Product Description

This best-selling text uses cognitive psychology research to inform and improve classroom instruction.

The new edition is keenly focused on the applications of cognitive psychology specific to education, teaching and learning. The text is accessible and readable; includes a superior, extensive and authoritative section on motivation; and applies the most current research on cognitive psychology and motivation to classroom teaching and student learning. Readers will begin by reading about the basic principles of cognitive psychology, and later move onto the role of beliefs and motivations in cognitive processes and learning. Additionally, readers will explore cognitive and motivational research focused on teaching and learning in specific content areas; the application of psychology to teaching and learning; and the features of cognitive psychology most relevant to education. Furthermore, the text offers superior, extensive and authoritative coverage of motivation not found in comparable texts on the market. Written for those interested in the applications of psychology to teaching and learning, including pre-service and in-service teachers, as well as other educators, support staff, counselors, and administrators who wish to build a deeper understanding of psychology’s applications to education, this text will not disappoint in its goal of teaching how to apply the latest research and theory to practice, as well as instruction how to design educational interventions that engage and motivate all students.

Customer Reviews (3)

Not the best description of the book for the price
In talking with peers, I paid too much for this book for the condition it was in. I would have said it was in low fair, maybe even poor condition.

This Book is Outside the Zone of Learnability!
If you want to learn about brain-based learning, there are easier books to read.Yes, I learned a lot by reading it, but each chapter took me 2 hours to read.My classmates agree.Many times, I'd have to read it aloud to understand it. I've been to college; later I returned for a certification in education; and now I'm getting my masters.This is the hardest book I've ever encountered!

Cognitive Psychology and Instruction
This book is a "must-read" for teachers!It contains the latest research on cognitive psychology for those teachers who want to step up their teaching abilities and give their students the added zip that they need to be successful in the classroom!The book is easy to read and easy to understand. ... Read more

Product Description

This fifth edition of the best-selling international cognitive psychology textbook has been substantially updated and restructured to reflect new developments in cognitive psychology, and made more student-friendly.

Established approaches covered in depth include:

• Experimental cognitive psychology
• Cognitive science with its focus on modelling
• Cognitive neuropsychology with its focus on cognition following brain damage.

Extensive new material in this edition includes:

• Cognitive neuroscience approaches such as brain scanning and imaging studies which illustrate the principles of brain function
• New material on consciousness.

Throughout, the new material is fully integrated with more traditional approaches to create a comprehensive, coherent and totally current overview of perception, attention, memory, concepts, language, problem solving, judgement and reasoning.

A two-colour design, plus a rich array of supplementary multimedia materials, make this edition more accessible and entertaining for students.

The multimedia materials include:

• A PowerPoint lecture course and MCQ Test Bank free to qualifying adopters
• A unique web-based Student Learning Program. This is an interactive revision program incorporating a rich array of multimedia resources including interactive exercises and demonstrations, and active reference links to journal articles. This is offered on a subscription basis to departments adopting the text. A free demonstration of a sample chapter is available to potential subscribers at http://www.psypress.com/ek5/ .

Customer Reviews (3)

grate
hi
i must say it was my first order of study book threw amazoo
so i didn't know what to expect now i can say i was verry pleasd from the whole proces
right from the begining to the end
i got it quiqer then i thoght i will
now about the book itself it is grate' easy to read and understand it is realy a "good deal"
iwormely recomend yot to have that book and order it threw amazon
yours ..a pleasd student:
eyal gassmaann from israel
by by

what i expected
The product arrived in time and it was just what they said it was going to be: used with some highlighting, but excellent otherwise.

Comprehensive - that's both good and bad
This book covers a lot of topics and includes details of the relevant and recent research, which makes it a great text for a class on Cognitive Psychology.
However it is not an easy read, and that may make it unsuitable for some classes. ... Read more

Product Description

Previous editions have established this best-selling student handbook as THE cognitive psychology textbook of choice, both for its academic rigour and its accessibility. This sixth edition continues this tradition. It has been substantially updated and revised to reflect new developments in the field (especially within cognitive neuroscience).

Traditional approaches are combined with the cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience approach to create a comprehensive, coherent and totally up-to-date overview of all the main fields in cognitive psychology. The major topics covered include perception, attention, memory, concepts, language, problem solving, and reasoning, as well as some applied topics such as everyday memory.

New to this edition:

• Presented in full-colour throughout, with numerous colour illustrations including photographs and brain scans
• Increased emphasis on cognitive neuroscience, to reflect its growing influence on cognitive psychology
• A NEW chapter on Cognition and Emotion
• A WHOLE chapter on Consciousness
• Increased coverage of applied topics such as recovered memories, medical expertise, informal reasoning, and emotion regulation incorporated throughout the textbook
• More focus on individual differences in areas including long-term memory, expertise, reasoning, emotion and regulation.

The textbook is packed full of useful features that will engage students and aid revision, including key terms, which are new to this edition, chapter summaries, and suggestions for further reading.

Written by one of the leading textbook authors in psychology, this thorough and user-friendly textbook will continue to be essential reading for all undergraduate students of psychology. Those taking courses in computer science, education, linguistics, physiology, and medicine will also find it an invaluable resource.

This edition is accompanied by a rich array of supplementary materials, which will be made available to qualifying adopters completely free of charge. The online multimedia materials include:

• A PowerPoint lecture course and multiple-choice question test bank
• A unique Student Learning Program: an interactive revision program incorporating a range of multimedia resources including interactive exercises and demonstrations, and active reference links to journal articles.

Product Description
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, presents a coherent overview of cognitive psychology organized in terms of themes that cut across topic areas. Written by well-known researchers, the book is completely current in describing ongoing controversies in research; it provides summaries of key experiments that distinguish between them; and it encourages the reader to think critically about current research and theories. The focus on the importance of physical and computational constraints on cognition is preserved throughout the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dismal
This is by far the worst psychology textbook I have ever come across.It is poorly worded, repetitive, and abrasively organized.The material is interesting enough but it is largely an incredibly frustrating book to read.

Too much ambiguity
I find this book to be terribly frustrating. I have only read a few chapters in this book (a great deal of that material several times) and concepts that this book introduces are just not clear. the abnormal psychology book that Sue Sue and Sue wrote is phenomenal, every key concept is clearly defined, and it is immediately discussed and then supplemented with examples and extra information. With this Cognitive Psychology book I feel like every important concept is shrouded in fog. There are far too many examples and few terms are defined immediately and with accuracy. With this said, I would suggest this book for people that would like to supplement their reading, due to the massive amounts of examples in this book. For some, this book may be perfect, I just prefer a more direct approach that other psychology books offer.

