology5
This is now the fourth CLassics book I've read and I have yet to be disappointed. I can't wait to pick up the continuation 50 More Psychology Classics.The Power of Inner Guidance: Seven Steps to Tune In and Turn On
An excellent guide to sources that can help us to "make a real difference" in our lives5
Previously, I read and reviewed Tom Butler-Bowdon's 50 Self-Help Classics and 50 Success Classics and was not surprised to find that his most recently published volume in the "50 Classics" series is their equal in terms of the quality and value of the material provided. Butler-Bowdon employs essentially the same format for the three volumes: brief background on each source, major insights, final comments, and mini-bio of author. The "great thinkers" he discusses in 50 Psychology Classics are also organized in alphabetical order, although I would have preferred (one man's opinion) that they had been organized within discrete thematic clusters, and not in alphabetical order but in terms of sequence of influence. Sigmund Freud followed by Carl Jung and Alfred Adler and then Anna Freud followed by B.F. Skinner, for example. Frankly, as I checked out the table of contents, I was initially surprised to see Edward de Bono, Howard Gardner, Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Goleman, Steven Pinker, Gail Sheehy, and William Styron among the "iconic figures" listed so I read their segments first and, sure enough, Butler-Bowdon explains the inclusion of each.
In the Introduction, he provides an overview on the development of modern psychology as a field of study, once "early titans" (e.g. Williams James, Sigmund Freud, Jung, and Adler) had written books that the general public could understand. Within the Introduction, he also suggests seven themes that offer different perspectives on "who we are, how we think, and what we do" and assigns to each a cluster of relevant commentaries. Readers can then decide which themes are of greatest interest to them, and, on which selections to focus. For example, five sources are suggested for "Tapping the unconscious mind: Wisdom of a different kind." They are:
The Gift of Fear (Gavin de Becker)
My Voice Will Go With You (Milton Erickson by Sidney Rosen)
The Interpretation of Dreams (Sigmund Freud)
Blink (Malcolm Gladwell)
The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Carl Jung)
I read some books cover-to-cover sequentially; with others, I hop around back and forth in random fashion; with still others, I read strategically after checking out the table of contents, as I did with this one. My guess (only a guess) is the latter approach will work best for most readers and many may decide what to read and in what order after reviewing the seven thematic clusters in the Introduction. For those who feel overwhelmed by the number of books in print and need help selecting what will be of greatest interest to them, the volumes in the "50 Classics" series will be especially valuable.
I view Butler-Bowdon is an erudite "travel agent" for readers, but also as an enthusiastic "tour guide" who then accompanies them from one "landmark" to the next. One of this book's several value-added benefits is that Butler-Bowdon discusses several authors and works of which many (if not most) of his readers may have been previously unaware. He also does a skillful job of comparing and contrasting perspectives on a specific subject as in this volume, for example, when noting that a "central idea in Adlerian psychology is that individuals are always striving toward a goal. Whereas Freud saw us as driven by what was in our past, Adler had a teleological view - they we are driven by our goals, whether they are conscious or not."
Those who share my regard for this book are urged to check out the other volumes in the "50 Classics" series. To those in business, I also highly recommend several volumes in the Capstone reference series written by Des Dearlove, notably The Ultimate Book of Business Thinking.
Psychology overview for non-psychologists5
This book offers an engaging overview of 50, for the most part, widely popular psychology books as well as short biographies of their authors. Knowing the backgrounds of these psychologists helps to understand where they are coming from and what motivated them to explore a particular area of human mind, or behavior and arrive at particular conclusions.
Some of the authors covered are William James, Sigmund Freud, Karl Gustav Jung, Abraham Maslow, Dr. Milton Erickson (as a hypnotherapist, I was thrilled that he was mentioned here), Robert Cialdini, David Burns, and many others who have contributed not only to the greater understanding of human mind and behavior, but also to creating methods and techniques some appropriate for use within therapeutic environment and others designed to help people to use on their own to cope better with life's challenges, to feel better and to live more satisfying lives.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do; Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books by Tom Butler-Bowdon
Product Description
In his newest addition to the 50 Classics series, Butler-Bowden provides concise summaries and commentaries on fifty of the most influential works on the human mind and behavior, along with special features to provide additional context. Drawing on the rich vein of the classics as well as contemporary works, this book is a worthy addition to a series that has sold over 100,000 copies in English and been translated into 17 languages.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #23926 in Books
* Published on: 2007-01-25
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 324 pages
Editorial Reviews
VS Ramachandran, MD, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego
"This delightful book provides thoughtful and entertaining summaries of 50 of the most influential books in psychology. Its a "must read" for students contemplating a career in psychology."
From the Publisher
50 Psychology Classics is a thinking person's guide to popular psychology. In a journey that spans 50 books, hundreds of ideas, and over a century in time, it explores important contemporary writings such as Gladwell's Blink and Seligman's Authentic Happiness as well as wisdom from key figures in psychology's development.
EXPLORE the work of some of the greatest thinkers in psychology, including: Alfred Adler, Albert Ellis, Milton Erickson, Erik Erikson, Viktor Frankl, Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud, Harry Harlow, Karen Horney, William James, Carl Jung, Afred Kinsey, Melanie Klein, RD Laing, Abraham Maslow, Stanley Milgram, Ivan Pavlov, Fritz Perls, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, BF Skinner
GAIN insights into the scientific research of leading contemporary psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists.
DISCOVER why we think and act the way we do through the landmark bestsellers of psychology.
With insightful commentaries on each classic, biographical information on the authors, plus a guide to further key titles, 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS provides a unique overview of this fascinating subject.
