Synopses & Reviews
There is simply no other textbook as effective in getting students excited about and involved with psychology as Plotnik's exceptional text. Using his hallmark "multimedia on the printed page" approach, Rod Plotnik makes the concepts of psychology come to life! Plotnik's book is far more than just a good read and a compelling presentation-it is also a book written by a teacher committed to helping students master the content of psychology. From the side-by-side visual summaries to the concept reviews, Plotnik's text is designed throughout for student mastery. Professors report that all the important content is covered in the Plotnik book-in a way that "hooks" students and gets them to read on. And Plotnik's commitment to teaching extends into the ancillaries that accompany the text. The activities in the Instructor's Manual are exciting, original, and offer truly innovative ways to get students involved in the concepts of the course. In many of today's psychology classrooms, the printed pages is just the beginning! In this exciting new Fifth Edition, Plotnik includes "Links to Learning" at the end of every module that launch students into whole new worlds of interactive learning and exploration. Plotnik also references interactive activities on a variety of CD-ROMs that students can purchase bundled with their textbook, as well as appropriate sections in the Study Guide.
Review
"I am constantly searching for a better textbook, one that would interest students and get them to actually read the book before class. I think this book would do this. The shorter modules are one advantage, but the visual graphics are truly exceptional. The many real-life examples should engage the students, and perhaps 'turn them on' to the idea of studying psychology. . . . I would say that this is one of the best Introduction to Psychology textbooks I have ever seen!"
Review
"The main reason I first used this book was directly related to seeing Rod Plotnik's presentation on undergraduate teaching at a Teaching Psychology conference a few years ago. He is really committed to and focused on undergraduate education in psychology. What a refreshing change! . . . I found this text met all my criteria for content and so I decided to give it a try. The students loved it! In 25 years of teaching psychology, this was the first time I got student comments on my course evaluation that praised the textbook. This was amazing!"
Review
"The module approach is very useful in organizing lectures and more convenient for the student's study task than the longer chapter approach. The content is interesting as well as highly suitable for educational purposes. This is a difficult combination to achieve--interesting and educational at the same time. My better academic students as well as my more average students tell me how much they like the book. Plotnik somehow manages to appeal to both levels of students."
Review
"It is comprehensive and does not over-simplify--my greatest problem with so many introductory texts. From the students' perspective, it is fun--but also clear enough and presented with enough examples and repetition so as to make learning almost certain. The fill-in-the-blank Concept Review and Summary Tests are fun to take and also an excellent way of reinforcing learning."
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 662-695) and indexes.
About the Author
Rod Plotnik earned his Ph.D. as a biological psychologist from the University of Florida and a post doctorate at Yale University. Early in his career, he realized the effectiveness of teaching students through visuals to get them excited about the material, a technique he utilizes throughout INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY, now in its Tenth Edition (Cengage Learning, 2014).
Table of Contents
Note: Each module begins with an Introduction and concludes with a Summary Test and Critical Thinking and Links to Learning sections. Concept Checks are interspersed in each module. 1. Discovering Psychology Definition and Goals / Modern Approaches / Historical Approaches / Cultural Diversity: Early Discrimination / Research Focus: Class Notes / Careers in Psychology / Research Areas / Application: Study Skills 2. Psychology and Science Methods for Answering Questions / Surveys / Case Study / Cultural Diversity: Uses of Placebos / Correlation / Decisions about Doing Research / Scientific Method: Experiment / Research Focus: ADHD Questions / Application: Concerns About Research 3. Brains Building Blocks Overview: Human Brain / Neurons: Structure and Function / Neurons versus Nerves / Sending Information / Transmitters / Reflex Responses / Research Focus: Phantom Limb / Cultural Diversity: Plants, Drugs, and Transmitters / Application: Fetal Tissue Transplant 4. Incredible Nervous System Genes and Evolution / Studying the Living Brain / Organization of the Brain / Control Centers: Four Lobes / Limbic System: Old Brain / Endocrine System / Research Focus: Sexual Differences / Cultural Diversity: Brain Size and Racial Myths / Application: Split-Brain 5. Sensation Eye: Vision / Ear: Audition / Vestibular System: Balance / Chemical Senses / Touch / Cultural Diversity: Different Tastes / Research Focus: Pain and Placebos / Pain: A Different Sense / Application: Artificial Senses 6. Perception Perceptual Thresholds / Sensation Versus Perception / Rules of Organization / Perceptional Constancy / Depth Perception / Illusions / Research Focus: Subliminal Perception / Cultural Diversity: Different Perceptions / ESP- Extrasensory Perception / Application: Creating Perceptions 7. Consciousness, Sleep, and Dreams Continuum of Consciousness / Rhythms of Sleeping and Waking / World of Sleep / Research Focus: Circadian Preference / Questions about Sleep / Cultural Diversity: Incidence of SAD / World of Dreams / Application: Sleep Problems and Treatments 8. Hypnosis and Drugs Hypnosis / Drugs: Overview / Stimulants / Opiates / Hallucinogens / Alcohol / Cultural Diversity: Rates of Alcoholism / Marijuana / Research Focus: Drug Prevention / Treatment for Drug Abuse 9. Classical Conditioning Three Kinds of Learning / Procedure: Classical Conditioning / Other Conditioning Concepts / Adaptive Value / Three Explanations / Research Focus: Little Albert / Cultural Diversity: Dental Fears / Application: Conditioned Fear and Nausea 10. Operant and Cognitive Approaches Operant Conditioning / Reinforcers / Schedules of Reinforcement / Other Conditioning Concepts / Cognitive Learning / Biological Factors / Research Focus: Noncompliance / Cultural Diversity: East Meets West / Application: Behavior Modification 11. Types of Memory Three Kinds of Memory / Sensory Memory: Recording / Short-Term Memory: Working / Long-Term Memory: Storing / Research Focus: Animal Model / Encoding: Transferring / Repressed Memories / Cultural Diversity: Oral Versus Written / Application: Unusual Memories 12. Remembering and Forgetting Organization of Memories / Forgetting Curves / Reasons for Forgetting / Biological Bases of Memory / Mnemonics: Memorization Methods / Cultural Diversity: Aborigines Versus White / Research Focus: False Memories / Application: Eyewitness Testimony 13. Intelligence Defining Intelligence / Measuring Intelligence / Distribution and Use of IQ Scores / Potential Problems of IQ Testing / Nature-Nurture Question / Cultural Diversity: Classifying Races and Immigration / Research Focus: New Approaches / Application: Intervention Programs 14. Thought and Language Forming Concepts / Solving Problems / Thinking Creatively /