Psychology and Your Life

Cover Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 5
Copyright Page......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
About the Author......Page 8
Brief Contents......Page 9
Contents......Page 11
Preface......Page 23
To the Students......Page 30
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Psychology......Page 44
The Subfields of Psychology: Psychology’s Family Tree......Page 46
Try It! Psychological Truths?......Page 47
Working at Psychology......Page 51
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 52
module 2: A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the Future......Page 54
The Roots of Psychology......Page 55
Today’s Perspectives......Page 58
Psychology and Your Life......Page 60
Psychology’s Key Issues and Controversies......Page 62
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 64
The Scientific Method......Page 66
Descriptive Research......Page 68
Experimental Research......Page 71
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 75
The Ethics of Research......Page 78
Should Animals Be Used in Research?......Page 79
Threats to Experimental Validity: Avoiding Experimental Bias......Page 80
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Thinking Critically About Research......Page 81
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 82
CHAPTER 2: Neuroscience and Behavior......Page 88
The Structure of the Neuron......Page 90
How Neurons Fire......Page 91
Where Neurons Connect to One Another: Bridging the Gap......Page 93
Neurotransmitters: Multitalented Chemical Couriers......Page 94
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 96
The Nervous System......Page 98
The Endocrine System: Of Chemicals and Glands......Page 103
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 104
Studying the Brain’s Structure and Functions: Spying on the Brain......Page 106
The Central Core: Our “Old Brain”......Page 108
The Limbic System: Beyond the Central Core......Page 109
The Cerebral Cortex: Our “New Brain”......Page 110
The Specialization of the Hemispheres: Two Brains or One?......Page 113
Exploring Diversity: Human Diversity and the Brain......Page 114
Try It! Assessing Brain Lateralization......Page 115
The Split Brain: Exploring the Two Hemispheres......Page 116
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Learning to Control Your Heart—and Mind—through Biofeedback......Page 117
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 118
CHAPTER 3: Sensation and Perception......Page 124
module 8: Sensing the World Around Us......Page 126
Absolute Thresholds: Detecting What’s Out There......Page 127
Difference Thresholds: Noticing Distinctions between Stimuli......Page 128
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 129
module 9: Vision: Shedding Light on the Eye......Page 131
Illuminating the Structure of the Eye......Page 132
Color Vision and Color Blindness: The Seven-Million-Color Spectrum......Page 136
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 138
Sensing Sound......Page 140
Smell and Taste......Page 142
The Skin Senses: Touch, Pressure, Temperature, and Pain......Page 144
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Managing Pain......Page 146
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 147
module 11: Perceptual Organization: Constructing Our View of the World......Page 149
The Gestalt Laws of Organization......Page 150
Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing......Page 151
Perceptual Constancy......Page 152
Depth Perception: Translating 2-D to 3-D......Page 153
Perceptual Illusions: The Deceptions of the Perceptions......Page 155
Exploring Diversity: Culture and Perception......Page 157
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 158
CHAPTER 4: States of Consciousness......Page 164
The Stages of Sleep......Page 166
REM Sleep: The Paradox of Sleep......Page 169
Why Do We Sleep, and How Much Sleep Is Necessary?......Page 170
The Function and Meaning of Dreaming......Page 171
Sleep Disturbances: Slumbering Problems......Page 174
Circadian Rhythms: Life Cycles......Page 175
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Sleeping Better......Page 176
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 177
Hypnosis: A Trance-Forming Experience?......Page 179
Meditation: Regulating Our Own State of Consciousness......Page 181
Exploring Diversity: Cross-Cultural Routes to Altered States of Consciousness......Page 182
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 183
module 14: Drug Use: The Highs and Lows of Consciousness......Page 184
Stimulants: Drug Highs......Page 186
Depressants: Drug Lows......Page 189
Try It! Consider Your Drinking Style......Page 192
Hallucinogens: Psychedelic Drugs......Page 193
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Identifying Drug and Alcohol Problems......Page 195
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 196