Great condition!
This book arrived quickly and in great condition!I would gladly buy from this seller again. ... Read more

Product Description
Succeed in the course with COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IN AND OUT OF THE LABORATORY! This understandable cognitive psychology textbook provides you with the tools you need to master the concepts and improve your performance on exams. With everyday examples, the author presents brain function ? an abstract and difficult topic ? in a clear and manageable way. Key terms, review questions,CogLab exercises, and Web resources give you many new ways to approach the topics covered in the text. Through hands-on practice and reinforcement, you'll learn both the importance and personal relevance of understanding brain function. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cognitive Psych In and Out of the Laboratory
Book is in good shape. For some reason almost all of the text on every page is underlined. Some gets crosses out and is hard to read. Otherwise good binding and good page condition. ... Read more

Product Description

This book brings cognition to life by demonstrating the endless application of cognitive psychology to everyday life. While introducing the current research in this rapidly changing field, the text also introduces critical thinking exercises that highlight important phenomena and provide an engaging firsthand view of the everyday relevance of research in cognition. The book has three main threads that serve as unifying themes for current research in the field: Cognition and Neuroscience; Cognition and Consciousness; and Cognition and Individual Differences. A “story” introduces the book and is continually referred to throughout in installments, highlighting the application of the information and providing a useful organizing tool.

Customer Reviews (5)

Delivered on Time
The book came in a timely manner, and the product was in the condition as described.

Great Book
This book is great because it uses summaries and vocabulary at the end of each chapter.On top of that, it has review questions through the book that help as well.The only real down-side I had with this book is that it has some activities in it that are unrealistic.

A skewed interpretation. Very Biased!
This book presents data and historical facts of psychology in a very skewed manner. The writter seems to be completely in love with several theories in Cognitive Psychlogy and ignores information which contradicts or places serious doubt on his interpretation of experiments and theories.
I would recommend that no one use this book for instructional purposes. There are several other Cognitive Psychology books that stick to the facts or at least are more objective.

Excellent text
This is an excellent cognitive text. There is no pleasingthe less-motivated student. I highly recommend this as an excellent text on memory.

so bnoring
so boring, so so boring to read and follow.. they knew about cog psyc, but forget how to communicate the information appropriately. ... Read more

Product Description

"Ronald T. Kellogg's Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology is a very informative and user-friendly introductory textbook for students and general readers alike. This is a book that I would recommend to general readers and undergraduate students alike."

-PSYCHCRITIQUES


“Kellogg lucidly presents the basics of what historical and contemporary psychological science has taught us about the workings of the human mind. Students will enjoy learning from this book.”
-Elizabeth Loftus, University of California, Irvine

"Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology combines a thorough review of classic data with highly relevant contemporary every-day examples. The text draws a wide arc that encompasses most aspects of cognitive psychology-ranging from visual consciousness to knowledge representation, language, and problem solving. Kellogg illustrates the material with many relevant and insightful examples of cognitive disorders, which are certain to pique students’ interest."
-Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Western Australia

This clear and concise text offers undergraduate students a brief but solid introduction to the fundamental concepts of cognitive psychology. Integrating the latest developments in cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, emotion, and cognitive development throughout the text, author Ronald T. Kellogg provides a view of what is happening at the leading edge of the field today.

Key Features

• Focuses on the “essentials” of cognitive psychology: Does not bog students down in tangential or esoteric asides or in topics more suitable for discussion in advanced follow-up courses.
• Integrates coverage of neuroscience: A four-color insert of cognitive tasks that students can replicate and related brain images (PET and fMRI) helps students develop a deeper understanding of the neuroscience behind cognitive processes.
• Emphasizes practical applications: Concrete implications of cognitive research are woven into the narrative of the text rather than boxed in inserts that students would be tempted to ignore as unnecessary detail.
• Highlights important concepts: Margin notes summarize important concepts, providing further clarification when needed and giving students previewing and reviewing guideposts.

Instructor’s Resources

An Instructor’s Resource CD provides materials for PowerPoint presentations, suggestions for further reading, Web resources, interactive demonstrations, test questions, and much more!

IRCDs are available for qualified instructors only. To request an IRCD for this book please contact Customer Care at 1.800.818.7243 (6 am – 5 pm Pacific Time) or by emailing info@sagepub.com with course name and enrollment and your university mailing address to expedite the process.

Student Study Web Site

A Student Study Web Site provides flashcards, Internet exercises, Web links, self quizzes, and links to SAGE journal articles (http://www.sagepub.com/kelloggfcpstudy).

*This text is an excellent choice for schools on the quarter system!*

Customer Reviews (2)

Cognitive Psychology
It's a good book for the course. Easy to follow and understand and it has really good images and charts to go along with the text.

Fantastic, easy way to get into COG SCI
This was the textbook in the 1class I took in CogSci and I found it incredibly easy to read and it was actually quite interesting. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (24)

A useful general survey
As a student in clinical psychology we were assigned Anderson's text for our Cognition class. Overall, the text served as a good survey of the field. Entering as someone with knowledge of the field at large, the text was not a difficult read and Anderson explained each section in a manner that was easy to understand. However, having already had a class in psychobiology I didn't mind his not going into detail regarding the various sections of the brain, which he discussed in relation to the subject that he was reviewing. With that said, the book serves as a good introductory text for those who already have some knowledge of psychobiology or neuroanatomy, but for those who are not familiar with at least psychobiology (or neuroanatomy) I would not recommend this text. For a general reader who is not a student in the field or for a psychology student who hasn't studied psychobiology yet I would recommend either finding another text or reading this along with a text on neuroanatomy in order to get a fuller understanding of not so much what Anderson is talking about, but in order to have a fuller picture of what he is discussing.

This then leads me to my biggest criticism of Anderson which is in regards to his limited attempts to move from the laboratory into the applied arena. It could be argued that this is not what the text is about; otherwise the title would have been "Applied Cognitive Psychology." However, Anderson states in the preface that one of the goals of his text is to demonstrate "how cognitive psychology has relevance to many aspects of our life and to our conceptions of ourselves as humans" (p. XIX). But Anderson's Implication boxes are few are far between. Either adding more information to these boxes or by adding more of them throughout the text would have allowed him to better achieve one of his stated goals.

A perfect example of this is in the chapter on Human Memory: Retention and Retrieval (Chapter 7). There is one Implications box on advertising and cognitive psychology. Right after this box Anderson discusses eyewitness testimony and the false-memory controversy. This would have been another great area where he could have discussed further the implications of our tendency to elaborate and reconstruct our memories and what this means say for eyewitness testimony in the legal system. For example, in our legal system great emphasis is placed on eyewitness testimony, yet based on the research eyewitness testimony is often one of the most unreliable tools. Thus what are the implications of this that no one really talks about?

This for me is only a criticism because the author states application as a goal and then fails to deliver, but as a reader (and a clinical psychology student) Anderson does write in a manner that allowed me to take the research and think about how it applies to my work. For example, going back to the chapter on Memory (chapter 7) and in reading about how people have a tendency to infer and elaborate on what they know, I once met someone who related an experience in vivid detail, however as time went on others insisted that the person who originally told me the story was never actually there, in fact they insisted that he wasn't able to go because he had to work that day. Was the person lying to me? Based on data I gathered and from what I know about human memory (thanks to Anderson), I don't believe he was. What appears to have happened was that someone else (who had been there) had told that person about that experience and the person whom I was originally talking to in turn combined the story they had heard with a different memory (at the same location) and over time he "rewrote" his memory by sharing the story with others until he came to remember an experience that actually never included him.

