Psychology: Home

This accessible introductory text addresses the core knowledge domain of biological psychology, with focused coverage of the central concepts, research and debates in this key area. Biological Psychology outlines the importance and purpose of the biological approach and contextualises it with other perspectives in psychology, emphasizing the interaction between biology and the environment. Learning features including case studies, review questions and assignments are provided to aid students′ understanding and promote a critical approach. Extended critical thinking and skill-builder activities develop the reader′s higher-level academic skills.

Written for graduate students and trainees in mental health, this is the only text to present neurobiology in the context of clinical issues rather than merely focusing on experimental approaches to biological psychology or structuring it along neurological systems. In clear, easily accessible language the text explains how the brain and nervous system are linked to mental disorders. It integrates information from many aspects of neurobiological research, including imaging, neuropsychology, and genetics in order to foster an in-depth understanding of the psychiatric presentation of disorders that mental health professionals encounter in their practices. To facilitate student learning and clarify the connection between neurobiological foundations and clinical presentation, the text includes case studies, cognitive data, imaging results, genetic testing results, and illustrations. It examines major psychological disorders from behavioral, emotional, biological, cognitive and neurophysiological perspectives as they relate to brain structure and the major systems. Special topic sections highlight ethical, research, and treatment concerns for mental health practitioners. Each chapter concludes with summations and review questions. Written for graduate level students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs, the text fulfills APA accreditation requirements for coursework in the biological bases of behavior. While the text s primary aim is to help students understand neurobiological information as an important component of a therapeutic framework, it also concisely addresses micro and macro anatomy as relates to neurobiology. Also included are such supplementary teaching materials as test questions and PowerPoint slides of illustrations. Key Features: Focuses on the connection between neurobiology and clinical presentation Presents complex information clearly and concisely Highlights special topics in neurobiology ethics, research, and treatment Integrates information from imaging, neuropsychology, and genetics testing Prepares graduate students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology for professional practice "

A novel theoretical framework that describes a possible rationale for the regularity in how we move, how we learn, and how our brain predicts events. In Biological Learning and Control, Reza Shadmehr and Sandro Mussa-Ivaldi present a theoretical framework for understanding the regularity of the brain's perceptions, its reactions to sensory stimuli, and its control of movements. They offer an account of perception as the combination of prediction and observation: the brain builds internal models that describe what should happen and then combines this prediction with reports from the sensory system to form a belief. Considering the brain's control of movements, and variations despite biomechanical similarities among old and young, healthy and unhealthy, and humans and other animals, Shadmehr and Mussa-Ivaldi review evidence suggesting that motor commands reflect an economic decision made by our brain weighing reward and effort. This evidence also suggests that the brain prefers to receive a reward sooner than later, devaluing or discounting reward with the passage of time; then as the value of the expected reward changes in the brain with the passing of time (because of development, disease, or evolution), the shape of our movements will also change. The internal models formed by the brain provide the brain with an essential survival skill: the ability to predict based on past observations. The formal concepts presented by Shadmehr and Mussa-Ivaldi offer a way to describe how representations are formed, what structure they have, and how the theoretical concepts can be tested.

Developmental systems theory provides powerful tools for predicting complex, dynamic interactions among biological and environmental processes in human behavior and health. This groundbreaking handbook provides a roadmap for integrating key concepts of developmental systems theory (such as self-organization, reciprocal dynamic interaction, and probabilistic epigenesis) and simulation models (connectionist and agent-based models) with advanced dynamic modeling approaches for testing these theories and models. Internationally renowned developmental science scholars present innovations in research design, measurement, and analysis that offer new means of generating evidence-based decisions to optimize the course of health and positive functioning across the life span. Topics include epigenetic development and evolution; the relationship between neural systems growth and psychological development; the role of family environments in shaping children's cognitive skills and associated adult outcomes, and more.

This accessible introductory text addresses the core knowledge domain of biological psychology, with focused coverage of the central concepts, research and debates in this key area. Biological Psychology outlines the importance and purpose of the biological approach and contextualises it with other perspectives in psychology, emphasizing the interaction between biology and the environment. Learning features including case studies, review questions and assignments are provided to aid students′ understanding and promote a critical approach. Extended critical thinking and skill-builder activities develop the reader′s higher-level academic skills.

