Psychology 1999-2000

by Duffy, Karen G.

• ISBN13: 9780070413726
• ISBN10: 007041372X
• Edition: 29th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-12-01
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill College

Table of Contents

To the Reader	iv
Topic Guide	2	(2)
Selected World Wide Web Sites	4	(2)
UNIT 1 The Science of Psychology Three articles examine psychology as the science of behavior.	6	(16)
Overview	6	(2)
1. Why Freud Isn't Dead This informative article commences with a historic review of Freudian theory, but actually unfolds a critique of the whole history of psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy. The article ends on an optimistic note; perhaps the sciences of the mind will coalesce around a new model, one that trenscends conflicts over nature versus nurture and drugs versus talk therapy.	8	(5)
John Horgan, Scientific American, December 1996.
2. The Benefits and Ethics of Animal Research Andrew Rowan provides an introduction to the pros and cons of the use of animals in scientific research. The reader is left to make his or her own judgment on the subject.	13	(7)
Andrew N. Rowan, Scientific American, February 1997.
3. On the Validity of Psychology Experiments John Kihlstrom examines the use of volunteer subjects, demand characteristics, the pact of ignorance between experimenter and subjects, and other phenomena unique to psychological research with human subjects. In so doing, he compares the artificiality of laboratory experiments with what happens in the real world.	20	(2)
John F. Kihlstrom, APS Observer, September 1995.
UNIT 2 Biological Bases of Behavior Four selections discuss the biological bases of behavior. Topics include brain functions and the brain's control over the body.	22	(18)
Overview	22	(2)
4. Nature, Nurture: Not Mutually Exclusive Leading psychologists suggest that we should not debate nature versus nurture. We know today that both contribute to an individual's development. In fact, today we are studying the nature of nurture--the way that our genetic makeup influences how people interact with us.	24	(3)
Beth Azar, APA Monitor, May 1997.
5. What We Learn from Twins: The Mirror of Your Soul, The Economist, January 3, 1998. Twins can be genetically identical or not and reared together or apart. Researchers continue to conduct twin studies to figure out the effects of genes, but the research is becoming more and more controversial.	27	(3)
6. Secrets of the Brain With the assistance of brain-scanning technology, scientists are mapping and understanding brain functions. Anxiety, memory, mental disorders, and nerve cell regeneration are just some of the neuronal activities under investigation.	30	(6)
Mark Nichols, Maclean's, January 22, 1996.
7. Revealing the Brain's Secrets Discoveries in molecular biology and genetics are unlocking the mysteries of Alzheimer's disease, depression, and other brain disorders. From their discoveries, scientists hope to find new forms of treatment for such disabling problems.	36	(4)
Kathleen Cahill Allison, Harvard Health Letter, January 1996.
UNIT 3 Perceptual Processes Four articles discuss the impact of the senses on human perceptual processes.	40	(22)
Overview	40	(2)
8. The Senses, U.S. News & World Report, January 13, 1997. This article offers an introduction to the importance of the human senses in general, with a brief overview of each distinct sense. The article concludes that the senses are windows to the brain.	42	(5)
9. Gain in Years Can Mean Loss in Hearing As America ages and as more women join the workforce in noisy jobs, more and more individuals will experience hearing loss. This concise article reveals the mechanisms of sound, why hearing loss occurs, and what can be done about such loss.	47	(3)
Anita Manning, USA Today, September 30, 1997.
10. Don't Take Touch for Granted: An Interview with Susan Lederman Much less is known about the sense of touch and other sensations of the skin than about vision and hearing. Today somatic research is becoming more important, as attested to by its interdisciplinary nature. In this article, new research on temperature, pain, pressure, and other cutaneous sensations is described.	50	(5)
Rene Verry, Teaching of Psychology, Volume 25, Number 1, 1998.
11. Dream Catchers This article reveals how and why dream research is conducted. Such research is allowing us to unravel the mystery of dreams, their meanings, and their relationship to consciousness. Today we know that Freud was wrong. Dreams do not represent repressed wishes but rather actions by the brainstem. Dream content appears to be snippets of unrelated thought upon which we impose integrity and meaning.	55	(7)
Jonathan Leonard, Harvard Magazine, May/June 1998.