As a clinical psychology student I wouldn't expect Anderson to write as if he were writing for someone in my area of study, but I think by working harder on his stated goal of showing "how cognitive psychology has relevance" for life outside of the lab, this in turn would give further food for thought to clinical students as they wrestle with the subjects he discusses in trying to see how this research can be applied to our subfield. Plus for the general reader, they would have a text that would further allow them to see why research in this area is indeed important.

Excellent Cognitive Psychology Textbook
The overall organization of the book is very simple to understand.From looking at the chapter organization, one is able to see that the author has followed a logical pattern of building upon more basic units up to the more complex, at least from a Western perspective.The chapters are also organized in a digestible way in that they cover the relevant material related to the chapter's topic and then provide the opportunity for one to critically apply the material through the "Questions for Thought" section, while also highlighting the important vocabulary sited within the chapter.With the exception of Chapter One, each chapter also ends with a "Conclusions" section summarizing the information included within the chapter.

Given the recent 2010 release of the 7th edition, the book is relevant to contemporary culture and sites mostly current information related to the field.Although not too significant on the level of scholarship one such example of the text being relevant to present-day society is seen when the author asks the following question related to attention within the "Questions for Thought" section in Chapter Three: "Do you think that listening to a conversation on a cell phone while driving makes it harder to process other sounds like a car horn honking?" (p. 91).Although this is not necessarily representative of scholarly research, it does provide the reader with an ability to associate contemporary cultural issues with the learning process surrounding cognitive science.This may be especially relevant to an undergraduate level culture.

If you are a professor looking for an undergraduate textbook or an introductory graduate course on cognition, I highly recommend this text.As mentioned above, it is organized well and makes what can be very difficult information to understand comprehensible for students at various levels.If you are a graduate student and have some knowledge of cognition, you may find the text to be mostly review; however, you will still likely benefit from the well-articulated examples and easy to understand charts and figures.As a mental health clinician, this book will give you an excellent cursory overview of the field of cognition; however, I highly recommend coupling it with an additional more robust text considering greater application within the realm of clinical psychology.Although it is a fairly dense read, Gibbs' (2005) Embodiment and Cognitive Science will assist you in broadening the scope form a more reductionistic approach to the field of cognition toward a more integrated, holistic perspective.Both are valuable.

Overall, I rate this text as excellent and consider it to have a wide range of application and utility.

Is this your bunch of bananas?
Anderson's book is a breath of fresh air from the unreadability of many of his peers, although he may have digressed to a paint-by-numbers approach that seems more appropriate for an undergraduate level textbook than one for doctoral students or working professionals.While his writing is clear and his format organized, his desire to format his book in a cognitively accessible manner, may underestimate an advanced reader's ability to comprehend and interact with more complex ideas.Reminiscent of undergraduate textbooks, Anderson's book is full of bold buzzwords and definitions as well as section summaries and reflection questions at the end of chapters to ensure comprehension of the material.While I have never found reflection questions a particularly useful learning tool, some may benefit from this process, and the rest will just pass them by.The overly easy access of the material may actually make it less likely that people will thoughtfully engage in the material, as they may be able to get the gist of things by reading the bold words, pictures and reading the chapter summaries.Reliance on these old undergraduate studying techniques may not be conducive the more interactive, philosophical, or integrative learning promoted through doctoral training.

For those who manage not to merely skim the book, they will find that Aderson's book lays a solid foundation for cognitive psychology that they may not have received in their undergraduate studies.Anderson works from a basic definition of Cognition as "the science of how the mind is organized to produce intelligent thought and how it is realized in the brain" (p.1).This definition fails to include recent systemic cognitive theories that work to include the physical body's impact on cognition, but it does allow one a clear place to start learning an often dense and convoluted subject matter.Anderson gradually moves through the applicable subjects such as perception, attention, imagery, memory, problem solving and reasoning with ease, building on a foundation of "current" (5 years ago) neuropsychological science.While the neuropsychology section may be somewhat outdated, the following sections are foundational to understanding cognitive psychology.Chapters such as Retrieval and Inference are important for psychologists to understand because retrieving past information or memories and the resulting meanings they infer from that information are the building blocks of the therapeutic process.Developing a greater understanding of the interaction of "elaboration and inferential reconstruction" (p.190) may allow therapists to assess the clients thoughts or memories and work to uncover what is "real" and what the client "inferred" from their memories.This is foundational in approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, where interventions such as behavioral chain analysis seek to uncover and replace negative or incorrect thoughts.Anderson does not often go into depth regarding the clinical application of the material he presents, but if one reads carefully, they will get much more out of the text than if you were only scanning for the BOLD words.Like the monkey on page 211, if you can't reach the bananas with two sticks, this book is for you.If you have already figured out how to put them together and get your yellow bunch of deliciousness it may be time to find something more challenging.

interesting and accessible
In the midst of endless books we are asked to buy and read as graduate students, it seems like a rarity to actually enjoy the books we read. Gone are the days when I could snuggle up with a book that I actually chose for myself so it is a pleasant surprise when an assigned text turns out to be a good one. This was the case with Anderson's Cognitive Psychology and its Implications. Not only did he fill the pages with practical applications, but he also gave useful explanations and visual aids to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the material. Ultimately, Anderson purports that cognitive science is the foundation upon which all other social sciences stand, even though many fields neglect to address many of the cognitive implications that may be present. I appreciated his call to the integration of a working knowledge of cognition with any conceptualization of human behavior, thought and emotion.

As previously noted, this book is useful in part because of the way it is written. Anderson was extremely clear in his explanations of concepts and gave an abundance of practical application. Further, he covered a broad range of topics. Most importantly, his book was really easy to read with accessible discussions and useful terminology. Overall, his passion for this subject really came through which made it easy for the reader to become interested too.

In reading this text, my interest in neuroscience and its implications for neuropsychological testing was piqued. Anderson touches on various assessments that can be used to test memory, attention and perception and thoughtfully integrated cognition with neuropsychological interpretation of these tests. For example, he used the stroop test to illustrate the experience and effects of competing forms of attention. In this section, he was discussing the challenges involved in overlapping tasks and responding to multiple cues. This begs the question; when we can only attend to so much at a time, how do we select what we attend to? His discussion of attention led me to think about the experience of patients with anxiety or depression. People with these disorders often find it more difficult to concentrate, possibly because there are compulsive worries or self defeating thoughts that are competing for their attention. Anderson's exploration of attention gave me food for thought regarding the cognitive implications for neuropsych testing as well as treatment within the mental health field.

