Introduction to psychology book pdf

Autism spectrum disorder needs updating as well. The statistics graph is taken from and not from The statement that "Most Psychologists go into research" does not seem accurate. Students are exploring their career options in the fields of Social Science.

The statement that "emotional IQ texts are unreliable" in summary of chapter 9 also does not seem accurate, unless unreliability is defined and also applied to intelligence IQ tests. This text is written and designed well in a format that would be easy to implement updates. I would include more female psychologists and their work. It is missing cultural diversity. I would also add some of the new movements in Psychology, such as Positive Psychology, Epigenetics, Neurogenesis, Cultural Psychology, Energy Psychology, Health Psychology and alternative treatments in Naturopathic Medicine for healing illness.

The book could use more examples that are related to young people and their daily life. I appreciate the section in chapter 6 on Parenting as an example. The text is well written and in language that student's can easily understand.

Technical terms are explained well and references related to content. The book does not seem overwelming which many college textbooks seem to be. Based on the amount of time given to teach an Introductory course, this book has some advantages. Consistency and framework of the text are great. Terminology well defined and used in a consistent fashion Author's dual theme of behavior and empiricism flows well throughout his work.

Structure of presenting each topic is the same in each chapter. The sub units in the textbook make it easy to teach and to break into lesson plans. There is a smooth flow to the subject matter. It would be helpful to have a section bridging one subject to the next so that students could see the interface and relationship of each topic; very little disruption moving from one topic to the next.

In some places, the font seems a bit small. Organization, structure and topical format seems very logical and clear. Text is missing a chapter on Health and Stress Management which highly relevant to the life of a college student. The textbook includes graphs and visuals that are appealing and easy to study.

History of Psychology section has a great chart. Like the videos spotted throughout the text. I would include a chart on the various careers in Psychology since young people are exploring job options.

The author appears to be careful about cultural sensitivity. However, it lacks examples, case studies research and critical thinking exercises that would bring forth more cultural education for the reader. Young people are growing up with global consciousness and curiosity about ethnic and cultural diversity. Important to include Native American perspectives also.

Some excellent video clips from around the world that pertain to every subject studied in an introductory Psychology course. I appreciate this textbook and would consider using it at the community college level.

All of the sections have clear content, great graphs and visuals, and stories pertinent to the subject matter. I would include a section on lucid dreaming in chapter 5 on consciousness. I would also include some of the research on the evolution and phenomenology of consciousness separate from the brain.

Student's are fascinated by these topics and it is very relevant to their developmental processes. Integrating practices in Positive Psychology, such as meditation, mindfulness and references to this field of study would be very valuable. Kohlberg's work on Moral Development and Bronfenbrenner's Model could also be included in the chapter on developmental Psychology. Two versions of this text were compared across formats, the open source 1.

For those who are curious, the unattributed author is Dr. Charles Stangor, who prefaces the textbook by stating that the focus of Introduction to Psychology is on behavior and empiricism.

This emphasis is further supported with chapter openers that focus specifically on real-world examples in applied domains, as well as additional exercises and critical thinking activities for readers. Generally, this text compared favorably in terms of comprehensiveness to other introduction to Psychology textbooks.

Research methods, biological psychology, neuroscience, sensation and perception, consciousness, human development, learning, memory, intelligence, language, emotion, motivation, social process, personality, and psychological disorders are all represented.

The represented areas of psychology all align with other introductory texts e. I did not note any major areas of psychology missing; however some other users have suggested that the social processes chapter may be more appropriate as the final chapter in the text. A test-bank, instructor manual, and lecture slides are also available with version 2.

A table of contents is available, as is a marginal glossary for each chapter. I did not encounter any glaring accuracy errors in theoretical or research content. As with any introductory psychological textbook, the author typically demonstrates the greatest conceptual accuracy and strength in their own content area social psychology, in this instance.

In other areas for example, cognitive processes , I found some issues with how certain aspects were described, however these are better related to clarity than accuracy see below. In terms of content relevance, the author provided adequate citations of seminal studies that one would expect in an introductory textbook.