UNIT 4 Learning and Remembering Four selections examine how operant conditioning, positive reinforcement, and memory interact during the learning process.	62	(16)
Overview	62	(2)
12. Learning Begins Even before Babies Are Born, Scientists Show Studies have found that the fetus can learn to prefer certain sounds, flavors, and vibrations. After birth, this learning lingers into life. Researchers have developed ingenious methods for documenting their discoveries.	64	(2)
Beth Azar, APA Monitor, December 1997.
13. What Constitutes "Appropriate" Punishment? Paul DeVito and Ralph Hyatt explore the philosophy of punishment and differentiate it from reinforcement. In order for punishment to be effective, it must be dispensed appropriately. Guidelines are presented in this report.	66	(3)
Paul L. DeVito
Ralph Hyatt, USA Today Magazine (Society for the Advancement of Education), March 1995.
14. It's Magical! It's Malleable! It's ... Memory Memory is complex, malleable, and mysterious. Psychologists have developed more clever and sophisticated techniques for studying this all-important phenomenon.	69	(5)
Jill Neimark, Psychology Today, January/February 1995.
15. Memory for a Past That Never Was Elizabeth Loftus reviews several important studies on planted memories and concludes that stimulating a false memory for an event that never occurred is not particuarly difficult. External prompts and pressure to remember are two such stimuli.	74	(4)
Elizabeth F. Loftus, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 1997.
UNIT 5 Cognitive Processes Four articles examine how social skills, common sense, and intelligence affect human cognitive processes.	78	(18)
Overview	78	(2)
16. Your Child's Brain A baby's brain is a work in progress. Sharon Begley explains how language, logic, mathematical, and other cognitive abilities are conquered by young children.	80	(5)
Sharon Begley, Newsweek, February 19, 1996.
17. To Be Intelligent In a world of continuous change, learning and thinking are central. We must move beyond formal schooling and help individuals learn to learn and to create learning environments that induce thoughtfulness.	85	(4)
John Abbott, Educational Leadership, March 1997.
18. Reflections on Multiple Intelligences: Myths and Messages Howard Gardner explores some myths that have grown up around his concept of multiple intelligences. He also discusses how education can enhance our seven intelligences.	89	(5)
Howard Gardner, Phi Delta Kappan, November 1995.
19. On the Trail of Language: Neuropsychologist Angela Friederici Neuropsychologists study brain structures that control cognition and language. The work of one such scientist who has conducted research in the United States and Germany is reviewed. Her work is helping us to understand how humans developed language, how important vocabulary is, and how the brain processes linguistic information.	94	(2)
Andreas Sentker, Deutschland, October 1997.
UNIT 6 Emotion and Motivation Six articles discuss the influences of stress, mental states, and emotion on the mental and physical health of the individual.	96	(22)
Overview	96	(2)
20. Is It Nature or Nurture? A gene may be only a probability for a given trait--not a guarantee. Researchers are finding that, given the right environment, children's personalities and emotions can be reprogrammed.	98	(2)
Marc Peyser
Anne Underwood, Newsweek, Special Issue, Spring/Summer 1997.
21. The EQ Factor Recent brain research suggests that emotions, not the traditional IQ rating, may be the true measure of human intelligence. Nancy Gibbs examines this latest trend in the assessment of human ability to cope successfully with challenges.	100	(5)
Nancy Gibbs, Time, October 2, 1995.
22. A Doubtful Device There is no doubt that the polygraph measures physical arousal. However, it is very doubtful that the apparatus measures lying. In fact, an innocent person has a 50-50 chance of failing a polygraph test.	105	(2)
Lisa Davis, Hippocrates, November/December 1992.
23. The Biology of Joy Biologically speaking, scientists are close to knowing what pleasure is. In the 1970s, endorphins were considered the keys to human pleasure and joy. Today's scientists are refining their understanding of body-mind connections and the causes of and controls for pleasure.	107	(5)
Jeremiah Creedon, Utne Reader, November/December 1997.