Although I'm still waiting for the day that J.K. Rowling writes a compendium of neurocognitive theories, Anderson's book is a good alternative for an interesting and informative read.

useful text book
I purchased Anderson's Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications for my Cognition class last month.At the beginning of the course, I was struggling with one of the required reading and spending a lot of energy and time tried to understand cognitive psychology.Therefore, when it comes to the time that I have to read this book, I was reluctant to begin reading it.However, when I started my reading, I was surprised that this book is an easy read for me, a non-native English speaker.

One thing I have to point out about this book is its layout.Like other text books, this book includes many pictures, tables, and illustrations to help readers to better understand how human brain works and where the working area located in our brain.This book not only has clear heading of each different topic but Anderson also includes a short summary and take home points at the end of each section for readers.Plus, Anderson tries to make this text book practical by including the "Implication" box in the book chapters.The "Implication" box talks about the real-world example and how to apply the concept for that chapter or how to use the concept to understand human beings.Anderson also includes some questions for readers to think about.To be honest, after reading this book, I started to appreciate the layout of text books.

In this book, Anderson covers many different topics include visual perception, attention, memory, problem solving, reasoning, judgment, decision making, and so on.I like how Anderson tries to make this difficult concept fits into our daily life and apply this concept in some real situations that we will encounter every day.For example, in chapter one, Anderson mentions the implications to other fields, such as economics field.Anderson also includes the practical applications in this chapter.He indicates that "if we really understood how people acquire knowledge and intellectual skills and how they perform feats of intelligence, then we would be able to improve their intellectual training and performance accordingly." (p.3)Personally, I think this gives readers (at least myself) a very good example that cognitive psychology is not just an abstract science for psychologists or psychiatrists, but an interesting concept for everyone.I think Anderson does a great job on breaking down this difficult and abstract concept into small practical topics.He also applies the concept on the book layout and includes the take home points at the end of each section to help readers to learn.I really appreciate his effort and enjoy reading his work.

However, as a graduate psychology student, I think Anderson needs to include more recent researches studies in the book.When reading this book, I found that there are many old researches and studies that I had already read 6 or 7 years ago when I was taking cognitive psychology in undergrad.I would like to see more new studies in the book to gain some new knowledge in this field.

Overall, this is a helpful book for me to understand this hard concept as well as to gain some information on how to apply it in practical setting.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a brief, affordable core text for courses in cognitive psychology. Thoroughly updated, the seventh edition offers coverage of perception, attention, memory, knowledge, problem solving, and emotion, in a friendly and accessible style. By discussing selected experiments rather than exhaustively surveying the empirical literature, the authors encourage students to appreciate the intricacies of problem-solving activity in cognition. The text incorporates real world examples, case studies, and key experiments on significant topics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Translated from the original Korean?
This is one of the worst textbooks I've had. It honestly reads like it was translated from Korean to German, and then to English. I have the concepts of Cognitive Psychology down pretty well, and I think this book actually caused me to lose some of it in the process of trying to wade through it.

Don't buy this book!
this book is the most boring text i've ever seen. readers would be discouraged by the ways these authors organize the subjects.
explanations of theories and ideas are overflowed..kept me and my colleagues confusing.
there are always some better books better than this one.

Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology
This book was helpful when I was completing my research paper on cognitive psychology.My class has not started, however, the book was very informative.The book is not easy to read however, it a text book for psychology majors.

Informative and helpful
As an undergraduate TA, I became familiar with this book when my supervising professor chose it for her undergraduate learning and cognition course. The text presents detailed coverage of the topics in an accessiblestyle. I disagree with the previous reviewer about the value of thediscussion of previous experiments. By providing a discussion of selectedexperiments rather than an exhaustive survey of the empirical literature,the intricacies of problem solving activity in cognitive psychology arehighlighted. The text uses a thematic approach throughout, and incorporatesreal world examples, case studies, and useful examples of experiments onspecific topics. I found myself wishing that this text had been used in thecognition course that I had previously taken.

Why Not To Read Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology
At this point in time I am reading "Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology" for a class that I am currently attending.My class is wonderful, but this book is very dry.I understand that the subject ofcognitive psychology involves a lot of research and data and all thisinformation is important to the study of this subject, but this book isvery dry and personally boring.The whole book is a review of pastresearch and analyzations of the subject and the author gives no thought ofhis own to the subject.If I wanted to know every little detail of everycognitive experiment I would look that exact experiment up.There is nobasis of the book and it does not help me in the least little bit in mystudies.The content is very dry and not attention holding.I woulddefinately look into something else as far as books go if I wantedsomething interesting!!! ... Read more

Product Description
With an accessible, easy-to-understand writing style, the fifth edition of COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY will give you the tools you need to be successful in the course! This text covers cognitive neuroscience, attention and consciousness, perception, memory, knowledge representation, language, problem-solving and creativity, decision-making and reasoning, cognitive development, and intelligence. Common themes at the end of every chapter will help you spend more time studying important information and less time trying to figure out what you need to know. The author provides a "from lab to life" approach covering theory and lab and field research, as well as applications to everyday life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

It's a textbook
Not particularly fun to read, but it was acceptable. The professor required it, so I bought it.

Excellent intro to Cognitive Psychology book
I'm shocked that the average rating for this book is 3 stars. It's really closer to 4.5, IMO. I'm a 4th year psychology student with 99 semester units, so I've been through a number of psychology texts. This textbook is an excellent introduction to the field of Human Cognition and is well written and easy to read for an ordinary psychology student. Concepts are well explained with examples, and plenty of diagrams are offered throughout the text. The chapters are a bit lengthy, ranging from 35-50 pages- which is the only downfall IMO. At the end of every chapter, there is a summary of the key ideas and a list of some vocab terms. There are exercises filled throughout the book. I would highly recommend purchasing this textbook as a supplement to psych lectures. If there would be one thing to change though, it would be to make the chapters shorter in length- around 25 pages, in order to better digest the material. Other than that, def one of my favorite texts to work with.

Never Received
I tried to contact the seller twice with no luck. I waited and waited and the book never came. And now I'm screwed.

Textbook Purchase
The product was true in it's representation.There was some highlighting but that had been pointed out to me.The service was a little slow but the product was satisfactory.

Good theories put forward in a poor manner
The context of the book is very technical and not written in an enjoyable relaxing read. It provides solid theories but Sternberg makes it sound like irrefutable fact rather than a theoretical model that can be discussed. An example he provides a theory of attention and conscious making a person's thinking robotic.

Although it provides solid theories and good evidence to back them up cognitive psychology is an exploratory discipline in the psychological field still. Sternberg did not take biopsychology into consideration rather making cognitive psych sound like he knows everything in it. I must disagree with his writing style because science is always evolving and new psychological theories are being presented every day.

Overall if you must use this book do so but don't overstress your mind with so much technicality. Don't let this textbook make cognitive psych seem conclusive in every aspect because it's not. For people that don't like too much technicality then this textbook might be a pass. Psychology is a dynamic science so don't let one person's book make it seem conclusive.

