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Understanding Psychology 8e
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Student Edition
Instructor Edition
Understanding Psychology, 8/e

Robert Feldman, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

ISBN: 0073531936
Copyright year: 2008

Table of Contents



Chapter 1 Introduction to Psychology

Prologue: A Calamity Called Katrina

Looking Ahead

Module 1: Psychologists at Work
The Subfields of Psychology: Psychology's Family Tree
Working at Psychology

Module 2: A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the Future
The Roots of Psychology
Today's Perspectives
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Psychology Matters

Module 3: Psychology's Key Issues and Controversies
Psychology's Key Issues and Controversies
Exploring Diversity: Understanding How Culture, Ethnicity, and Race Influence Behavior
Psychology's Future
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Thinking Critically About Psychology
Distinguishing Legitimate Psychology from Pseudo-Psychology

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 2 Psychological Research

Prologue: Why Did No One Help?
Looking Ahead

Module 4 The Scientific Method
Theories: Specifying Broad Explanations
Hypotheses: Crafting Testable Predictions

Module 5 Conducting Psychological Research
Archival Research
Naturalistic Observation
Survey Research
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century:Secret Bias: Using the Implicit Association Test to Measure Hidden Prejudice The Case Study
Correlational Research
Experimental Research

Module 6 Critical Research Issues
The Ethics of Research
Exploring Diversity: Choosing Participants Who Represent the Scope of Human Behavior
Should Animals Be Used in Research?
Threats to Experiment Validity: Experimenter and Participant Expectations
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Thinking Critically About Research

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 3 Neuroscience and Behavior

Prologue: Out of Jail
Looking Ahead

Module 7 Neurons: The Basic Elements of Behavior
The Structure of the Neuron
How Neurons Fire
Where Neurons Meet: Bridging the Gap
Neurotransmitters: Multitalented Chemical Couriers

Module 8 The Nervous System and the Endocrine System: Communicating Within the Body
The Nervous System
The Endocrine System: Of Chemicals and Glands

Module 9 The Brain
Studying the Brain's Structure and Functions: Spying on the Brain
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Mind Reading: Harnessing Brainpower to Improve Lives
The Central Core: Our "Old Brain"
The Limbic System: Beyond the Central Core
The Cerebral Cortex: Our "New" Brain
Mending the Brain
The Specialization of the Hemispheres: Two Brains or One?
Exploring Diversity:
Human Diversity and the Brain
The Split Brain: Exploring the Two Hemispheres
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology:
Learning to Control Your Heart—and Mind—through Biofeedback

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 4 Sensation and Perception

Prologue: Feeling No Pain
Looking Ahead

Module 10 Sensing the World Around Us
Absolute Thresholds: Detecting What's Out There
Difference Thresholds: Noticing Distinctions Between Stimuli
Sensory Adaptation: Turning Down Our Responses

Module 11 Vision: Shedding Light on the Eye
Illuminating the Structure of the Eye
Color Vision and Color Blindness: The Seven-Million-Color Spectrum

Module 12 Hearing and the Other Senses
Sensing Sound
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Making Senses: New Technology for Hearing and Seeing
Smell and Taste
The Skin Senses: Touch, Pressure, Temperature, and Pain
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Managing Pain
How Our Senses Interact

Module 13 Perceptual Organization: Constructing Our View of the World
The Gestalt Laws of Organization
Feature Analysis: Focusing on the Parts of the Whole
Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing
Perceptual Constancy
Depth Perception: Translating 2-D to 3-D
Motion Perception: As the World Turns
Perceptual Illusions: The Deceptions of Perceptions
Exploring Diversity: Culture and Perception

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 5 States of Consciousness

Prologue: Violent Sleep
Looking Ahead

Module 14 Sleep and Dreams
The Stages of Sleep
REM Sleep: The Paradox of Sleep
Why Do We Sleep, and How Much Sleep Is Necessary?
The Function and Meaning of Dreaming
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Analyze This
Sleep Disturbances: Slumbering Problems
Circadian Rhythms: Life Cycles
Daydreams: Dreams Without Sleep
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Sleeping Better