CHAPTER 5: Learning......Page 202
The Basics of Classical Conditioning......Page 204
Extinction......Page 207
Generalization and Discrimination......Page 209
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 210
The Basics of Operant Conditioning......Page 212
Positive Reinforcers, Negative Reinforcers, and Punishment......Page 213
The Pros and Cons of Punishment: Why Reinforcement Beats Punishment......Page 215
Schedules of Reinforcement: Timing Life’s Rewards......Page 216
Shaping: Reinforcing What Doesn’t Come Naturally......Page 219
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Using Behavior Analysis and Behavior Modification......Page 220
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 222
module 17: Cognitive Approaches to Learning......Page 225
Latent Learning......Page 226
Observational Learning: Learning Through Imitation......Page 227
Violence in Television and Video Games: Does the Media’s Message Matter?......Page 229
Exploring Diversity: Does Culture Influence How We Learn?......Page 230
Try It! What’s Your Receptive Learning Style?......Page 231
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 234
CHAPTER 6: Thinking: Memory, Cognition, and Language......Page 240
module 18: The Foundations of Memory......Page 242
Short-Term Memory......Page 244
Long-Term Memory......Page 245
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 247
Retrieval Cues......Page 249
Explicit and Implicit Memory......Page 250
Flashbulb Memories......Page 251
Constructive Processes in Memory: Rebuilding the Past......Page 252
Try It! Determine Your Memory Style......Page 254
Forgetting......Page 255
Why We Forget......Page 257
Proactive and Retroactive Interference: The Before and After of Forgetting......Page 258
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Improving Your Memory......Page 259
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 260
module 20: Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem Solving......Page 262
Concepts: Categorizing the World......Page 263
Reasoning: Making Up Your Mind......Page 264
Problem Solving......Page 265
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 270
Language Development: Developing a Way with Words......Page 272
The Influence of Language on Thinking: Do Eskimos Have More Words for Snow Than Texans?......Page 275
Exploring Diversity: Teaching with Linguistic Variety: Bilingual Education......Page 276
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 278
CHAPTER 7: Motivation and Emotion......Page 284
Instinct Approaches: Born to Be Motivated......Page 286
Drive-Reduction Approaches: Satisfying Our Needs......Page 287
Incentive Approaches: Motivation’s Pull......Page 288
Try It! Do You Seek Out Sensation?......Page 289
Cognitive Approaches: The Thoughts Behind Motivation......Page 290
Maslow’s Hierarchy: Ordering Motivational Needs......Page 291
Applying the Different Approaches to Motivation......Page 292
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 293
The Motivation Behind Hunger and Eating......Page 295
Eating Disorders......Page 298
Sexual Motivation......Page 300
The Needs for Achievement, Affiliation, and Power......Page 305
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 307
module 24: Understanding Emotional Experiences......Page 309
Determining the Range of Emotions: Labeling Our Feelings......Page 310
The Roots of Emotions......Page 311
Exploring Diversity: Do People in All Cultures Express Emotion Similarly?......Page 315
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 317
CHAPTER 8: Development......Page 322
module 25: Nature, Nurture, and Prenatal Development......Page 324
Determining the Relative Influence of Nature and Nurture......Page 326
Developmental Research Techniques......Page 327
Prenatal Development: Conception to Birth......Page 328
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 333
The Extraordinary Newborn......Page 335
The Growing Child: Infancy through Middle Childhood......Page 338
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 349
Physical Development: The Changing Adolescent......Page 351
Moral and Cognitive Development: Distinguishing Right from Wrong......Page 352
Social Development: Finding Oneself in a Social World......Page 354
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 359
Physical Development: The Peak of Health......Page 361
Social Development: Working at Life......Page 362
Marriage, Children, and Divorce: Family Ties......Page 363
The Later Years of Life: Growing Old......Page 364
Cognitive Changes: Thinking About—and During—Late Adulthood......Page 365
The Social World of Late Adulthood: Old but Not Alone......Page 367
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Adjusting to Death......Page 368
Try It! How Do You Feel About Death?......Page 369
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 371
CHAPTER 9: Personality and Individual Differences......Page 376