Content deserves 3-4 stars
Presentation 1 Star
Enjoyability 1-2 stars
Stimulation 2 stars ... Read more

Product Description
Connecting the study of cognition to everyday life in an unprecedented way, Bruce Goldstein's COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY gives equal treatment to both the landmark studies and the cutting-edge research that define this fascinating field. The text employs a wealth of concrete examples and illustrations that help students understand the theories of cognition--driving home both the scientific importance of the theories and their relevance to students' daily lives. Students gain a true understanding of the "behind the scenes" activity that happens in the mind when humans do such seemingly simple activities as perceive, remember, or think. Goldstein's coverage also focuses on the behavioral and physiological approaches to cognition by including physiological materials in every chapter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Okay
Well, this was not the edition I was expecting but I think that was my mistake. On the other hand, this order did not come with the CogLab 2.0 Online Booklet as stated.

Not worth your money
Had to buy this textbook for a class. For >$100, I paid to open this book, realize the content was absolutely trivial and wishy-washy, and then leave it on my shelf until I was ready to sell it back to Amazon at a loss.

If you have to use this series, buy the Coglab exercise booklet and account separately, and just forget the text. You don't need it.

Better than expected
I received the textbook in ample time and better than expected condition! Would recommend this seller

pleased
I chose expedited shipping, so I received the book super fast, but I was very pleased with the condition it was in; the cover, pages, and everything.

Wow! A concise read and an understandable textbook.
Goldstein does a great job sharing examples, case studies, and using illustrations. This book has pictures on almost every page to help clarify studies and concepts. The writing is clear and easily understood. There are chapter summaries and questions to consider. I have been very impressed. ... Read more

Product Description

MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself–including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.

One of the top sellers in the field, Cognitive Psychology is well-written, humorous, and remains one of the most comprehensive and balanced books in the area of cognition. MacLin and MacLin, inheriting the book from the late Robert L. Solso, boldly revised and reorganized the Eighth Edition to reflect emerging trends in the field, while retaining the strengths that made it one of the most popular books in the field. The book features a sequential model of human cognition from sensation to perception, to attention, to memory, to higher-order cognition, and features new cutting-edge coverage of consciousness, cognitive neuroscience, memory and forgetting, and evolutionary psychology.

Customer Reviews (11)

Cognitive Psychology
I needed this book for class. As textbooks go, this one is well organized, not too cerebral (no pun intended), and easy to read & understand.

Good edition but...
Be careful... if you are buying this to save over $100. on the cost of the eight edition you will miss many updates. Compare the later chapters before you buy.

M. J. Murray

One of the best's in the field!?!? False. One of the worst textbooks I've read in recent times.
I read this book almost cover to cover. Considering actual literature produced in the field, this text felt scatterbrained, explaining models horribly, only giving the residual surface of theory. It's more like a slideshow of Cognitive Psychology than an adequate introduction to the material. Solso's writing is incredibly dry only caressing the reader's mind with the basics. While the point's themselves may be interesting, the word choice lulled me to sleep on several occasions. Also, much to my annoyance, neural networks are not as prominently mentioned as they are in the field.

Psych minor
This book came fast without any damage. It was in great condition. Even though it is an exam copy, it is the same as the regular text.

Interesting and informative
This book is for a class but it's still fun and interesting to read because it has tons of diagrams, tables, and pictures to help you along the way. ... Read more

Product Description

MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself–including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.

This book is the first to incorporate neuroscience seamlessly into the study of cognitive psychology. The study of cognition has progressed enormously over the past decade, but no currently available book summarizes and makes accessible the key findings and theories. This book takes a fresh look at the field, and presents it as it actually is today. By integrating findings about the brain into the usual fare for this topic, it provides the foundation for readers to study current research in the field. How the Brain Gives Rise to the Mind; Perception; Attention; Representation and Knowledge in Long-Term Memory; Encoding and Retrieval from Long-Term Memory; Working Memory; Executive Processes; Emotion and Cognition; Decision Making; Problem Solving and Reasoning; Planning and Motor Cognition; and Language. For those practicing in the field of cognitive psychology.

Customer Reviews (5)

Quite respectable
I had to buy this book for a summer course on cognitive psychology and actually found it to be quite interesting. It uses great examples and is even written using a very "understandable" vocabulary. Overall I'd say it's a good read for a class, but it's definitely not something I'd recommend for a pleasure read.

Respectfully submitted,
helmuthII

Beautiful but smokie
This has been a good book. Well, the looks of it anyway. The pages werevery nice, not a mark on the pages. The bad boy who owned this book smokes and the book had a stale smoke smell. The smell left after awhile so no problem. All is good for me as long as you buy it back.

Catherine Soto

Excellent condition
This is an excellent book that has a different perspective on Cognitive Psychology. This has a Psychologist's perspective. It is a great read for the money it costs. The book was in brand new conditionand it had been well-packed. What was even better was Amazon.com's prompt delivery... I got it on the day I was traveling abroad and so I could read it on the flight.

Do NOT order from this sellers!!! Never received the book!
I waited and waited and waited some more... a month has passed, and alas- no package arrived!
I contacted the sellers for no avail! It'slike they don't even exist!

Do not order from this so-called sellers! It's a total waste of your time!

Amazon were kind enough to return my money, but the time I wasted waiting for the book cannot be returned!

A step forward
Eighteen leading scientists, led by Smith and Kosslyn, have reconstructed the foundations of cognitive psychology in an innovative, current, readable, important, factually accurate textbook.First and foremost, they weave recent neuroscientific discoveries into the discussion, without abandoning a primary focus on cognitive psychology.Their sophisticated framework integrates mental and neural levels of analysis, without confusing mind and brain, or structure and function.

Until now, most cognitive psychology texts have tended to follow the organizational format of Broadbent's (1958) classic, Perception and Communication.Broadbent (1984) wrote, "Since those innocent days, the world has become more complex, so that it is difficult to point to a single summary of the same entire area...One widespread view, which I support, is that the framework of the 1958 book now requires shifting to a different kind of simplistic conceptual framework."

In the current text, the authors' framework for discussing memory is unorthodox.They include two chapters on long-term memory followed (not preceded!) by a chapter on working memory.Several unusual chapters include Executive Processes (Chapter 7), Emotions and Cognition (Chapter 8), and Motor Cognition and Mental Simulation (Chapter 11).

One great strength of this text is that it is well written.Kosslyn and others have a tendency to be very interesting in their other publications, so this may not be surprising.Moreover, this book seems to have benefited from aggressive editing for style and clarity. I'm betting that motivated undergraduate students will enjoy this book.

Another great strength of this text is in the selection of the authors who wrote it. They are experts in their respective fields, able to present the material simply and clearly without the loss of accuracy that can attend scientific writing for a general audience. Many of these authors are what you might call Rennaissance scholars, with a wide range of professional interests.

