Psychology : The Adaptive Mind

by Nairne, James S.

• ISBN13: 9780534605384
• ISBN10: 0534605389
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-14
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

To help students understand the value and usefulness of psychology in their daily lives, Nairne presents PSYCHOLOGY FOR A REASON. Rather than focusing exclusively on the content of psychology -- the "what" -- Nairne infuses each chapter with the "why," -- explaining how our thoughts and actions help us solve the problems we encounter every day. This unique approach allows students to understand the function and purpose of psychology and its topics first -- psychology is no longer presented as a bunch of abstract topics that need to be memorized. This approach promotes critical thinking; as students progress through each chapter, they become engaged as they see the connection between problems and their psychological solutions; they also begin to relate the material to what they already know from their own lives. This theme extends across chapters, offering students a consistent and effective learning framework.

Table of Contents

An Introduction to Psychology	p. 2
Previewing the Conceptual Problems	p. 5
Defining and Describing Psychology	p. 6
Tracking Psychological Thought: A Brief History	p. 11
Setting Directions in Modern Psychology	p. 20
Solving the Conceptual Problems	p. 26
The Tactics of Psychological Research	p. 30
Previewing the Conceptual Problems	p. 33
Observing Behavior: Descriptive Research	p. 34
Predicting Behavior: Correlational Research	p. 44
Explaining Behavior: Experimental Research	p. 48
The Ethics of Research: Human and Animal Guidelines	p. 55
Solving the Conceptual Problems	p. 59
Biological Processes	p. 62
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 65
Communicating Internally: Connecting World and Brain	p. 65
Initiating Behavior: A Division of Labor	p. 75
Regulating Growth and Internal Functions: Extended Communication	p. 91
Adapting and Transmitting the Genetic Code	p. 94
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 98
Human Development	p. 102
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 104
Developing Physically	p. 105
Developing Intellectually	p. 114
Developing Socially and Personally	p. 130
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 145
Sensation and Perception	p. 148
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 151
Vision: Building a World of Color and form	p. 152
Hearing: Identifying and Localizing Sounds	p. 175
The Skin and Body Senses: from Movement to Touch	p. 180
The Chemical Senses: Smell and Taste	p. 184
From the Physical to the Psychological	p. 187
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 190
Consciousness	p. 194
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 197
Setting Priorities for Mental Functioning: Attention	p. 198
Sleeping and Dreaming	p. 205
Altering Awareness: Psychoactive Drugs	p. 217
Altering Awareness: Induced States	p. 222
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 227
Learning From Experience	p. 230
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 232
Learning about Events: Noticing and Ignoring	p. 233
Learning What Events Signal: Classical Conditioning	p. 236
Learning About the Consequences of Behavior: Operant Conditioning	p. 247
Learning From Others: Observational Learning	p. 260
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 263
Memory	p. 266
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 269
Remembering Over The Short Term	p. 269
Storing Information for the Long Term	p. 278
Recovering Information from Cues	p. 286
Updating Memory	p. 292
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 299
Language and Thought	p. 302
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 304
Communicating with Others	p. 306
Classifying and Categorizing	p. 315
Solving Problems	p. 320
Making Decisions	p. 327
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 333
Intelligence	p. 336
Previewing the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 339
Conceptualizing Intelligence	p. 339
Measuring Individual Differences	p. 347
Discovering the Sources of Intelligence: The Nature-Nurture Issue	p. 358
Solving the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 367
Motivation and Emotion	p. 370
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 372
Activating Behavior	p. 373
Meeting Biological Needs: Hunger and Eating	p. 380
Meeting Biological Needs: Sexual Behavior	p. 387
Expressing and Experiencing Emotion	p. 393
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 405
Personality	p. 408
Previewing the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 411
Conceptualizing and Measuring Personality	p. 411
Determining How Personality Develops	p. 419
Resolving the Person--Situation Debate	p. 433
Solving the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 438
Social Psychology	p. 442
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 445
Interpreting the Behavior of Others: Social Cognition	p. 446
Behaving in the Presence of Others: Social Influence	p. 461
Establishing Relations with Others	p. 474
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 482
Psychological Disorders	p. 486
Previewing the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 489
Conceptualizing Abnormality: What Is Abnormal Behavior?	p. 489
Classifying Psychological Disorders: The Dsm-IV	p. 496
Understanding Psychological Disorders: Biological, Cognitive, or Environmental?	p. 511
Solving the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 518
Therapy	p. 522
Previewing the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 524
Treating the Body: Biomedical Therapies	p. 525
Treating the Mind: Insight Therapies	p. 532
Treating the Environment: Behavioral Therapies	p. 542
Evaluating and Choosing Psychotherapy	p. 547
Solving the Conceptual and Practical Problems	p. 552
Stress and Health	p. 556
Previewing the Adaptive Problems	p. 558
Experiencing Stress	p. 559
Reacting to Prolonged Stress	p. 569
Reducing and Coping with Stress	p. 575
Living a Healthy Lifestyle	p. 581
Solving the Adaptive Problems	p. 586
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