Presents and discusses theories and applications in psychology in a highly readable and accessible manner with each topic being illustrated through examples of actual psychological investigations.

From where did the discipline of psychology originate? How has it evolved since its inception? These questions are at the heart of understanding the key debates that are central to psychology. In this highly approachable introduction, Fairholm tackles the big questions in psychology covering the ever controversial nature vs. nurture debate, free will and determinism, and other important topics. Whatever your level of study, this introduction will guide you through the most important issues that psychologists continue to dispute in the twenty-first century. This title stands as part of the Insights series edited by Nigel Holt and Rob Lewis, containing well-rounded, quick guides to the cornerstone theories, main topics and theoretical perspectives of their subjects and are useful for pre-undergraduate students looking to find incisive introductions to subjects that they may be considering for undergraduate study or those looking for helpful preparatory reading for undergraduate modules in the subject.

Psychology, the study of mind and behaviour, has developed as a unique discipline in its brief history. Whether as it currently takes place, or how it has been conducted over the past 140 years or so since it became recognized as a separate field of study, there has been constant debate on its identity as a science. Psychology in Historical Context: Theories and Debates examines this debate by tracing the emergence of Psychology from parent disciplines, such as philosophy and physiology, and analyzes key topics such as: the nature of science, itself a much misunderstood human activity often equated with natural science; the nature of the scientific method, and the relationship between data gathering and generalization; the nature of certainty and objectivity, and their relevance to understanding the kind of scientific discipline Psychology is today. This engaging overview, written by renowned author Richard Gross, is an accessible account of the main conceptual themes and historical developments. Covering the core fields of individual differences, cognitive, social, and developmental psychology, as well as evolutionary and biopsychology, it will enable readers to understand how key ideas and theories have had impacts across a range of topics. This is the only concise textbook to give students a thorough grounding in the major conceptual ideas within the field, as well as the key figures whose ideas have helped to shape it.

Stimulate critical thinking with this thematic approach to Psychology by best-selling author Richard Gross, that integrates topics, theories and areas of research. Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology is ideal reading for all students of Psychology and is relevant to both the synoptic element of A2 and undergraduate courses. This thematic approach is not usually found in traditional textbooks. - Aids understanding with a thematic approach that provides a historical and theoretical context for what are usually treated as 'standalone'topics - Encourages a broader, more integrated approach to essay writing - Motivates critical thinking to stretch and challenge students in areas such as behaviour, culture, consciousness, parapsychology and religion

This book brings together a team of experts in the field of forensic psychology to demonstrate the scope of the discipline and the techniques employed in key areas of research, policy and practice. Its aim is to go beyond the introductory texts on the subject to challenge perceptions, to raise questions for research, to pose problems for practice, and to inspire and stimulate, demonstrating the ways in which forensic psychology can aid the practice of criminal justice. It will be essential reading for students, academics and practitioners. The book is divided into seven sections, addressing key topics with which the discipline is concerned − its broader context, investigation and prosecution, testimony and evidence, correlates of criminality, persistent offending, intervention and prevention and punishment and corrections. The contributors include both academics and practitioners, and are drawn from the UK, the USA and Australasia.

The Extending Knowledge and Skills series is a fresh approach to A Level Psychology, designed for greater demands of the new AQA specification and assessment, and especially written to stretch and challenge students aiming for higher grades. Dealing with the compulsory topic of AQA’s Paper 3: Issues and Debates, this book is deliberately laid out with the assessment objectives in mind, from AO1: Knowledge and understanding material, followed by AO2: Application material, to AO3: Evaluation and analysis material. Providing the most in-depth, accessible coverage available of individual topics in Paper 3, the text is packed full of pedagogical features, including: Question Time features to ensure that the reader is consistently challenged throughout the book. New research sections clearly distinguished within each chapter to ensure readers have access to the most cutting-edge material. A clear focus on the assessment objectives for the Paper topic to ensure readers know when and where to apply knowledge. The use of example answers with examiner-style comments to provide greater insight into how to/how not to answer exam questions. An engaging, relevant and challenging text that broadens student understanding beyond that of the average textbook, this is the essential companion for any student taking the AQA A level Paper 3 in Psychology.

Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology presents an integrated view of Psychology by identifying underlying themes (such as the scientific nature of Psychology, cultural and gender differences), issues (ethical, methodological and conceptual), and debates (such as heredity vs. environment, free will vs. determinism, normality vs. abnormality) which permeate the discipline as a whole. The text adopts a critical approach to ‘mainstream Psychology’, attempting to identify and challenge some of the underlying assumptions that are traditionally made about ‘human nature’ and how it can be investigated in ways based on the scientific study of the natural world. What makes Psychology unique is the view of Psychologists as part of their own subject-matter: trying to study other people cannot be done by copying the methods of the physicist or chemist. Psychology draws on and brings together a number of different theories and methodologies from a wide range of other disciplines, including philosophy, biology, anthropology and sociology. Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology also includes chapters on Parapsychology, Positive Psychology and Religion and Spirituality, which are rarely found together in a single text. Not only are these not mainstream, but they highlight some of the themes, issues and debates discussed in earlier chapters. The topics in this fifth edition of this book are inflected by a new concern with decolonizing the curriculum, and discussions of cultural and gender-based issues are integrated into all aspects of the text to offer a new and critical perspective on issues such as political and scientific colonialism. Additionally, the text features ‘Question Time’ breaks that relate to methodological, theoretical and other issues; these are all aimed at helping the reader assimilate the material. Some of the issues raised could form the basis of seminar papers/discussions. Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology is ideal reading for all students and is relevant to undergraduate courses in psychology.

Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology, Third Edition, cuts across the traditional boundaries found in most textbooks and syllabuses between broad areas or fields in psychology, bringing together ideas from across the subjects. Because of its thematic approach, the book is of great value to a wide range of students, from A level to undergraduate. The book's central aim is to integrate topics, theories and areas of research that are usually treated as separate and unrelated. This complements the topic-based approach by: broadening discussion of 'traditional' areas such as personality, abnormal behaviour, sex differences, and the history and nature of psychology; and adopting a critical approach to these topic areas. This more critical approach is reflected in the frequent discussion of social constructionism, including the related areas of feminist, critical and discursive psychology. There is also discussion of philosophical/theoretical issues and debates, such as ethics, free will and determinism, and consciousness and the mind-brain relationship. Every chapter includes material familiar to students from other textbooks and from their classes. The book is designed to stimulate critical thinking and to encourage a broader, more integrated approach to essay-writing and seminar presentations. With excellent chapter summaries and suggestions for further reading, Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology, Third Edition remains an ideal text for all students wishing to view their subject in a way that is more true to our lives.

Constructing Scientific Psychology is the first full-scale interpretation of the life and work of the major American neuropsychologist Karl Lashley that sets Lashley's creation of a laboratory-centered, decisively materialistic science of brain and behavior in its scientific and social contexts. The book places Lashley's neuropsychology at the heart of two controversies that polarized the sciences of mind and brain in the U.S. in the first half of the twentieth century.

Though the scientific community largely agrees that climate change is underway, debates about this issue remain fiercely polarized. These conversations have become a rhetorical contest, one where opposing sides try to achieve victory through playing on fear, distrust, and intolerance. At its heart, this split no longer concerns carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, or climate modeling; rather, it is the product of contrasting, deeply entrenched worldviews. This brief examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change. Synthesizing evidence from sociology, psychology, and political science, Andrew J. Hoffman lays bare the opposing cultural lenses through which science is interpreted. He then extracts lessons from major cultural shifts in the past to engender a better understanding of the problem and motivate the public to take action. How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate makes a powerful case for a more scientifically literate public, a more socially engaged scientific community, and a more thoughtful mode of public discourse.