Written for graduate students and trainees in mental health, this is the only text to present neurobiology in the context of clinical issues rather than merely focusing on experimental approaches to biological psychology or structuring it along neurological systems. In clear, easily accessible language the text explains how the brain and nervous system are linked to mental disorders. It integrates information from many aspects of neurobiological research, including imaging, neuropsychology, and genetics in order to foster an in-depth understanding of the psychiatric presentation of disorders that mental health professionals encounter in their practices. To facilitate student learning and clarify the connection between neurobiological foundations and clinical presentation, the text includes case studies, cognitive data, imaging results, genetic testing results, and illustrations. It examines major psychological disorders from behavioral, emotional, biological, cognitive and neurophysiological perspectives as they relate to brain structure and the major systems. Special topic sections highlight ethical, research, and treatment concerns for mental health practitioners. Each chapter concludes with summations and review questions. Written for graduate level students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs, the text fulfills APA accreditation requirements for coursework in the biological bases of behavior. While the text s primary aim is to help students understand neurobiological information as an important component of a therapeutic framework, it also concisely addresses micro and macro anatomy as relates to neurobiology. Also included are such supplementary teaching materials as test questions and PowerPoint slides of illustrations. Key Features: Focuses on the connection between neurobiology and clinical presentation Presents complex information clearly and concisely Highlights special topics in neurobiology ethics, research, and treatment Integrates information from imaging, neuropsychology, and genetics testing Prepares graduate students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology for professional practice "

Revisiting the Classic Studies is a series of texts that introduces readers to the studies in psychology that changed the way we think about core topics in the discipline today.  It provokes students to ask more interesting and challenging questions about the field by encouraging a deeper level of engagement both with the details of the studies themselves and with the nature of their contribution. Edited by leading scholars in their field and written by researchers at the cutting edge of these developments, the chapters in each text provide details of the original works and their theoretical and empirical impact, and then discuss the ways in which thinking and research has advanced in the years since the studies were conducted.  Brain and Behaviour: Revisiting the Classic Studies traces 17 ground-breaking studies by researchers such as Gage, Luria, Sperry, and Tulving to re-examine and reflect on their findings and engage in a lively discussion of the subsequent work that they have inspired.       Suitable for students on neuropsychology courses at all levels, as well as anyone with an enquiring mind.

This is a concise and student-friendly survey of the burgeoning field of evolutionary psychology (EP) and the controversies that surround it. Evolutionary psychology is an approach to studying human behavior that is rooted in modern evolutionary theory. Firmly grounded in the theoretical and research literature of EP, the book addresses the core theories, approaches, applications, and current findings that comprise this discipline. It is unique in its interdisciplinary focus, which encompasses EP's impact on both psychological and non-psychological disciplines. Written by an eminent evolutionary psychologist who is President of the Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society, the text examines psychological processes that lead to human survival and those that may lead to reproductive benefits-sometimes even at a cost to survival. It cites a rich body of literature that provides insights into the role of sexual selection in shaping the human mind. The text presents current research on such important domains of EP as childhood, courtship, intrasexual competition, sex, pair-bonding, parenting, familial relations, non-familial relations, aggression, and altruism. Considering the potential of EP to mitigate some of our greatest social problems, the text examines the ways in which EP can be applied to society and religion. It also offers a thoughtful, balanced approach to such controversies in EP as the issues of genetic determinism, racism, and sexism. Key Features: .: Provides a broad survey one of the most recent, widely researched, and controversial fields to emerge in psychology over the past 20 years; Written by an eminent evolutionary psychologist who is President of the Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society; Presents EP concepts in an accessible, student-friendly way; Offers a unique interdisciplinary focus that addresses the impact of EP on both psychological and non-psychological disciplines; Emphasizes controversies within the field of evolutionary psychology and includes critiques of EP from people outside this disciplin

This timely text examines normative and pathological brain/behavior connections across the male lifespan, and how these findings can best inform research, intervention, and prevention. It spotlights possible etiologies for male-dominated pathology, including academic deficits and disorders relating to violence, as well as identifying men's psychological resilience and vulnerabilities throughout life. Clinical and social issues are intricately linked here, particularly in areas such as substance abuse, emotion processing, and sequelae of brain trauma. In these ways, the text moves on from the simplistic view of males as the standard in psychological studies while respecting complicated questions about biology and environment that have yet to be resolved. Since the inception of psychology, much research has focused specifically on men but few studies have offered distinctive interventions developed to help this unique male population. This volume fills the chasm left from many seminal studies. Among the featured topics: ·       Imaging and development: relevant findings in males. ·       Understanding the neuropsychology of autism spectrum disorders in men. ·       Understanding disorders of defiance, aggression, and violence in males. ·       Serving men with traumatic brain injuries. ·       Men at risk: special education and incarceration. ·       The neuropsychological basis of emotion and social cognition in men. The Neuropsychology of Men offers neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists an evidence-based framework for understanding male-specific cognitive and behavioral trends in the normative population, and for identifying and addressing challenges in boys and men outside the norm.  

