Psychology [antikvár]

PREFACE In any textbook of introductory psychology the author is faced with the problem of adequately covering the subject matter while keeping the book within a size suitable for the one-semester or one-quarter course. We have tried to solve this problem by a new approach, arrived at after carefully analyzing the material of contemporary psychology and the educational needs of introductory psychology courses. This book is organized around general principles rather than trying to present an encyclopedic coverage of experiments and theories. It follows a systems approach in covering the various aspects of behavior and experience, and presents psychology as both a science and a profession. The text opens with an attempt to interest the beginning student in the study of psychology, and becomes gradually more sophisticated. Each chapter begins with a generalized view of an area, then proceeds to the specifics of research material. Theory is presented as the reader is stimulated to search for explanation, but there is a limited amount of technical detail. The text deals with psychology as a biological science and as a social science. It is organized into four parts. Part One, "Psychology and the Individual," covers an introduction to psychology as science and profession by describing what it is, where psychologists work, and how they work. This is followed by a description of how the individual develops. The concept of personality is introduced. Part Two, "The Biological Aspects of Behavior," covers the bodily mechanisms, the senses, perception, and intelligence. Part Three, "The Dynamics of Behavior," includes motivation, learning, emotion, and cognition. Part Four, "The Social Aspects of Behavior," deals with group behavior, social interaction, and mental health. The text is in 14 sections, each made up of a sequence of three chapters, giving a total of 42 short chapters. Beginning with Section II, the first two chapters in each section deal with research material and theory, while the third chapter turns toward problems relevant to daily living. This organization is based upon the proposition that those things are learned best that are relevant to the life of the learner, and that psychology is more than a large accumulation of facts—it is a continuous enterprise. The bibliography appears at the back of the book, organized by sections; references are indicated by number in the text, the intention being to present these so as to interfere as little as possible with smooth reading. Summaries are included at the end of each chapter to help give the student an immediate reinforcement of his learning. Suggested readings are placed at the end of each of the 14 sections. Questions for thinking and discussion, along with various learning exercises, are included in the Study Guide which accompanies the text. We have included the glossary of technical terms in the index. To the many specialists who reviewed parts of the manuscript, and to all those people who worked with the editor and the author in integrating the book as a whole, we wish to express our thanks. S. von Halter Gilmer Pittsburgh, Pa.