Book picks similar to
Social Psychology by Robert A. Baron
psychology
non-fiction
textbook
filmmaking
The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences
Michel Foucault - 1966
The result is nothing less than an archaeology of the sciences that unearths old patterns of meaning and reveals the shocking arbitrariness of our received truths.In the work that established him as the most important French thinker since Sartre, Michel Foucault offers startling evidence that “man”—man as a subject of scientific knowledge—is at best a recent invention, the result of a fundamental mutation in our culture.
Pavlov's Dog: Groundbreaking Experiments in Psychology
Adam Hart-Davis - 2015
Whether you’re interested in memory or prejudice, learning or schizophrenia, you’ll find something to interest you in this essential guide to the science of the mind.
The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success
Kevin Dutton - 2012
Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, have the same nerveless poise as a titan of industry.Dutton argues that there are indeed “functional psychopaths” among us—different from their murderous counterparts—who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society, and that shockingly, in some fields, the more “psychopathic” people are, the more likely they are to succeed. Dutton deconstructs this often misunderstood diagnosis through bold on-the-ground reporting and original scientific research as he mingles with the criminally insane in a high-security ward, shares a drink with one of the world’s most successful con artists, and undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to discover firsthand exactly how it feels to see through the eyes of a psychopath.As Dutton develops his theory that we all possess psychopathic tendencies, he puts forward the argument that society as a whole is more psychopathic than ever: after all, psychopaths tend to be fearless, confident, charming, ruthless, and focused—qualities that are tailor-made for success in the twenty-first century. Provocative at every turn, The Wisdom of Psychopaths is a riveting adventure that reveals that it’s our much-maligned dark side that often conceals the trump cards of success.
Introduction to Psychology
Rod Plotnik - 1986
Rod Plotnik's modular, visual approach to the fundamentals of psychology makes even the toughest concepts engaging and entertaining. As the pioneer of the "visual" or "magazine" style approach, each and every page of the text is individually planned, written, and formatted to effectively incorporate the use of Visual Cues, which help you to better remember information. Extensively updated, the text also utilizes "chunking," a method of breaking concepts down into small, easily digested sections that help you learn at your own pace.
Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (Introducing Statistical Methods)
Andy Field - 2000
What's new in the Second Edition? 1. Fully compliant with the latest version of SPSS version 12 2. More coverage of advanced statistics including completely new coverage of non-parametric statistics. The book is 50 per cent longer than the First Edition. 3. Each section of each chapter now has a notation - 1,2 or 3 - referring to the intended level of study. This helps students navigate their way through the book and makes it user-friendly for students of ALL levels. 4. Has a 'how to use this book' section at the start of the text. 5. Characters in each chapter have defined roles - summarizing key points, to pose questions etc 6. Each chapter now has several examples for students to work through. Answers provided on the enclosed CD-ROM
Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
Kate Fox - 2004
She puts the English national character under her anthropological microscope, and finds a strange and fascinating culture, governed by complex sets of unspoken rules and byzantine codes of behaviour. The rules of weather-speak. The ironic-gnome rule. The reflex apology rule. The paranoid-pantomime rule. Class indicators and class anxiety tests. The money-talk taboo and many more ...Through a mixture of anthropological analysis and her own unorthodox experiments (using herself as a reluctant guinea-pig), Kate Fox discovers what these unwritten behaviour codes tell us about Englishness.
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
B.F. Skinner - 1971
F. Skinner makes his definitive statement about humankind and society.Insisting that the problems of the world today can be solved only by dealing much more effectively with human behavior, Skinner argues that our traditional concepts of freedom and dignity must be sharply revised. They have played an important historical role in our struggle against many kinds of tyranny, he acknowledges, but they are now responsible for the futile defense of a presumed free and autonomous individual; they are perpetuating our use of punishment and blocking the development of more effective cultural practices. Basing his arguments on the massive results of the experimental analysis of behavior he pioneered, Skinner rejects traditional explanations of behavior in terms of states of mind, feelings, and other mental attributes in favor of explanations to be sought in the interaction between genetic endowment and personal history. He argues that instead of promoting freedom and dignity as personal attributes, we should direct our attention to the physical and social environments in which people live. It is the environment rather than humankind itself that must be changed if the traditional goals of the struggle for freedom and dignity are to be reached.Beyond Freedom and Dignity urges us to reexamine the ideals we have taken for granted and to consider the possibility of a radically behaviorist approach to human problems--one that has appeared to some incompatible with those ideals, but which envisions the building of a world in which humankind can attain its greatest possible achievements.
Criminology
Tim Newburn - 2007
It provides the basis of study for undergraduate students, new postgraduate students, and those who need a foundation knowledge of criminology for other relevant courses including access and foundation degree courses in colleges and universities, courses in law, probation, policing, criminal and forensic investigation and on other aspects of crime and the criminal justice system. Key points include:fully comprehensive covering all major areas of criminology and criminal justice as well as guidance on disseration/long-essay writing authoritative written by a leading criminologist and experienced teacher broad approach moves beyond sociological approaches to crime and criminal justice to take account of the contribution of other disciplines up-to-date informed by QAA subject benchmarks for the teaching of criminology extensively illustrated with photographs, charts, tables and diagrams and a range of questions for students to discuss and debate additional website support for students and teachers."
