Essentials of Psychology; Concepts and Applications (5th Edition)

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Book Description

“Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications,” authored by Jeffrey S. Nevid, presents a comprehensive overview of key concepts in psychology along with their practical applications. Here's an overview of what you can expect from the 5th edition:

1. Introduction to Psychology: Nevid starts by introducing readers to the field of psychology, covering its history, major theoretical perspectives, research methods, and ethical considerations. This section provides a foundation for understanding the discipline and its relevance to everyday life.
2. Biopsychology: The book explores the biological bases of behavior, including genetics, neuroscience, and the structure and function of the nervous system. Nevid discusses topics such as brain organization, neurotransmitters, hormones, sensation, perception, and the biological mechanisms underlying behavior and mental processes.
3. Sensation and Perception: Nevid delves into sensation and perception, examining how organisms detect and interpret sensory information from the environment. He discusses the sensory modalities (vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell), perceptual processes, illusions, and factors influencing perception.
4. Consciousness and Sleep: The textbook covers the nature of consciousness, including states of consciousness, altered states of consciousness (e.g., sleep, dreams, hypnosis, meditation), and the neurobiology of sleep and wakefulness. Nevid explores the functions and mechanisms of sleep, circadian rhythms, and sleep disorders.
5. Learning: Nevid discusses principles of learning, including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning, and cognitive factors in learning. He examines the processes of acquisition, extinction, generalization, discrimination, and reinforcement schedules.
6. Memory: The book explores the nature of memory, including sensory memory, short-term memory, long-term memory, encoding, storage, retrieval, and forgetting. Nevid discusses memory processes, models of memory, factors influencing memory performance, and memory disorders.
7. Cognition: Nevid examines cognitive processes such as thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, language, and intelligence. He discusses cognitive development across the lifespan, cognitive biases, heuristics, and the role of schemas and mental representations in cognition.
8. Developmental Psychology: The textbook covers human development from infancy to old age, addressing physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. Nevid discusses major theories of development (e.g., Piaget, Erikson), milestones, and challenges associated with each life stage.
9. Motivation and Emotion: Nevid explores the factors influencing motivation and emotion, including biological, psychological, and social determinants. He discusses theories of motivation, hunger, thirst, sexual motivation, achievement motivation, and the nature of emotions.
10. Personality: The book examines personality theories and research, including trait theories, psychodynamic theories, humanistic theories, and social-cognitive theories. Nevid discusses personality assessment techniques, personality development, and the stability and change of personality over time.
11. Psychological Disorders and Therapy: Nevid discusses psychological disorders, including their classification, symptoms, causes, and treatment approaches. He covers major categories of disorders (e.g., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia), therapy modalities (e.g., psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy), and prevention strategies.
12. Social Psychology: Nevid explores social influence, interpersonal attraction, group dynamics, attitudes, prejudice, conformity, obedience, aggression, and prosocial behavior. He discusses social cognition, social perception, and the impact of social factors on individual behavior and mental processes.

Throughout the book, Nevid includes real-world examples, case studies, and applications to illustrate psychological concepts and their relevance to everyday life. With its accessible writing style, engaging visuals, and comprehensive coverage, “Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications” provides readers with a solid understanding of psychology and its practical applications in diverse contexts.