Understanding Psychology [antikvár]

As I look out the window, the form of Mount Norwottock, an ancient volcanic mountain, rises above the landscape. I can see a farmer in the valley below Norwottock methodically plowing his fields, as, closer to home, a mother walks her child to school. A crew of carpenters is building a new house on land nearby, working together and following complicated architectural plans. At the same time as I look out on this peaceful scene, the morning newspaper lying across my desk reports another terrorist attack, a Mideast treaty broken, and a murder in a small town nearby. It tells of a march of members of a Nazi-like organization who want to expel minorities from the United States, and of the upcoming release from a mental hospital of a killer judged innocent by reason of insanity. Although nearly a decade has passed since I wrote these words at the beginning of the first edition of Understanding Psychology, the fundamental elements of the scene I describe are little changed today. The view from my study window continues to be dominated by the outline of Mount Norwottock and the tranquil fields that dot its base, while my daily newspaper is still filled with incidents of irrationality, selfishness, and violent competition among the world's people. For better or worse, the essential characteristics of human behavior have changed little over the last ten years. What has changed, though, is the field of psychology. The discipline has made important advances that have brought us closer to understanding people's behavior and thought processes. This book, now in its third edition, is a testament to the field's progress, as well as to the basic principles on which the discipline of psychology is built. THE THIRD EDITION OF UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY Like its predecessors, the third edition of Understanding Psychology has three major goals. First, it is intended to provide effective and broad coverage of the field of psychology, introducing readers to the theories, research, and applications that constitute the science. Second, it is meant to provide an impetus for students to begin to think as psychologists, even after the recall of specific content has waned, and to foster an appreciation for the scientific basis of psychology. Finally, this book is designed to be engaging and interesting, arousing students' intellectual curiosity and building an appreciation of how psychology can increase their understanding of the world around them. These goals, of course, are interdependent. In fact, I would argue that if the text is successful in accurately communicating the nature of psychology, an understanding of and interest in the field will follow naturally. To that end, the writing style of this book has received considerable attention. The style is intended to provide as close a facsimile to two people sitting down and discussing psychology as can be conveyed by the written word. Furthermore, this text has special features that are designed to challenge students (Cutting Edge boxes with the latest findings), demonstrate the everyday relevance of psychology (Psychology at Work boxes), and improve the quality of