Module 15 Hypnosis and Meditation
Hypnosis: A Trance-Forming Experience
Meditation: Regulating Our Own State of Consciousness
Exploring Diversity: Cross-Cultural Routes to Altered States of Consciousness

Module 16 Drug Use: The Highs and Lows of Consciousness
Stimulants: Drug Highs
Depressants: Drug Lows
Narcotics: Relieving Pain and Anxiety
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Identifying Drug and Alcohol Problems

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 6 Learning

Prologue: A Friend Named Minnie
Looking Ahead

Module 17: Classical Conditioning
The Basics of Classical Conditioning
Applying Conditioning Principles to Human Behavior
Extinction
Generalization and Discrimination
Beyond Traditional Classical Conditioning: Challenging Basic Assumptions

Module 18: Operant Conditioning
Thorndike's Law of Effect
The Basics of Operant Conditioning
Positive Reinforcers, Negative Reinforcers, and Punishment
The Pros and Cons of Punishment: Why Reinforcement Beats Punishment
Schedules of Reinforcement: Timing Life's Rewards
Discrimination and Generalization in Operant Conditioning
Shaping: Reinforcing What Doesn't Come Naturally
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century A Nose for Danger: Saving Lives by Sniffing Out Land Mines
Biological Constraints on Learning: You Can't Teach an Old Dog Just Any Trick
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Using Behavior Analysis and Behavior Modification

Module 19: Cognitive Approaches to Learning
Latent Learning
Observational Learning: Learning Through Imitation
Exploring Diversity: Does Culture Influence How We Learn?
Violence in Television and Video Games: Does the Media's Message Matter?

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 7 Memory

Prologue: Who Am I? And Who Are You?
Looking Ahead

Module 20: The Foundations of Memory
Sensory Memory
Short-term Memory
Long-term Memory
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Enhancing Memory: Are We on the Road to "Cosmetic Neurology"?

Module 21: Recalling Long-Term Memories
Retrieval Cues
Levels of Processing
Explicit and Implicit Memory
Flashbulb Memories
Constructive Processes in Memory: Rebuilding the Past
Memory in the Courtroom: The Eyewitness on Trial
Repressed and False Memories: Separating Truth from Fiction
Autobiographical Memory: Where Past Meets Present
Exploring Diversity: Are There Cross-Cultural Differences in Memory?

Module 22: Forgetting: When Memory Fails
Why We Forget
Proactive and Retroactive Interference: The Before and After of Forgetting
Memory Dysfunctions: Afflictions of Forgetting
Becoming and Informed Consumer of Psychology: Improving Your Memory

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 8 Cognition and Language

Prologue: The Sky's the Limit
Looking Ahead

Module 23: Thinking and Reasoning
Mental Images: Examining the Mind's Eye
Concepts: Categorizing the World
Reasoning: Making Up Your Mind
Computers and Problem Solving

Module 24: Problem Solving
Preparation: Understanding and Diagnosing Problems
Production: Generating Solutions
Judgment: Evaluating the Solutions
Impediments to Solutions: Why Is Problem Solving Such a Problem?
Creativity and Problem Solving
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century Eureka!: Understanding the Underpinnings of Creativity
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Thinking Critically and Creatively

Module 25: Language
Grammar: Language's Language
Language Development: Developing a Way with Words
Understanding Language Acquisition: Identifying the Roots of Language
The Influence of Language on Thinking: Do Eskimos Have More Words for Snow Than Texans Do?
Do Animals Use Language?
Exploring Diversity: Teaching with Linguistic Variety: Bilingual Education

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 9 Intelligence

Prologue: Chris Burke and Sho Yano
Looking Ahead

Module 26: What Is Intelligence?
Theories of Intelligence: Are There Different Kinds of Intelligence?
The Biological Basis of Intelligence
Practical and Emotional Intelligence: Toward a More Intelligent View of Intelligence
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: How You Think About Intelligence Helps Determine Your Success
Assessing Intelligence
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Scoring Better on Standardized Tests

Module 27: Variations in Intellectual Ability
Mental Retardation
The Intellectually Gifted

Module 28: Group Differences in Intelligence: Genetic and Environmental Determinants
Exploring Diversity: The Relative Influence of Genetics and Environment: Nature, Nurture, and IQ;
Placing the Heredity-Environment Question in Perspective

