Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)When asked to choose a book to use in my Introduction to Psychology class, I was somewhat unsure because there are armadas of books out there. For students, I think someone should take in price as a factor, look at what they are given in the way of student-aid and multimedia, and how good the book really happens to be. I initially chose this book because I knew someone that had used an older version of it and said that it was a good choice and, well, I couldn't be happier.
As far as the cost of the book, it really isn't bad for a new book. It keeps up with newer stuff, not really leaving you behind with outmoded material you really shouldn't learn anyhow. It also adds in newer elements to the study of the subject, allowing a student to feel out the subject without feeling like they've stepped onto the Intro bandwagon. This isn't to say that all the beginner's concepts aren't covered because they are - this is simply to say that the book takes the subjects and runs with them a lot more than most beginner material. Another thing to take into account if you are teaching a class are the number of chapters vs. the filler material. With classes becoming shorter now (many schools now have a 14 week series v. a 16 week one) the material needs to be able to sink in faster.
Happily for the students reading this, the material will do that AND the book will come with A LOT of help to making testing a positive experience.
One nice thing that comes with the book is the Concept Charts, making it east for people to see the ideas "come to life." It is easier to explain how a science goes from an idea to a modern approach by placing it in a nice graph, and the points that are added make it easier still to separate one person from another. The Chart book follows along with the book amazingly, too; I looked into it first off and saw that it took into account everything the Chapters were trying to say.
Running through the book, it covers: Evolution of Psychology, Researching, Biological Biases for Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Variations on Consciousness, Learning, Memory, Language and Thought, Intelligence and Testing, Motivation and Emotion, Development across the Life Span, Personality, Stress and Coping, Disorders, Treatment, and Social behavior. Combine this with the CD, web help, and you've got a full book of concepts.
If your teacher picked this out, MAKE SURE you get the concept charts with your book. It is good, will help you if you are going into any field dealing with psychology, and is a book that is worth keeping instead of recycling.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Psychology: Themes and Variations (with Concept Charts and InfoTrac)
Since the First Edition of this book appeared, professors have praised its visual presentation of concepts, accessible writing style, and solid research-based scholarship. PSYCHOLOGY: THEMES AND VARIATIONS is about the ideas and concepts behind the research studies. His straightforward style gets students to contemplate open-ended questions, examine their assumptions, and apply psychological concepts to their own lives. Wayne Weiten surveys psychology's broad range of content with three aims: to illuminate the process of research and its intrinsic relationship to application; to show both the unity and diversity of the subject, and to invite students to the study of psychology by respecting their ability to master its fundamental concepts. Integrative themes--including empiricism, theoretical diversity, sociohistorical contexts, multifactorial causation, cultural heritage, heredity and environment, and subjectivity of experience--are woven throughout the text to provide connections among the different areas of research in psychology. The book's dynamic, teaching-oriented illustration program further enhances these themes. Weiten reinforces concepts through exercises that appear at the end of every chapter. At the same time, the author presents topics in a hierarchical manner, giving students handles they can use to prioritize concepts within the chapter.
No comments:
Post a Comment