Psychology for Dummies

by Cash, Adam

• ISBN13: 9781118603598
• ISBN10: 1118603591
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-07-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Understand why you feel and act the way you do

Psychology For Dummies is a fun, user-friendly guide to the basics of human behavior and mental processes. In plain English—and using lots of everyday examples—psychologist Dr. Adam Cash cuts through the jargon to explain what psychology is all about and what it tells you about why you do the things you do.

With this book as your guide, you'll: gain profound insights into human nature; understand yourself better; make sense of individual and group behaviors; explore different approaches in psychology; recognize problems in yourself and others; make informed choices when seeking psychological counseling; and much more.

• Shows you how understanding human psychology can help you make better decisions, avoid things that cause stress, manage your time to a greater degree, and set goals
• Helps you make informed choices when seeking psychological counseling
• Serves as an invaluable supplement to classroom learning

From Freud to forensics, anorexia to xenophobia, Psychology For Dummies takes you on a fascinating journey of self discovery.

Author Biography

Adam Cash, PsyD, is Clinical Director of Specialized Psychology Solutions, a child psychology clinic specializing in behavior, learning, development, and autism spectrum disorders. He has taught at the community college and university levels and also worked as a forensic psychologist.

Table of Contents

Introduction  1

Part I: Getting Started with Psychology  5

Chapter 1: Seeing the Purpose of Psychology 7

Chapter 2: Making Sense of What People Do: Psychology Essentials 13

Part II: Picking Your Brain (And Body)  31

Chapter 3: Hardware, Software, and Wetware 33

Chapter 4: Conscious Beings 51

Chapter 5: Getting Sensitive 61

Part III: Thinking and Feeling and Acting  75

Chapter 6: Thinking and Speaking 77

Chapter 7: How Does That Make You Feel? 103

Chapter 8: Barking up the Learning Tree: Dogs, Cats, and Rats 123

Part IV: Me, You, and Everything in Between  143

Chapter 9: Developing an Award-Winning Personality 145

Chapter 10: Catching the First Boat off Isolation Island 173

Chapter 11: Conforming Like a Contortionist: Social Psychology 199

Chapter 12: Growing Up with Psychology 221

Chapter 13: Modern Abnormal Psychology 241

Part V: Building a Better You  263

Chapter 14: Assessing the Problem and Testing the Psyche 265

Chapter 15: Getting Comfy on the Couch 279

Chapter 16: Changing Behavior, Changing Thinking 291

Chapter 17: Being a Person Is Tough: Client-Centered and Existential Therapies 311

Chapter 18: Stress, Illness, Growth, and Strength 325

Part VI: The Part of Tens  343

Chapter 19: Ten Tips for Maintaining Psychological Health 345

Chapter 20: Ten Great Psychological Movies 351

Index  357