I also appreciated the applications to everyday life that appeared at the end of each chapter, which also contained many recent studies to help students better understand cutting-edge work in the field. For example, as a cognitive psychologist, there were some concepts within the learning and memory chapters that I would generally explain differently to students to increase clarity. Specifically, I would suggest a cleaner distinction between cognitive processes and memory storage areas; and a better explanation of the important differences between working memory and short-term memory.

Each chapter contains the same organization and layout: A real-world showcase of the chapter content, an application in the chapter of applications to real world problems, and a focus on empirical research studies. Generally, later chapters that build on understanding psychological research methods can be replaced or reorganized as seen fit by the instructor.

However Chapters are better left in their original order so students can build on basic descriptions of psychological science, research methods, and biological origins of behavior. As noted earlier, some users have reported a preference for moving Chapter Psychology in Our Social Lives to the end of an instructional sequence. Chapter organization is well replicated across the textbook and appears in a similar sequence as other introductory texts. Content generally builds upon less complicated content to more complex theories and findings.

As noted by the author, this text is somewhat shorter than other introductory texts, which may be of interest to instructors. The html version of 1. However there is no option for a full text search within the native html environment.

Several reference links did not function, suggesting that this version may need updating see the 2. While some sentences were awkward for introductory readers, I did not find any major grammatical issues. Apart from specifically focused content on socio-cultural issues, the focus of this text is not on specific differences between cultures; but on differences of individuals across cultures.

This is generally appropriate for an introductory psychology text. The textbook included the topics and chapters that I expect to be included in a General Psychology course. My attempt was to see this textbook from the perspective of a college freshman. Some may be psychology majors, however most will not. This may be the one chance for them to understand that psychology is important and to know the value of studying and appreciating human behavior.

I think this text meets that goal. The dramatic examples given to make the points known, will be remembered for a long time. Time passes quickly and with the digital speed of changing, few things can remain relevant for long periods of time. The book seems to be organized in a fashion so that the content can be updated quite easily when needed.

The text is written and arranged in a user friendly manner so that a freshman could quite easily read and comprehend the material. The consistency of the format and layout of the chapters allows the reader to know what to expect and thus provides a level of comfort going into a chapter that might otherwise be new and difficult for the reader.

The topics are arranged in an appropriate order. With the instructor bridging the topics, the precise order can be reordered to the preference of the teacher or needs of the students.

The order can easily be changed to match a relevant current event, [local or world] that might call a topic to be in the spotlight. The layout is impressive including: the introduction with the purpose of the chapter; the learning objectives; key words highlighted; charts; videos; key takeaways; experiences and critical thinking; everyday application examples; easy to locate reference citations at the point of topic; and the summary at the end of the chapter.

These all add variety, excitement, interest, and repetition of the concepts to be learned. In-depth information for each topic was provided and each chapter included questions that would facilitate active learning. The consistent reference to research and scientific literature was helpful and would allow students understand the importance of scientific inquiry in the field. I felt that more citations were needed throughout though, given the attempt of the author to reinforce the importance of scientific literature, particularly for highly charged information i.

In particular, an unusually low statistic of LGBTQ individuals was provided at one point and it was unclear where this information was drawn from. Text was published in and the most recent citations are from The text did discuss temporally relevant examples such as current TV shows which would likely draw students in. I also appreciated the helpful information about how to evaluate websites which is quite relevant given that students increasingly use and will use the internet to find information.

However, this text references to outdated DSM and therefor much information particularly related to the five axis system of diagnosis and that related to autism spectrum disorder is outdated. Text was written at an appropriate reading level of college students and avoided the overuse of technical jargon. The writing style and reading level of this text would be accessible to most first year college students. The text was consistent in its presentation of information regarding formatting, depth, and use of real life and research related examples.

Text was broken up into easily readable sections. Also, chapters are an appropriate length and are broken into reasonable length modules. The text was missing a table of contents and index in the PDF version which made it difficult to quickly review the flow of the book or where to find information.

The broad based introductions to chapters were inviting and provided an easy way to ease into a new topic area. Information flowed logically regarding the order of the topics across chapters. Sometimes key words were italicized and sometimes phrases were - text would have benefited from a consistent use of bolding to emphasize key terms. Some tables were somewhat lackluster whereas some were more engaging i. Some figure headings were not close to the actual figure in the PDF version.