From the Inside Flap
"A brilliant synthesis. With clarity and intelligence, the author makes complex ideas accessible and practical. I found myself thinking over and over again, Oh, that's what that guy meant."
Douglas Stone, Harvard Law School and co-author of Difficult Conversations
We would all like to know the secrets of human nature - who we are, how we think, and what we do. 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS explores writings from such iconic figures as Freud Adler, Jung, Skinner, James, Piaget, and Pavlov, and also highlights the work of contemporary psychologists such as Howard Gardner, Daniel Gilbert, and Martin Seligman. In addition, there are fascinating insights from writers and thinkers like Isabel Briggs Myers, Eric Hoffer, and William Styron.
The focus is on 'psychology for non psychologists', books that everyone can read and be enlightened by, or that were expressly written for a general audience. We are in a new golden age of popular psychology writing, and 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS reveals a diversity of ideas:
What happiness really is
How intuition can save your life
The secrets to better communication and influencing skills
The science behind successful relationships
Why smart people get swept up in mass movements
Also exploring some of psychology's most famous experiments and research, such as Stanley Milgram's chilling demonstrations of the human willingness to obey authority, Harry Harlow's work with baby monkeys revealing the importance of physical contact to mental health, and Alfred Kinsey's pot-stirring revelations about people's real sex lives, 50 PSYCHOLOGY CLASSICS highlights the often surprising scientific work that has changed what we believe about ourselves and what makes people tick.
Customer Reviews
Bulter-Bowdon Has delivered the quintessential text for psych majors or anyone wanting an overview of Psychology5
This is now the fourth CLassics book I've read and I have yet to be disappointed. I can't wait to pick up the continuation 50 More Psychology Classics.The Power of Inner Guidance: Seven Steps to Tune In and Turn On
An excellent guide to sources that can help us to "make a real difference" in our lives5
Previously, I read and reviewed Tom Butler-Bowdon's 50 Self-Help Classics and 50 Success Classics and was not surprised to find that his most recently published volume in the "50 Classics" series is their equal in terms of the quality and value of the material provided. Butler-Bowdon employs essentially the same format for the three volumes: brief background on each source, major insights, final comments, and mini-bio of author. The "great thinkers" he discusses in 50 Psychology Classics are also organized in alphabetical order, although I would have preferred (one man's opinion) that they had been organized within discrete thematic clusters, and not in alphabetical order but in terms of sequence of influence. Sigmund Freud followed by Carl Jung and Alfred Adler and then Anna Freud followed by B.F. Skinner, for example. Frankly, as I checked out the table of contents, I was initially surprised to see Edward de Bono, Howard Gardner, Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Goleman, Steven Pinker, Gail Sheehy, and William Styron among the "iconic figures" listed so I read their segments first and, sure enough, Butler-Bowdon explains the inclusion of each.
In the Introduction, he provides an overview on the development of modern psychology as a field of study, once "early titans" (e.g. Williams James, Sigmund Freud, Jung, and Adler) had written books that the general public could understand. Within the Introduction, he also suggests seven themes that offer different perspectives on "who we are, how we think, and what we do" and assigns to each a cluster of relevant commentaries. Readers can then decide which themes are of greatest interest to them, and, on which selections to focus. For example, five sources are suggested for "Tapping the unconscious mind: Wisdom of a different kind." They are:
The Gift of Fear (Gavin de Becker)
My Voice Will Go With You (Milton Erickson by Sidney Rosen)
The Interpretation of Dreams (Sigmund Freud)
Blink (Malcolm Gladwell)
The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Carl Jung)
I read some books cover-to-cover sequentially; with others, I hop around back and forth in random fashion; with still others, I read strategically after checking out the table of contents, as I did with this one. My guess (only a guess) is the latter approach will work best for most readers and many may decide what to read and in what order after reviewing the seven thematic clusters in the Introduction. For those who feel overwhelmed by the number of books in print and need help selecting what will be of greatest interest to them, the volumes in the "50 Classics" series will be especially valuable.
I view Butler-Bowdon is an erudite "travel agent" for readers, but also as an enthusiastic "tour guide" who then accompanies them from one "landmark" to the next. One of this book's several value-added benefits is that Butler-Bowdon discusses several authors and works of which many (if not most) of his readers may have been previously unaware. He also does a skillful job of comparing and contrasting perspectives on a specific subject as in this volume, for example, when noting that a "central idea in Adlerian psychology is that individuals are always striving toward a goal. Whereas Freud saw us as driven by what was in our past, Adler had a teleological view - they we are driven by our goals, whether they are conscious or not."
Those who share my regard for this book are urged to check out the other volumes in the "50 Classics" series. To those in business, I also highly recommend several volumes in the Capstone reference series written by Des Dearlove, notably The Ultimate Book of Business Thinking.
Psychology overview for non-psychologists5
This book offers an engaging overview of 50, for the most part, widely popular psychology books as well as short biographies of their authors. Knowing the backgrounds of these psychologists helps to understand where they are coming from and what motivated them to explore a particular area of human mind, or behavior and arrive at particular conclusions.
Some of the authors covered are William James, Sigmund Freud, Karl Gustav Jung, Abraham Maslow, Dr. Milton Erickson (as a hypnotherapist, I was thrilled that he was mentioned here), Robert Cialdini, David Burns, and many others who have contributed not only to the greater understanding of human mind and behavior, but also to creating methods and techniques some appropriate for use within therapeutic environment and others designed to help people to use on their own to cope better with life's challenges, to feel better and to live more satisfying lives.
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