Evolutionary Psychology: A Beginner's Guide
Robin I.M. Dunbar - 2005
Written specifically for the general reader, and for entry-level students, it covers all the most important elements of this interdisciplinary subject, from the role of evolution in our selection of partner, to the influence of genetics on parenting. The book draws widely on examples, case studies and background facts to convey a substantial amount of information, and is authored by the UK’s leading experts in the field, from the only dedicated research and teaching institute.
Haralambos and Holborn – Sociology Themes and Perspectives
Michael Haralambos - 2013
It’s fully updated to match the latest sociology teaching, research and developments to support your learning about sociology today.Brought to you by a team of experts, Collins Sociology Themes and Perspectives is written by Michael Haralambos and Martin Holborn and has supported over one million sociology students worldwide.Build your understanding through clear and comprehensive explanations and apply your knowledge with contextualised examples and research. Stay relevant with the most up-to-date developments, empirical studies and theories while consolidating your learning with quick-reference conclusions and summaries at the end of each chapter. Bring sociology alive with full-colour explanations and photos.New topics covered in this sociology book include globalisation, the Arab Spring, the possible decline of US power, UK Coalition policies, environmental sociology, new media, the financial crash and recession, network society, crime and deviance sociology, victimology – and many more! For additional resources, try the Haralambos and Holborn AQA A-level Sociology Themes and Perspectives Year 1 and AS (9780008242770) and Year 2 (9780008242787) sociology textbooks written specifically for the 2015 AQA specification.Contents:• Chapter 1: Stratification, class and inequality• Chapter 2: Sex and gender• Chapter 3: ‘Race’, ethnicity and nationality• Chapter 4: Poverty, social exclusion and the welfare state• Chapter 5: Health, medicine and the body• Chapter 6: Crime and deviance• Chapter 7: Religion• Chapter 8: Families, households and personal life• Chapter 9: Power, politics and the state• Chapter 10: Education• Chapter 11: Culture, socialisation and identity• Chapter 12: The mass media• Chapter 13: Age and the life course• Chapter 14: Methodology• Chapter 15: Sociological theory
Forensic Psychology: A Very Short Introduction
David Canter - 2010
This fascinating Very Short Introduction discusses all the aspects of psychology that are relevant to the legal and criminal process as a whole. It includes explanations of criminal behavior and criminality, including the role of mental disorder in crime, and it reveals how forensic psychology contributes to helping investigate the crime and catching the perpetrators. David Canter also explains how psychologists provide guidance to all those involved in civil and criminal court proceedings, including both the police and the accused, and what expert testimony can be provided by a psychologist about the offender at the trial. Finally, Canter describes how forensic psychology is used, particularly in prisons, to help in the management, treatment and rehabilitation of offenders, once they have been convicted.
10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less)
Thomas Frank - 2015
Thomas Frank, founder of the College Info Geek blog, YouTube channel, and podcast, breaks these ways down into ten steps in this short book.You'll learn how to learn more effectively in your classes, take better notes, remember more from textbook readings, cut down on procrastination, build an optimal study environment, and more.Along the way, you'll find techniques for increasing your study and work efficiency, giving you more free time in college as well.
Psychology: The Science Of Mind And Behaviour
Richard Gross - 2010
This thoroughly updated edition is colorful, engaging, and packed with features that help students to understand and evaluate classic and contemporary Psychology. Gross is the 'bible' for students of Psychology and anyone in related fields such as Counseling, Nursing and Social Work who needs a reliable, catch-all text. All the major domains of Psychology are covered in detail across 50 manageable chapters that will help you get to grips with anything from the nervous system to memory, from attachment to personality, and everything in-between. A final section on issues and debates allows students to cast a critical eye on the research process, to explore the nature of Psychology as an evolving science, and understand some of the ethical issues faced by Psychologists.
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Barry Schwartz - 2004
Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401K, everyday decisions have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented. In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains why too much of a good thing has proven detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz explains how a culture that thrives on the availability of constantly evolving options can also foster profound dissatisfaction and self-blame in individuals, which can lead to a paralysis in decision making and, in some cases, depression. With the latest studies on how we make choices in our personal and professional lives, Schwartz offers practical advice on how to focus on the right choices, and how to derive greater satisfaction from choices that we do make.
Psychiatry: The Science of Lies
Thomas Szasz - 2008
His latest work, Psychiatry: The Science of Lies, is a culmination of his life's work: to portray the integral role of deception in the history and practice of psychiatry. Szasz argues that the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness stands in the same relationship to the diagnosis and treatment of bodily illness that the forgery of a painting does to the original masterpiece. Art historians and the legal system seek to distinguish forgeries from originals. Those concerned with medicine, on the other hand--physicians, patients, politicians, health insurance providers, and legal professionals--take the opposite stance when faced with the challenge of distinguishing everyday problems in living from bodily diseases, systematically authenticating nondiseases as diseases. The boundary between disease and nondisease--genuine and imitation, truth and falsehood--thus becomes arbitrary and uncertain.There is neither glory nor profit in correctly demarcating what counts as medical illness and medical healing from what does not. Individuals and families wishing to protect themselves from medically and politically authenticated charlatanry are left to their own intellectual and moral resources to make critical decisions about human dilemmas miscategorized as mental diseases and about medicalized responses misidentified as psychiatric treatments. Delivering his sophisticated analysis in lucid prose and with a sharp wit, Szasz continues to engage and challenge readers of all backgrounds.