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 10 Motivation and Emotion

Prologue: Tour de Lance
Looking Ahead

Module 29: Explaining Motivation
Instinct Approaches: Born to Be Motivated
Drive-Reduction Approaches: Satisfying Our Needs
Arousal Approaches: Beyond Drive Reduction
Incentive Approaches: Motivation's Pull
Cognitive Approaches: The Thoughts Behind Motivation
Maslow's Hierarchy: Ordering Motivational Needs
Applying the Different Approaches to Motivation

Module 30: Human Needs and Motivation: Eat, Drink, and Be Daring
The Motivation Behind Hunger and Eating
Eating Disorders
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Dieting and Losing Weight Successfully
The Need for Achievement: Striving for Success
The Need for Affiliation: Striving for Friendship
The Need for Power: Striving for Impact on Others

Module 31: Understanding Emotional Experiences
The Functions of Emotions
Determining the Range of Emotions: Labeling Our Feelings
The Roots of Emotions
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: The Truth About Lies: Detecting Deception in Terrorists and Your Next Door Neighbor

Module 32: Nonverbal Behavior and the Expression of Emotions
Exploring Diversity: Do People in All Cultures Express Emotion Similarly?
The Facial Feedback Hypothesis: Smile, Though You're Feeling Blue

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 11 Sexuality and Gender

Prologue: One Event, Two Perspectives
Looking Ahead

Module 33: Gender and Sex
Gender Roles: Society's Expectations for Women and Men
Gender Differences: More Similar Than Dissimilar
Sources of Gender Differences: Where Biology and Society Meet

Module 34: Understanding Human Sexual Response: The Facts of Life
The Basic Biology of Sexual Behavior
Psychological Aspects of Sexual Excitement: What Turns People On?
The Phases of Sexual Response: The Ups;and Downs of Sex
Exploring Diversity: Female Circumcision: A Celebration of Culture—or Genital Mutilation?

Module 35: The Diversity of Sexual Behavior
Approaches to Sexual Normality
Surveying Sexual Behavior: What's Happening Behind Closed Doors?
Masturbation: Solitary Sex
Heterosexuality
Homosexuality and Bisexuality
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Sexual Orientation: How Genes Matter
Transexualism

Module 36: Sexual Difficulties: When Sex Goes Wrong
Rape
Childhood Sexual Abuse
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Sexual Problems
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Lowering the Risks of Date Rape

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 12 Development

Prologue: Test-Tube Baby Birthday
Looking Ahead

Module 37: Nature and Nurture: The Enduring Developmental Issue
Determining the Relative Influence of Nature and Nurture
Developmental Research Techniques

Module 38: Prenatal Development: Conception to Birth
The Basics of Genetics
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Gene Therapy, and the Coming Medical Revolution
The Earliest Development

Module 39: Infancy and Childhood
The Extraordinary Newborn
The Growing Child: Infancy through Middle Childhood

Module 40: Adolescence: Becoming an Adult
Physical Development: The Changing Adolescent
Moral and Cognitive Development: Distinguishing Right from Wrong
Social Development: Finding Oneself in a Social World
Exploring Diversity: Rites of Passage: Coming of Age around the World

Module 41: Adulthood
Physical Development: The Peak of Health
Social Development: Working at Life
Marriage, Children, and Divorce: Family Ties
The Later Years of Life: Growing Old
Physical Changes in Late Adulthood: The Aging Body
Cognitive Changes: Thinking About—and During—Late Adulthood
The Social World of Late Adulthood: Old but Not Alone
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Adjusting to Death

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 13 Personality

Prologue: The Dapper Don
Looking Ahead

Module 42: Psychodynamic Approaches to Personality
Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory: Mapping the Unconscious Mind
The Neo-Freudian Psychoanalysts: Building on Freud

Module 43: Trait, Learning, Biological, Evolutionary, and Humanistic Approaches to Personality
Trait Approaches: Placing Labels on Personality
Learning Approaches: We Are What We've Learned
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: The Downside of High Self-Esteem
Biological and Evolutionary Approaches: Are We Born with Personality?
Humanistic Approaches: The Uniqueness of You
Comparing Approaches to Personality

