Understanding Psychology

Taking advantage of the technological advances of recent years, this best-selling, brief book thoroughly integrates multimedia to provide readers with as rich a learning environment as the early 21st century has to offer. It presents psychology as a science and balances discussions of research, theory, and application—inspiring learners to develop their ability to think critically, ask questions, evaluate ideas, and ultimately form their own ideas. Discussions of similarities and differences among genders and cultures appear throughout the book. Chapter topics explore the science of psychology, the biological basis of behavior, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning, memory, cognition and mental abilities, motivation and emotion, life span development, psychological disorders, therapies, and social psychology. Interactive learning activities, outside readings, interactive matching/labeling games, Web links, and segments from the popular Mind Matters CD-ROM are noted in the margins of the book and available at the click of a mouse. For armchair psychologists interested in the never-ending search to understand behavior.