Personality Development across the Lifespan examines the development of personality characteristics from childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood, and old age. It provides a comprehensive overview of theoretical perspectives, methods, and empirical findings of personality and developmental psychology, also detailing insights on how individuals differ from each other, how they change during life, and how these changes relate to biological and environmental factors, including major life events, social relationships, and health. The book begins with chapters on personality development in different life phases before moving on to theoretical perspectives, the development of specific personality characteristics, and personality development in relation to different contexts, like close others, health, and culture. Final sections cover methods in research on the topic and the future directions of research in personality development.

Known for its clear, straightforward writing style, grounding in current research, and well-chosen visuals and examples, Sigelman and Rider's text combines a topical organization at the chapter level and an age/stage organization within each chapter. Each chapter focuses on a domain of development such as physical growth, cognition, or personality and traces developmental trends and influences in that domain from infancy to old age. Each chapter also includes sections on infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The organization helps you grasp key transformations that occur in each period of the life span. Other staples of the text are its emphasis on theories and their application to different aspects of development and its focus on the interplay of nature and nurture in development. This edition includes new research on biological and sociocultural influences on life-span development and offers new media resources that help you engage more actively with the content.

Feel intimidated by the life-span course? You're in good hands with HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: A LIFE-SPAN VIEW, 8th Edition, as your guide. Complete, yet succinct and filled with real-life examples that aid understanding, the text has proven its ability to capture students' interest while introducing them to the issues, forces, and outcomes that make us who we are. The efficient organization (chronological, but with a few chapters on key topical issues) allows this text to be briefer than many other texts for the same course. The material is relevant, too: You'll gain the foundations in important theories and research that enable you to become an educated interpreter of developmental information in your future career. In addition, basic and applied research along with controversial topics and emergent trends demonstrate connections between the laboratory and life.

Human development is fascinating. This text uses a life-stage approach to present development across the life span, drawing on the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson to provide a conceptual framework. The authors address physical, intellectual, social, and emotional growth in 11 life stages, from the prenatal period through elderhood, focusing on the idea that development results from the interdependence of individuals and their environments at every stage, and placing special emphasis on how optimal development may be fostered throughout life. They also provide many cases that show you how research and theories can be applied to contemporary issues, the diversity of experiences that are possible at a certain period of life, and how people cope with challenges they face at various points in life.

The SAGE Handbook of Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education explores a range of issues in early childhood development and education. With the expertise of a body of international contributors, the chapters provide a much-needed overview of current and future direction for the field. Employing a broad and comprehensive focus, the Handbook combines research and practice to investigate emotional and social development, well-being and mental health, language, cultural environments, as well as the role of parents in a child's development. Through the structure of the book, readers are guided through a wide range of educational and developmental discourses, arranged across the following thematic parts: Part One: Emotional Development; Part Two: Social Development; Part Three: Play, Development and Learning; Part Four: Memory and Understanding; Part Five: Learning, Language and Literacy; Part Six: Executive Functions, Metacognition and Self-Regulation. The book concludes with an examination of the key aspects of early development which need to be the focus of high quality early childhood education.

IV. Developmental & Social Psychology: Simona Ghetti (Volume Editor) (Topics covered include development of visual attention; self-evaluation; moral development; emotion-cognition interactions; person perception; memory; implicit social cognition; motivation group processes; development of scientific thinking; language acquisition; development of mathematical reasoning; emotion regulation; emotional development; development of theory of mind; category and conceptual development; attitudes; executive function.)