Here are the chapter contents, along with primary authors:(1) How the Brain Gives Rise to the Mind (Kosslyn), (2) Perception (Seiffert, Wolfe & Tong), (3) Attention (Behrmann & Geng), (4) Representation and Knowledge in Long-Term Memory (Barsalou), (5) Encoding and Retrieval from Long-Term Memory (Wagner), (6) Working Memory (Braver), (7) Executive Processes (Smith), (8) Emotion and Cognition (Phelps), (9) Decision Making (Hastie & Sanfey), (10) Problem Solving and Reasoning (Dunbar & Fugelsang), (11) Motor Cognition and Mental Simulation (Decety & Sommerville), and (12) Language (MacDonald).

The first chapter (Kosslyn) provides a little history (remarkably little), and then sets the tone for the rest of the book with sections on "Understanding the Mind: The Form Theories of Cognition", "The Cognitive Brain", and "Studying Cognition."Moreover, it presents a classic debate on (surprise, surprise) the nature of mental imagery.I suppose that it is not too surprising that the book begins by covering these sorts of topics.Even so, I think that this chapter, by THIS author, is very important.Kosslyn has, over the years, been exceptionally careful about how he makes inferences about the brain and mind (e.g., "carving a system at its joints").Others at the cutting edge have not been so careful or insightful.The combination of meticulous thinking and cutting-edge enthusiasm make for some good stuff. I think the first chapter is a big plus.{Video resources featuring Kosslyn/mental imagery include the Discovering Psychology DVD and a free online Quicktime video from the Edge - Third Culture website."What Shape are a German Shepherd's Ears?")

The second chapter (Seiffert, Wolfe & Tong) is a fine introduction to basic issues in perception.My sense is that the authors strove to be concise and clear, rather than to break new ground in the presentation of topics.The chapter provides a good survey of perception, which is not always the case with cognitive psychology textbooks.Wolfe just wrote/edited a remarkably good textbook on Sensation and Perception (Sinauer). I recommend that you take a look at the text and the textbook's (free, excellent) website.

My reaction to the third chapter on attention (Behrmann & Geng) was similar to my reaction to the second.Again, I recommend taking a look at Wolfe's Sensation and Perception textbook, as its chapter on visual attention covers many of the same topics and includes beautiful illustrations.

The eighth chapter (Phelps) was remarkable for its concise treatment of basic issues, as well as its up-to-date treatment of the cognitive neuroscience of emotions.(See Phelps on the Discovering Psychology DVD, by the way). I teach a graduate course on the Cognitive and Affective bases of Behavior at AIU, and I've been looking for something like this chapter. I suppose there may be other chapters in other books that accomplish similar things, but I haven't found them. I was surprised by some omissions, e.g., I looked for references to Izard (e.g., challenges to Ekman), Plutchik (circumplex model), and Damasio (emotions, brain, consciousness).But the chapter provides the intro to emotions and cognition that many cognitive psychologists need.

The ninth chapter (Hastie & Sanfey) provides an intro to basic JDM issues, including a comprehensible intro to prospect theory.(A good video - see Kahneman's Nobel Prize lecture, available online at the Nobel Prize website).The chapter seems to break new ground (for a cog psy text) when it focuses on the neural bases of judgement and decision making.(Hastie has done some remarkable work with juries, legal issues, and medical decision making; a little of this has found its way into the chapter).Compared to other chapters on the same topic, this one seems to de-emphasize the work of Tversky and Kahneman somewhat, in favor of contributions by other authors.

(I hope to write reviews of other chapters as time permits.)

The book seems to target upper division students and graduate students.It is too advanced for a lower division class.A good, basic text for lower division students is Reed's Cognitive Psyhology.I would describe Reed's text as a purist's introduction.It doesn't deviate from the classic study of cognition per se, so you won't find much cognitive neuroscience embedded in chapters. Rather, it tends to emphasize the applications of cognitive psychology.

I believe the Smith/Kosslyn book could be improved in a number of ways.First, there does not seem to be a student and instructor website for this text. These sorts of sites can be extremely helpful because they provide additional visual material, Powerpoint presentations, sample questions, and more. An unorthodox book like this one needs a website with supporting materials.Instructors will appreciate anything that makes transition to the new text easier.(If you are an instructor and would like to pool resources, please contact me.I might recommend purchasing Zimbardo's Discovering Psychology DVDs, as they feature some authors and topics that are covered in this book).

The book itself has some excellent illustrations.Even so, I tend to prefer books that have even more illustrations.A recent textbook on another topic by Wolfe et al. (Sensation and Perception, Sinauer) is my current gold standard, in part because there are excellent, colorful illustrations on nearly every page.In my own teaching, I find that texts that provide a constant stream of powerful images are the most popular with students.Could additional images be included at a course website, and then added to the text later, when new editions are released?Kosslyn, with all his knowledge of imagery and graph-making, could turbo-charge this text with artwork if so inclined.

There are some topics that were neglected in this book.One big area includes learning. As it stands, a few cognitive textbooks (e.g., Medin et al.) address learning.Others seem satisfied to relegate learning to the behaviorists, and their tired and true approaches ("tired" not "tried"). I think a chapter on learning, from a cognitivist's perspective, would be an excellent addition to this book. There is some discussion of classical, operant, and vicarious learning in the chapter on emotion, but nothing about learning per se.Additionally, there are only a few sentences on sensory memory.Sperling's classic study is mentioned in passing, but this and other important experiments were not described).I suppose that it is impossible to do everything.

The authors and publisher make a strong claim:"This book is the first to incorporate neuroscience seamlessly into the study of cognitive psychology."Perhaps.I would say that this book is "seamless" to the extent that it includes information about the brain in each chapter.There are other excellent Cognitive Psychology textbooks, and most of these include reasonable information about cognitive neuroscience.See, e.g., the texts of Sternberg, Reisberg, Anderson, Medin et al., or Goldstein.The selling point of the current text, IMHO, is that the current crop of authors are first-rate contributors to our understanding of cognition and the brain.And these authors have chosen to report sexy, new findings that are at the forefront of our field.

In summary, I am enthusiastic about using this book in my future Cognitive Psychology classes.This is the modern cognitive psychology textbook that needed to be written.The authors have focused on what they thought was most important for students rather than on what most other textbooks have done. They present fresh material in a new way without abandoning many essential, classic topics. ... Read more