Module 44: Assessing Personality: Determining What Makes Us Distinctive
Exploring Diversity: Should Race and Ethnicity Be Used to Establish Norms?
Self-Report Measures of Personality
Projective Methods
Behavioral Assessment
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Assessing Personality Assessments

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 14 Health Psychology: Stress, Coping, and Well-Being

Prologue: So Much To Do, So Little Time To Do It
Looking Ahead

Module 45: Stress and Coping
Stress: Reacting to Threat and Challenge
Coping with Stress
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Effective Coping Strategies

Module 46: Psychological Aspects of Illness and Well-Being
The A's, B's, and D's of Coronary Heart Disease
Psychological Aspects of Cancer
Smoking
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century; The Value of Social Support: Sick and Lonely—Why the Two Go Together
Exploring Diversity: Hucksters of Death: Promoting Smoking Throughout the World

Module 47: Promoting Health and Wellness
Following Medical Advice
Well-Being and Happiness

Looking Ahead
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 15 Psychological Disorders

Prologue: Chamique Holdsclaw
Looking Ahead

Module 48: Normal Versus Abnormal: Making the Distinction
Defining Abnormality
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Terrorist Suicide Bombers: Normal or Abnormal?
Perspectives on Abnormality: From Superstition to Science
Classifying Abnormal Behavior: The;ABCs of DSM

Module 49: The Major Psychological Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Somatoform Disorders
Dissociative Disorders
Mood Disorders
Schizophrenia
Personality Disorders
Childhood Disorders
Other Disorders

Module 50: Psychological Disorders in Perspective
Prevalence of Psychological Disorders: The Mental State of the Union
The Social and Cultural Context of Psychological Disorders
Exploring Diversity: DSM and Culture—and the Culture of DSM
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Deciding When You Need
Help

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 16 Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Prologue: Conquering Schizophrenia
Looking Ahead

Module 51: Psychotherapy: Psychodynamic, Behavioral, and Cognitive Approaches to Treatment
Psychodynamic Approaches to Therapy
Behavioral Approaches to Therapy
Cognitive Approaches to Therapy

Module 52: Psychotherapy: Humanistic, Interpersonal, and Group Approaches to Treatment
Humanistic Therapy
Interpersonal Therapy
Group Therapy
Evaluating Psychotherapy: Does Therapy Work?
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century:
Virtual-Reality Therapy: Facing the Images of Fear
Exploring Diversity: Racial and Ethnic Factors in Treatment: Should Therapists Be Color-Blind?

Module 53: Biomedical Therapy: Biological Approaches to Treatment
Drug Therapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Psychosurgery
Biomedical Therapies in Perspective
Community Psychology: Focus on Prevention
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Choosing the Right Therapist

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Chapter 17 Social Psychology

Prologue: Everyday Hero
Looking Ahead

Module 54: Attitudes and Social Cognition
Persuasion: Changing Attitudes
Social Cognition: Understanding Others
Exploring Diversity: Attributions in a Cultural Context: How Fundamental Is the Fundamental Attribution Error?

Module 55: Social Influence
Conformity: Following What Others Do
Compliance: Submitting to Direct Social Pressure
Obedience: Following Direct Orders

Module 56; Prejudice and Discrimination
Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Fighting Stereotype Threat
The Foundations of Prejudice
Reducing the Consequences of Prejudice and Discrimination

Module 57: Positive and Negative Social Behavior
Liking and Loving: Interpersonal Attraction and the Development of Relationships
Aggression and Prosocial Behavior: Hurting and Helping Others
Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Dealing Effectively with Anger

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue

Appendix Going by the Numbers: Statistics in Psychology

Prologue: Selma Vorwerk
Looking Ahead

Module 58: Descriptive Statistics
The Mean: Finding the Average
The Median: Finding the Middle
The Mode: Finding What Is Most Frequent
Comparing the Three M's: Mean versus Median versus Mode

Module 59: Measures of Variability
The Range: Highest Minus Lowest
The Standard Deviation: Differences from the Mean

Module 60: Using Statistics to Answer Questions: Inferential Statistics and Correlation
The Correlation Coefficient: Measuring Relationships

Looking Back
Psychology on the Web
Epilogue


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