Synopses & Reviews
Drawing students into psychology using a unique "magazine-style" format, Rod Plotnik's modular, visually-oriented approach to the fundamentals makes even the toughest concepts engaging and entertaining. Incorporating the latest research updates, the text breaks concepts down into small, easily digested chunks that allow students and instructors great flexibility in their approach to the subject. For students, this means the flexibility to learn at their own pace; for instructors, the flexibility to assign as much or as little as they like. This Seventh Edition expands upon Plotnik's commitment to teaching by extending the text's approach into its comprehensive ancillary package. For students, "Learning Links" features in the text connect them to the newly updated PowerStudy 2.0 CD-ROM (see below for details). In addition, students have free access to a Book Companion Web Site that now includes personalized Self-Study Assessments?giving them even further assistance in reviewing and prioritizing study time for maximum effectiveness. For instructors, a detailed ancillary package centered around a comprehensive Instructor's Resource Manual provides everything needed for easier, more effective course preparation.
Review
"The community college student generally needs a practical oriented text with 'life' examples to lock-in concepts. No other text does this better than Plotnik."
"Students receive an in-depth presentation of the materials and are then able to test themselves in the Concept Review before proceeding to the next topic area. I also appreciate the Summary Test, Critical Thinking, and Links to Learning sections. The end of chapter Summary Tests are outstanding. Since critical thinking is a major requirement for our accreditation process, it is a major part of my syllabus."
"The Research Focus section is absolutely necessary and adequate. The cultural diversity section makes some interesting points though example."
Review
"I plan on adopting the 7th edition. This text has resonated well with students. It has the finest exam band editor I have used to date, very intuitive."
Review
"The major strengths of the modules are the accuracy of information, clear writing style, module organization and Concept Review/Summary Test sections. I especially liked that there were many, many new citations included in these modules."
Review
The strengths of this text are numerous. First and most importantly, students love the book, which means they read it. I have had more unsolicited compliments from students on the Plotnik text than any book I have used in over 15 years of teaching. The visuals are great and very engaging. The examples are relevant to the student populations and aid in encoding the material in an elaborative way. Application of material is a must and this book does it very well. Language is clear and at the appropriate level for the majority of students in my classes. Theoretically it is eclectic and relatively evenhanded. The cultural diversity sections are outstanding.
Synopsis
'Using a unique \"magazine-style\" format, Rod Plotnik\'s INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY offers a modular, visually-oriented approach to the fundamentals that makes even the toughest concepts engaging and entertaining. Incorporating the latest research updates, the text breaks concepts down into small, easily digested chunks.'
About the Author
Rod Plotnik earned his Ph.D. as a biological psychologist from University of Florida and a post doctorate at Yale University. He has been drawn to teaching students through visuals to get them excited about the material, which he also does throughout his text. When Dr. Kouyoumdjian took his first college psychology class at Diablo Valley College, He had the opportunity to use Introduction to Psychology (3rd ed.) by Rod Plotnik. He can still recall the many conversations he had with peers and family members sharing the fascinating stories he read about and his overall enthusiasm for the textbook. For the first time ever, he did the unimaginable--that is he began reading ahead because he was impatient to read the next great story and learn the next interesting concept. Plotnik's text sparked Haig's interest in psychology and he went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science at Saint Mary's College of California, a liberal arts college in the Bay Area.
Table of Contents
1. Discovering Psychology. 2. Psychology and Science. 3. Brain's Building Blocks. 4. Incredible Nervous System. 5. Sensation. 6. Perception. 7. Sleep and Dreams. 8. Hypnosis and Drugs. 9. Classical Conditioning. 10. Operant and Cognitive Approaches. 11. Types of Memory. 12. Remembering and Forgetting. 13. Intelligence. 14. Thought and Language. 15. Motivation. 16. Emotion. 17. Infancy and Childhood. 18. Adolescence and Adulthood. 19. Freudian and Humanistic Theories. 20. Social, Cognitive and Trait Theories. 21. Health, Stress and Coping. 22. Assessment and Anxiety Disorders. 23. Mood Disorder and Schizophrenia. 24. Therapies. 25. Social Psychology.