Product Description
Biological Psychology is a comprehensive survey of the biological bases of behavior that is authoritative and up-to-date. Designed for undergraduates enrolled in Biological Psychology, Physiological Psychology, or Behavioral Neuroscience, the book continues to offer an outstanding illustration program that engages students, making even complicated topics and processes clear. It offers a broad perspective, encompassing lucid descriptions of behavior, evolutionary history, development, proximate mechanisms, and applications.The Sixth Edition features a thoroughly redesigned and up-to-date Cognitive Neuroscience module (Part VI; Chapters 17 19), with expanded coverage of attention, executive control, and decision-making processes, in keeping with the latest research breakthroughs. Optional advanced topics are available on the Web as A Step Further, streamlining the printed text to emphasize the important points.The new edition boasts hundreds of new references, including research students may have encountered in the popular media. Yet critical thinking skills are also honed as the reader is alerted to the many widely held myths about the neuroscience of behavior and educated about facts that sound unlikely to the uninformed. Thorough and reader-friendly, Biological Psychology reveals the fascinating interactions of brain and behavior.KEY FEATURES * The book has an outstanding full-color art program, including hundreds of original illustrations that make it easy to understand structures, mechanisms, and processes in the brain. * Each chapter opens with a brief outline and a narrative illustrating an important aspect of behavioral biology that will be made clear to the student by reading the rest of the chapter. * Redesigned chapter summaries are organized by main chapter heads in a readable two-column format. Each has bold-faced key terms, callouts to pertinent figures, and references to the Companion Website. * Bold-faced terms are defined in the margins of the text to help students identify and learn key terminology. * All references to figures, tables, and boxes are boldfaced and in color, for easy differentiation from the body of the text. * The free-access Biological Psychology Companion Website is referenced from in-text callouts and in the chapter summaries. See Media and Supplements section. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Good Price and Timely Delivery
Daughter needed this book for college, andthe bookstore price for used and new was not comparable with price that was offered here.Book arrived in excellent condition and in a timely manner.

book
My daughter bought this book for her class at SSU. It was what she needed

Wrong Edition
The edition was not clearly marked on the website.So, I ended up having to send it back... what a hassle!

Comprehensive
I read this book to better understand how biological factors affect human psychology. Although it is a student text and intended to include classroom lecture and discussion, it provides a through overview of the subject and a level of detail that helps explain human behavior. A bit academic for some, it will help any reader to appreciate the incredible complex interaction between the biological and psychological.

Great book!
This text book is a really great tool for students that are just starting to learn about biopsych. It is informative and detailed but not to the point to were students can't understand the material. The CD is also a great resource. ... Read more

Product Description

David Groome with Nicola Brace, Hazel Dewart, Graham Edgar, Helen Edgar, Anthony Esgate, Richard Kemp, Graham Pike, and Tom Stafford.

An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology: Processes and Disorders is a comprehensive introductory textbook for undergraduate students. It covers all the key areas of cognition, including perception, attention, long-term memory, working memory, thinking and language. Uniquely, alongside the chapters on normal cognitive function, there are also chapters on the related clinical disorders (agnosia, amnesia, thought disorder and aphasia) which helps to provide a thorough insight into the nature of cognition. Key features:

This new edition has been carefully revised throughout to provide a comprehensive overview of current thinking in the field

Includes greater coverage of neuropsychological disorders, with additional material from the latest research using brain imaging

Accessibly written, by authors at the cutting edge of their subject areas

Specially designed textbook features such as chapter summaries, further reading, and a glossary of key terms

Written to cover all levels of ability using helpful figures and illustrations, this book has sufficient depth to appeal to the most able students while the clear and accessible text, written by experienced teachers, will help students who find the material difficult. It will appeal to any student on an undergraduate psychology degree course as well as to medical students and those studying in related clinical professions such as nursing.

Product Description
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison. Papers presented at a two-day conference at the University of Texas at Arlington, held in the winter of 1997. Discusses contributions to the field of cognitive dissonance and presents suggestions for future research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

awesome seller
mint condition came super fast even 2 days before expected delivery day.awesome seller

a must have
Harmon-Jones & Mills thoroughly take the reader from the beginning of CDT through those major revisions that have received empirical support all the way to today.The sampling of authors is wonderful and Harmon-Jones doesn't push his revision and instead he & Mills fairly offer all of the relevant alternatives.Importantly, Mills is particularly respectful to Festinger which is often missing in much of the newer writing.Get this one- it's a steal & you'll find all that you need re CDT within!My dissertation is on CDT and this is one source that I continually return to.

Review of Cognitive Dissonance: Progress on a Pivotal Theory
The book provides the most up-to-date consideration of Leon Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957). It contains chapters written by an international group of well-established scientists who study cognitive dissonance processes. It is a must read for anyone interested in the relationship between cognition, emotion, attitudes, and behavior. ... Read more

Product Description
An updated edition of the bestselling guide on reprogramming one's negative thoughts and behaviour

Once the province of mental health professionals, CBT (or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) has gained wide acceptance as the treatment of choice for anyone looking to overcome anxiety, lose weight, manage anger, beat an addiction, or simply gain a new outlook on life. Written by two CBT therapists, this bestselling guide helps you apply the principles of CBT in your everyday life-allowing you to spot errors in your thinking; tackle toxic thoughts; refocus and retrain your awareness; and finally, stand up to and become free of the fear, depression, anger, and obsessions that have been plaguing you.

• Includes tips on establishing ten healthy attitudes for living as well as ten ways to lighten up
• Helps you chart a path by defining problems and setting goals
• Offers advice on taking a fresh look at your past, overcoming any obstacles to progress as well as ways to maintain your CBT gains
• Includes new and refreshed content, including chapters on how to beat an addiction and overcome body image issues

With indispensable advice on finding your way out of the debilitating maze of negative thoughts and actions, the book is brimming with invaluable suggestions that will have even a confirmed pessimist well armed for the journey forward. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great Book!
I would recommend this book to anyone as it is very well written and informative.I know this book is a great asset for me due to stress and the state of the economy.Highly recommended and if it will help a Veteran like me it will be of great value to anyone in these times we are living in,one of the best self help books I have ever read and very easy to understand.Buy this book,you won't be sorry! A+++

Very helpful publishing
I am a qualified counsellor and using this book to be able to assist street kids to understand the techniques we use is wonderful.Perfect natural down to earth illustration of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.Worth the buy.Thanks

An exceptional resource for people, patients and professionals!
This is an exceptional book with tons of practical and accessible information to help people struggling with emotional issues such as depression, anger, and anxiety. It is comprehensive in its scope covering everything from CBT concepts, sleep hygiene and mindfulness.This is a book that can help everyone from a person wanting to improve the quality of their life to a mental health professional working with clients.

There were two minor things that I noticed.First, the book appears to be written by an individual from the U.K.There are several instances where the British spelling of words are used (e.g.offence versus offense). (I initially thought the words were misspelled!)Second, some of the worksheets are little difficult to read and were not optimally transposed for the Kindle version.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interesting in learning more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and how to apply it in their daily life. It's easily to understand and fun to read!A great buy for your Kindle and an exceptional resource for self-help/mental health!

Dummies Rule!
When I need to know about a subject I find out if there is a For Dummies book about it.They don't mess around, they just tell it like it is.This book covered everything I needed to know in a no nonsense style.
Amazon comes through again, when I needed a book that my local bookstore did not have in stock.