Freud’s Psychoanalytical Theory: Mapping the Unconscious Mind......Page 378
The Neo-Freudian Psychoanalysts: Building on Freud......Page 384
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 386
module 30: Trait, Learning, Biological and Evolutionary, and Humanistic Approaches to Personality......Page 389
Trait Approaches: Placing Labels on Personality......Page 390
Learning Approaches: We Are What We’ve Learned......Page 392
Biological and Evolutionary Approaches: Are We Born with Personality?......Page 395
Humanistic Approaches: The Uniqueness of You......Page 396
Comparing Approaches to Personality......Page 397
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 398
module 31: Assessing Personality: Determining What Makes Us Distinctive......Page 400
Self-Report Measures of Personality......Page 401
Try It! The Life Orientation Test......Page 402
Projective Methods......Page 404
Behavioral Assessment......Page 405
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 406
Theories of Intelligence: Are There Different Kinds of Intelligence?......Page 408
Practical Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence: Toward a More Intelligent View of Intelligence......Page 411
Assessing Intelligence......Page 413
Variations in Intellectual Ability......Page 418
Exploring Diversity: The Relative Influence of Genetics and Environment: Nature, Nurture, and IQ......Page 420
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 422
CHAPTER 10: Psychological Disorders......Page 428
Defining Abnormality......Page 430
Perspectives on Abnormality: From Superstition to Science......Page 432
Classifying Abnormal Behavior: The ABCs of DSM......Page 435
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 437
Anxiety Disorders......Page 439
Try It! How Anxious Are You?......Page 440
Somatoform Disorders......Page 445
Dissociative Disorders......Page 446
Mood Disorders......Page 447
Schizophrenia......Page 451
Personality Disorders......Page 455
Childhood Disorders......Page 457
Other Disorders......Page 458
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 459
Prevalence of Psychological Disorders: The Mental State of the Union......Page 461
The Social and Cultural Context of Psychological Disorders......Page 462
Exploring Diversity: DSM and Culture—and the Culture of DSM......Page 463
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Deciding When You Need Help......Page 464
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 465
CHAPTER 11: Treatment of Psychological Disorders......Page 470
Psychodynamic Approaches to Therapy......Page 472
Behavioral Approaches to Therapy......Page 475
Cognitive Approaches to Therapy......Page 479
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 481
Humanistic Therapy......Page 483
Group Therapy, Family Therapy, and Self-Help Groups......Page 484
Evaluating Psychotherapy: Does Therapy Work?......Page 486
Exploring Diversity: Racial and Ethnic Factors in Treatment: Should Therapists Be Color-Blind?......Page 488
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 489
Drug Therapy......Page 491
Try It! What Are Your Attitudes Toward Patient Rights?......Page 495
Biomedical Therapies in Perspective......Page 496
Community Psychology: Focus on Prevention......Page 497
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Choosing the Right Therapist......Page 499
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 500
CHAPTER 12: Social Psychology......Page 506
Persuasion: Changing Attitudes......Page 508
Social Cognition: Understanding Others......Page 511
Exploring Diversity: Attributions in a Cultural Context: How Fundamental Is the Fundamental Attribution Error?......Page 514
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 515
Conformity: Following What Others Do......Page 517
Compliance: Submitting to Direct Social Pressure......Page 519
Obedience: Following Direct Orders......Page 520
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 522
module 41: Prejudice and Discrimination......Page 524
The Foundations of Prejudice......Page 525
Measuring Prejudice and Discrimination: The Implicit Personality Test......Page 526
Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination......Page 527
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 528
Liking and Loving: Interpersonal Attraction and the Development of Relationships......Page 530
Aggression and Prosocial Behavior: Hurting and Helping Others......Page 533
Try It! Understand Your Relationship Style......Page 534
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 538
The Nature of Stressors: My Stress Is Your Pleasure......Page 540
Coping with Stress......Page 546
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Effective Coping Strategies......Page 548
Recap/Evaluate/Rethink......Page 549
Glossary......Page 554
References......Page 568
Credits......Page 602
Name Index......Page 606
Subject Index......Page 618