24. Weight Loss for Grown-Ups Are 33 percent of Americans overweight because of genes or because they do not manage their emotions well? Ann Japenga looks at a new weight-loss system where would-be dieters come to terms with the emotions that induce them to overeat.	112	(4)
Ann Japenga, Health, January/February 1998.
25. Born to Be Good? Social scientists have long pondered the origins and purposes of morality. Newer conceptualizations are more inclusive of women and minorities and suggest that self-interest alone is not at the root of helpful behavior.	116	(2)
Celia Kitzinger, New Internationalist, April 1997.
UNIT 7 Development Four articles consider the importance of experience, discipline, familial support, and physiological aging during the normal human development process.	118	(16)
Overview	118	(2)
26. Behaviors of a Newborn Can Be Traced to the Fetus Fetal development is crucial to the success of the newborn child. Fetal experiences, such as the movements of the mother, may well influence sensory systems, coordination, and, indeed, survival.	120	(2)
Beth Azar, APA Monitor, December 1997.
27. Do Parents Really Matter? Kid Stuff Parents once were blamed for their children's failures and given credit for their successes. Then the role of nature was given much greater emphasis than parenting skills or nurture. Today, the thought is that parents can work with their children's innate tendencies to rear happy and healthy children.	122	(4)
Annie Murphy Paul, Psychology Today, February 1998.
28. Rethinking Puberty: The Development of Sexual Attraction Puberty and first sexual attraction are different psychosocial and physiological phenomena. New research shows that there are two distinct stages, not one.	126	(5)
Martha K. McClintock
Gilbert Herdt, Current Directions in Psychological Science, December 1996.
29. Slowing Down Alzheimer's Up to 50 percent of people over 85 suffer from confusion and memory loss. Many of them have Alzheimer's disease, which appears to result from the loss of nerve cells in the brain. Many promising drugs are being tested. Peggy Eastman reviews these treatments and offers advice for caregivers.	131	(3)
Peggy Eastman, AARP Bulletin, September 1997.
UNIT 8 Personality Processes Four selections discuss a few of the processes by which personalities are developed. Topics include sex differences, state of mind, and hostility.	134	(20)
Overview	134	(2)
30. The Personality Genes Does DNA shape behavior and personality? Is there a gene, for example, that causes some individuals to seek novelty? Molecular biologists believe that the answer is yes and are busy pursuing the study of genetic influences on our personalities.	136	(2)
J. Madeleine Nash, Time, April 27, 1998.
31. The Stability of Personality: Observations and Evaluations There is substantial evidence for the stability of personality as well as for individual differences in personality traits. The authors review research on personality that supports their view and critique research methodology that does not.	138	(3)
Robert R. McCrae
Paul T. Costa Jr., Current Directions in Psychological Science, December 1994.
32. Are You Shy? Shy people suffer not just from their shyness but also from an inability to think clearly in the presence of others, from the perception by others that they are snobbish, and from an overall lack of success. The social, cultural, and physiological causes of shyness as well as ways to prevent shyness are elaborated in this article.	141	(7)
Bernardo J. Carducci
Philip G. Zimbardo, Psychology Today, November/December 1995.
33. Finding Strength: How to Overcome Anything Psychologists are discovering that some individuals cope well with adversity: Such individuals are said to have resilient personalities. Why and how these individuals are more resilient than others is becoming clearer.	148	(6)
Deborah Blum, Psychology Today, May/June 1998.
UNIT 9 Social Processes Four selections discuss how the individual's social development is affected by genes, stereotypes, prejudice, and self-help.	154	(16)
Overview	154	(2)
34. Disintegration of the Family Is the Real Root Cause of Violent Crime The popular assumption that there is an association between race and crime is false, writes Patrick Fagan. When other factors are controlled, one variable seems to account for our crime wave--illegitimacy. Fagan traces the development of violence from childhood through adulthood in a child, white or black, from a broken home.	156	(3)
Patrick F. Fagan, USA Today Magazine (Society for the Advancement of Education), May 1996.