Pictures would have made the text more engaging. There was also a missing figure at one point. There were references to video clips however it's unclear how to access them through the PDF version. I found minimal grammar errors however, there were several typos i. My largest critique of this text is in reference to the male and Euro-centric approach the material.

This is seen through examples used and pictures i. There was very little discussion of the importance of oppression, discrimination, power, and privilege related to human behavior and research.

There was little to no discussion of the historical impacts of psychologists of color or women psychologists. LGBTQ individuals were referred to as "homosexuals" which is outdated and offensive to many. This text would greatly benefit from more diversity in cultural examples and discussion of how human behavior is impacted by cultural identities.

I agree with other reviewers that while the book is concise and provides a good introduction to different domains of psychology the breadth and depth of discussion on certain topics i.

I am a developmental psychologist I am a developmental psychologist in training and will therefore focus my comments on Chapter Six Growing and Developing.

In this chapter, the author provides a review of classic theories in developmental psychology e. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. The discussion of Vygtosky's sociohistorical theory also lacks depth. I feel that an inclusion of current criticisms e. The content is accurate and for the most part unbiased. For the book to be relevant, examples must be up-to-date and meaningful to students. I find the many examples in this book interesting but from students' point of view, the examples may not be as appealing.

For example, there are few examples of relevant issues such as the use of mobile devices or social media throughout the chapters. However, for instructors who adopt the book, I do see the updates relatively easy and straightforward to implement. The written text is lucid and easy to understand. The flow from paragraph to paragraph is clear and intuitive.

The book is well organized and does not overwhelm the readers with enormous blocks of text. The key takeaways are useful for students to review important concepts in each section. The exercises and critical thinking are to some extent helpful to build on the concepts learned.

I also like some of the opening vignette e. However, I also agree with other reviewers that the modularity lacks transition between chapters and can send the unintended message that the different disciplines in psychology are compartmentalized instead of intertwined.

The chapters are well organized. Depending on the discipline of the instructor who adopts the text, the order of the textbook can be moved around. The graphs, images, diagrams, and illustrations are helpful to clarify difficult concepts e. IV and DV; assimilation vs.

Although the video clips are classics in any introduction to psychology courses and the inclusion of them a bonus, more recent video clips should be incorporated to improve the engagment of students. Other than some minor inconsistencies in font size with printed PDF version of the text, the text is easy to navigate and features are helpful.

The examples provided throughout the chapters are not culturally diverse and are therefore limited in their applicability. As previously mentioned, the introduction to Vygotsky's theory in Chapter Six Growing and Developing is brief and does not include a discussion on the cultural component of human development. The lack of emphasis on the cultural nature of human development is problematic especially in the United States when ethnic diversity is on the rise.

Consistent with his concern, his text is not as comprehensive as others I have used to teach introductory Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less.

Consistent with his concern, his text is not as comprehensive as others I have used to teach introductory psychology. Many of his chapters are also shorter in length and contain less content than the texts I would typically use. Some of the chapters combine topics e.

I suspect that this text may have initially been designed for use in an American one-semester introduction to psychology course. In BC, introductory psychology is offered across two semesters, often as two separate courses e. Some missing topics include an introduction to inferential statistics Ch. The text contains a Table of Contents but no Index. Although the author states in the Preface that the text contains a marginal glossary of key terms, I could not find such a glossary.

I found his use of Dr. Phil as an example of a psychologist to be misleading. He also seems to mention Freud a lot end of section 1. For example, in section 1. The discussion on the DSM and associated Figure The text would also benefit from the inclusion of more research on the impact of technology on student behaviour e.

If we want to show students why psychology matters, we need to present more research that is personally and contextually relevant to them e.

Adequate context is provided when introducing new psychological concepts and explaining them. One exception is in the box on emotional intelligence at the end of section 9. The terms reliability and construct validity are used without being previously discussed or defined. They are defined later in Chapter Chapters could be assigned in any order to accommodate introductory psychology courses which are typically offered as two courses.