Fully revised and expanded, the second edition of this best-selling resource provides expert guidance for primary pediatric health care professionals on caring for children with developmental and behavioral concerns - from medical evaluation and care initiation to transition to adulthood. New chapters cover *Environmental and biological influences on child development and behavior *Development and disorders of feeding, sleep, and elimination Topics include *Counseling children and families *The role of early childhood adversity and toxic stress and the impact on child development and behavior *Medical evaluation of children with developmental-behavioral disorders *Developmental surveillance, screening, and evaluation *Autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, learning disability, ADHD, and cerebral palsy *Anxiety and mood disorders *Evidence-based interventions, including psychopharmacology *Social and community services for children with developmental-behavioral disorders and their families *How to appropriately bill and code for care *Transitioning to adult medical care  

The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant is the first comprehensive examination of mattering that is discussed in terms of associated motives, cognitions, emotions and behaviors. As mattering involves the self in relation to other people, the book tackles key relational themes of internal working models of attachment, transactional processes, and more. Extensive analysis from a conceptual perspective is balanced by a similar analysis of mattering from an applied perspective, specifically the relevance of mattering in clinical and counseling contexts, in assessment and treatment. The book is supported by recent empirical advances making it an authoritative text on the psychology of mattering that will heighten awareness of mattering by informing academic scholars and the general public. Defines mattering and its various facets Explains the importance of mattering in predicting key life outcomes Provides a narrative perspective on the importance of mattering in people's lives Discusses mattering in terms of self-esteem, perfectionism, self-compassion, and vulnerabilities and resilience Describes assessment scales for measuring mattering Details links between mattering and anxiety, depression and suicide

A rigorous critique of how science has promoted an ideology of limited intelligence and social inequality--and how to overcome it.

The first and only comprehensive review of current early childhood development theory, practices, policies, and the science behind them This unique and important bookprovides a comprehensive overview of the current theory, practices, and policies in early childhood development withinthe contexts of family, school, and community, and society at large. Moreover, it synthesizes scientifically rigorous research from an array of disciplines in an effort to identify the most effective strategies for promoting early childhood development. Research into childhood development is booming, and the scientific knowledge base concerning early childhood development is now greater than that of any other stage of the human life span. At the same time, efforts to apply that knowledge to early childhood practices, programs, and policies have never been greater or more urgent. Yet, surprisingly, until The Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies, there was no comprehensive, critical review of the applied science in the field. The book begins with in-depth coverage of child and family approaches. From there it moves onto a consideration of school- and community-based strategies. It concludes with a discussion of current social policies on health and development in early childhood and their implications.  Provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the knowledge base, along with guidance for the future of the field Examines the underlying theory and basic science guiding efforts to promote early childhood development Critically reviews the strength of the empirical support for individual practices, programs, and policies Explores key opportunities and barriers policymakers and practitioners face when implementing various approaches Pays particular attention to socioeconomically disadvantaged and other disenfranchised populations The Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies is a valuable resource for practitioners, scholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduate students across the social sciences who are interested in strengthening their understanding of current strategies for promoting early childhood development and the science informing those strategies.

Gender and the Life Course is an interdisciplinary collection of essays on the lives of women and men as they are affected by history, culture, demography, economic and political stratification, and the biopsychological processes that attend maturation and aging. The book covers three major topics. Part I, which examines gender and the life course in broad historical perspective, includes a summary of recent work in biological ecology and primatology, and an analysis of the persistence of cultural and gender differences in role organization in societies undergoing the transition from agrarianism to industrialism. Other essays trace the changes in sources of household income of industrial workers over the life span, and review temporal and gender differences in life span transitions.Part II examines gender differentiation in a variety of contexts: psychological, psychobiologi-cal, and sociological. Alice Rossi's ASA Presidential Address reviews recent work on fathering and mothering, and argues that sociological explanations of such gender differences need supplementation by concepts from evolutionary theory and the neurosciences. Three essays deal with gender and economy: one shows how gender stratification took hold in the early stages of industrialization in France, another demonstrates the persistence of gender stratification in modern economies, the third focuses on ideology in relation to gender and political power.Part III examines various aspects of the aged in contemporary society, including an argument for an jnterpretive social science that uses diverse methods to improve our ability to describe and interpret many facets of the lives of elderly men and women; a review of the methodology used to study changes in the aged population over time; and an overview of existing data sets that permit further cohort and longitudinal analyses of the aged. The final essays review social policies as they affect the elderly, with particular attention to the fact that most very old people are women, and the impact of the greatly expanded life course for family and kin relations.Gender and the Life Course is a state-of-the-art assessment of the best work currently being done' on gender and age a's maturational factors and is essential reading for anyone interested in adult development and gender roles.