35. Where Bias Begins: The Truth about Stereotypes Social psychologists have long pondered the root causes of prejudice. Today they are joined by cognitive psychologists who study automatic thought processing. Together, through innovative research, these psychologists are demonstrating that not only might we be unable to control some biases, but we may not even be aware that we have them.	159	(3)
Annie Murphy Paul, Psychology Today, May/June 1998.
36. Laughter May Be No Laughing Matter Laughter apparently does not occur often as a response to comedic or funny occurrences but rather more as a reaction to everyday banalities. Females laugh more than males, and as we age what we find humorous changes. Laughter, then, may well be a method for regulating our relationships in a positive manner.	162	(2)
Rebecca A. Clay, APA Monitor, September 1997.
37. Brain Sex and the Language of Love Men and women communicate differently. These differences can result in miscommunication and misinterpretation that, in turn, can lead to unsatisfactory relationships. Robert Nadeau examines evidence for these contentions as well as methods for better coping with these differences.	164	(6)
Robert L. Nadeau, The World & I, November 1997.
UNIT 10 Psychological Disorders Five articles examine several psychological disorders. Topics include unexpected behavior, the impact of depression on a person's well-being, and physical abuse.	170	(24)
Overview	170	(2)
38. Is Mental Illness Catching? A handful of modern studies are demonstrating that viruses, other organisms, and hormonal deficiencies might underlie common forms of mental illness such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.	172	(3)
Lisa Collier Cool, American Health for Women, March 1997.
39. Mother's Little Helper, Newsweek, March 18, 1996. The number of children medicated for attention deficit disorder has more than doubled in less than a decade. Is such medication the only or correct solution? This article explores the answers.	175	(5)
40. Why Worry? We all worry at times, but one-fourth of us worry to excess. This extreme anxiety is known as anxiety disorder. Biological and other causes are just beginning to be understood. The article also discusses how to tame worrying.	180	(5)
Edward M. Hallowell, Psychology Today, November/December 1997.
41. Patterns of Abuse, Newsweek, July 4, 1994. Two million women are physically abused every year. Who they are, who the abusers are, why some women stay while others leave after being abused, and where women can get help are highlighted in this report.	185	(5)
42. Schizophrenia's Most Zealous Foe Having a sister who is afflicted with schizophrenia has made E. Fuller Torrey zealous about studying schizophrenia, which, although it affects only one percent of the population, creates havoc for the affected individuals and their families. Torrey's study of schizophrenia's causes and effects and his search for possible cures are addressed in this article.	190	(4)
Michael Winerip, New York Times Magazine, February 22, 1998.
UNIT 11 Psychological Treatments Four selections discuss a few psychological treatments, including psychoanalysis, psychotherapy to alleviate depression, self-care, and the use of drugs.	194	(21)
Overview	194	(2)
43. What You Can Change and What You Cannot Change Americans seem to be on constant self-improvement kicks, many of which fail. Martin Seligman helps us understand those endeavors on which we waste our time and those with which we can probably make some progress. In particular, he discusses psychological disorders.	196	(8)
Martin E. P. Seligman, Psychology Today, May/June 1994.
44. Prescriptions for Happiness? The results of a myriad of psychopharmacological studies are questioned. First, studies that show any effects of antidepressant drugs demonstrate only modest results. Second, these and weaker studies have sampling problems and other built-in biases.	204	(5)
Seymour Fisher
Roger P. Greenberg, Psychology Today, September/October 1995.
45. The Quest for a Cure Depression afflicts thousands of people. Scientists have long sought a cure. Today a plethora of treatments for depression are available, which helps 90 percent of the depressed individuals. Prozac, in particular, is showcased in this article.	209	(3)
Mark Nichols, Maclean's, December 1, 1997.
46. New Treatments for Schizophrenia -- Part I, The Harvard Mental Health Letter, April 1998. Schizophrenia remains a mystery. Many older drug treatments caused mild to severe side effects. Newer treatments have been developed because of advances in our knowledge of the brain's chemical transmitters and receptor sites. The sooner treatment is started with these new drugs, the sooner the person can recover and relapse can be prevented.	212	(3)
Glossary	215	(10)
Index	225	(3)
Article Review Form	228	(1)
Article Rating Form	229