However, I think this modularity comes at a price. Psychology is a discipline where there are recurring themes. I find the lack of delineated connection between chapters disconcerting. The one exception is the inclusion of a discussion of social dilemmas at the end of Chapter 7 on Learning. I am not sure if this was some glitch in the formatting of the version of the text I downloaded but it was exceedingly disruptive to the flow of reading.

I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out where the next sentence began after the reference! Also the font in a number of the Figures is too small to read for example, Fig.

There is an issue with the formatting of Table 5. It does not include any introduction to or discussion of the differences between individualistic and collectivist cultures. Although the author provides some research on ethnic and cultural differences e.

The following are some examples of where the discussion of cultural differences could be expanded: i How do cultural perceptions influence the onset and prognosis of psychological disorders? For example, many argue that happiness is only important in societies that emphasize individualism.

What type of self-serving attributions do people from collectivist cultures make? What does cross-cultural research reveal about the fundamental attribution error? No Canadian reviewers are listed. All American statistics would need to be replaced with Canadian ones e. Specifically, the section on ethics in Chapter 1 would need to be revised to be consistent with Canadian policies.

The discussion of Bilingualism and Cognitive Development in Chapter 9 needs to be modified to include the Canadian example of French Immersion.

The case at the beginning of Chapter 11 could be replaced with a Canadian twin example - there are many to choose from. Also, it would be nice to include some examples from our Aboriginal culture.

The Preface and Approach and Pedagogy sections of this text do a good job of declaring the focus on both human behaviour and empiricism and how this focus limits coverage of topics found in many other introductory textbooks. Limited coverage reduces number of chapters and chapter size. For example, it is customary to find an overview of all perspectives of psychology within the first chapter or two ie.

Stangor provides a table Table 1. Although humanistic psychology is covered in Chapter 11 Personality on page it comes much later in the text and is discussed in terms of personality theory development.

Although Stangor on p. Bronfenbrenner, i. There is also limited discussion of cultural differences and similarities regarding topics and research throughout the text. Including this in the printed copy would be helpful to students in order to navigate the material. Similarly, chapter summaries that include a list of key terms covered within a chapter have been very helpful to introductory psychology students.

The insertion of key terms at the end of a chapter along with an addition of a glossary for terminology would make this text more accessible and easy to navigate. This is an advantage over commercial texts; however, these links are not always easily accessible via the pdf, WORD, downloaded versions.

The HTML zip file did have these links. Although this text has a moderate number of basic images to illustrate concepts throughout each chapter, these could be updated and increased in number to keep students engaged with the material. Many other commercial introductory texts have more realistic and colourful images to depict concepts throughout each chapter.

For example, Chapter 7 Learning has four images including charts and graphs while other commercial introductory texts have 30 or more images on learning i. Addition of pictures of researchers would also highlight the people contributing to psychological science. I noted some issues with image consistency within a chapter. For example, in Figure 3. However, in Figure 3. Given the Houston Community College example of editing this text, updating this version by adding sections is possible.

For the topics covered, they are well explained. To ensure user-safety and faster downloads, we have uploaded this. At Medicos Republic, we believe in quality and speed which are a part of our core philosophy and promise to our readers.

We hope that you people benefit from our blog! Click Download or Read Online button to get introduction to psychology book now. This site is like a library, Use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Fresh Perspectives Introduction To Psychology. Introduction to Psychology - Kindle edition by James W. In many ways your conceptions are correct. Psychologists do work in forensic fields, and they do provide counseling and therapy for people in distress.

But there are hundreds of thousands of psychologists in the world, and many of them do other types of work Many psychologists work in research laboratories, hospitals, and other field settings where they study the behavior of humans and animals. Psychologists also work in schools and businesses, and they use a variety of methods, including observation, questionnaires, interviews, and laboratory studies, to help them understand behavior. Download Book. Please make a comment if the link is not working for you.

I appreciate your valuable comments and suggestions. The focus on behaviour and empiricism has produced a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books. The beginning of each section includes learning objectives; throughout the body of each section are key terms in bold followed by their definitions in italics; key takeaways, and exercises and critical thinking activities end each section"--BCcampus website.

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