Useful for the layman
While this book is well written and covers its material well, it limits itself to only a couple of the applications of CBT theory. Its utility is limited but would be a useful beginning point for the layman, but overly simplistic for the MH professional. ... Read more

Product Description
Biological Psychology is a comprehensive survey of the biological bases of behavior that is authoritative and up-to-date. Designed for undergraduates enrolled in Biological Psychology, Physiological Psychology, or Behavioral Neuroscience, the book continues to offer an outstanding illustration program that engages students, making even complicated topics and processes clear. The book offers a broad perspective, encompassing lucid descriptions of behavior, evolutionary history, development, proximate mechanisms, and applications. The Fifth Edition has been redesigned to help students study and learn more effectively. Optional advanced topics are available on the Web asA Step Further,streamlining the printed text to emphasize the important points. Each chapter begins with a brief outline and an engaging narrative relating the topic to the human condition. Bold-faced terms are defined in margins and at the end of the book to aid students in remembering key terms. The new edition boasts hundreds of new references, including research students may have encountered in the popular media. Yet critical thinking skills are also honed as the reader is alerted to the many widely held myths about the neuroscience of behavior and educated about facts that sound unlikely to the uninformed. Thorough and reader-friendly, Biological Psychology reveals the fascinating interactions of brain and behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Biological Psychology
This book is spacey, hard to follow, and is lacking in luster. A better book to get for your course is Biological Psychology by Kalat. his explanations are easy to understand and he includes enough information so that your paragraph isn't filled with unnecessary vocab terms. This book is a complete waste of time and leaves a lot for interpretation. If it's required for your class, make sure you buy study guides and other informational material, or never ever miss a class session. I have had physics books that are easier to understand and better written than this magnificent piece of intellectualization. My advice, if this book is required, wait for a better teacher.

Excellent!
Came in excellent condition as described- it was still in the original plastic wrapping! Shipped right after the order was placed.

Disappointed in the seller
The book arrived in good condition, but I expected to receive it sooner based on the seller's description.It arrived three weeks after I ordered it.

later than expected
the product came in within the time range but about a week or so later than the rest that i had ordered at the same time.this company is in the UK so if you need it in a hurry then you may want to consider this.

Biological Pyschology Book
First two chapters of the book fell out. Wasn't as good as shape as listed. ... Read more

Product Description
Scientists from many disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, and neuroscience, contribute to the study of cognition. Cognitive psychology, the science of the human mind and of how people process information, is at the core of empirical investigations into the nature of mind and thought.This anthology is based on the assumption that cognitive psychology is at heart empirical philosophy. Many of the core questions about thought, language, perception, memory, and knowledge of other people's minds were for centuries the domain of philosophy. The book begins with the philosophical foundations of inquiry into the nature of mind and thought, in particular the writings of Descartes, and then covers the principal topics of cognitive psychology including memory, attention, and decision making.The book organizes a daunting amount of information, underlining the essentials, while also introducing readers to the ambiguities and controversies of research. It is arranged thematically and includes many topics not typically taught in cognition courses, including human factors and ergonomics, evolutionary psychology, music cognition, and experimental design.The contributors include Daniel Dennett, Daniel Kahneman, Jay McClelland, Donald Norman, Michael Posner, Stephen Palmer, Eleanor Rosch, John Searle, Roger Shepard, and Anne Treisman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Levitin again...
Levitin is a good writer and his books are great to read. This one is no exception. He has a collection of chapters written by the best in the field. You should try this one. Amazon you are too good. I got this one in 3 days and they ensured that it was on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Interesting collection of articles
As defined by the editor of this book, cognitive psychology is a field that studies the information processing capabilities of the human mind. Having its origin in an actual college classroom, the book does give a good overview of some of the developments in cognitive psychology and can be read profitably by anyone interested in the field. Since it is targeted towards undergraduate students in cognitive psychology, articles are included that introduce the field both from an historical and a philosophical viewpoint. Those readers interested in artificial intelligence will also find many of the articles of interest, especially those that address the actual cognitive processes in the brain that are involved in problem solving or goal-setting. Philosophical argumentation on the `mind-body problem' occupies a portion of the book, but the space devoted to such speculative matters is refreshingly kept at a minimum. It is clear throughout the book that the editor wants to keep the mind-brain distinction intact.

One of the more interesting articles in this collection is the one by K.A. Ericsson and J. Smith on the empirical study of expertise. The identification and study of expertise is important not only from the standpoint of cognitive psychology but also in artificial intelligence, where it is becoming more important to identify when a machine has expertise in more than one domain. The authors have given the reader an overview of what they call the `original expertise approach'. Their goal is to first characterize expertise in a domain-independent way and then discuss chess as an example. Crucial to any study of expertise is being able to distinguish between outstanding individuals in a domain from those that are not. The authors also want to distinguish "stable" achievement from that which might be accidental or happen only once. But most importantly, they point to the need for a `control group' who, given the same opportunities to achieve, could be compared with the achievements of an individual deemed to be unusually talented. The author's `original expertise approach' tries to define conditions under which one can study critical performance and find out which of its components are responsible for making it superior performance. It is necessary in their approach to design a set of tasks in a given domain that illustrate superior performance and to be able to bring out this performance in actual laboratory conditions. This approach is therefore difficult to carry out, since the conditions in real life needed for superior performance are hard to replicate in the laboratory. Their discussion of chess performance is helpful in this light but it still leaves doubt as to why superior chess players can perform as well as they do and the exact nature of the cognitive processes that they use to attain superior performance in chess. Of course, one cannot observe directly these cognitive processes, and the authors recognize this. However, they argue that using the observations of certain tasks, one can study these processes by using an information-theoretic model of cognition.

In some research circles in artificial intelligence there is currently a great interest in creating machines that can deal with information in more than one domain without changing appreciably the "programming" or "software" that processes the information in these domains. Called `artificial general intelligence' by some, the goal of researchers in this field is to arrive at a notion of machine intelligence that models what is found in human intelligence: the ability of humans to solve problems in many different domains (sometimes concurrently). Those readers interested in these developments may find the article by J. Tooby and L. Cosmides on the functional organization of the mind and brain of some interest. The emphasis in this article is that the brain is a biological entity that has evolved to process information. The authors call the brain an `organ of computation', which means that as a physical structure it contains a collection of programs that process information, and that this physical structure exists because it contains these programs. The programs are considered to be the functional components of the brain, and they are there because they solved a particular type of problem in the past. The problems that had to be dealt with evidently had to be confronted over long time scales, in order for evolutionary adaptation to occur. In addition, in order to sophisticated structures to evolve, the brain had to confront nontrivial problems that require heavy computation. The authors emphasize, and this is very important for readers interested in artificial general intelligence, that there is no single algorithm that is able to solve every adaptive problem. The human mind is therefore composed of many different programs for solving different problems. The reverse engineering of the human brain will therefore involve the identification of those functional units and collections of computations that it uses in order to be biological successful.If these functional units are independent, then the algorithms themselves are independent, and thus there is no notion of `general intelligence' used by the human brain. Brains are built from adaptive problem-solving devices, though they may have incidental capabilities that may make them appear to be `generally intelligent'. This modular approach to the brain taken by the authors seems to be a reasonable one, and they recognize that more evidence must be accrued. And certainly an organism, human or not, will have a better chance of surviving if their neuronal systems or problem-solving abilities are independent of each other. If one module is damaged for example, the organism can still have the capability to deal with problems and issues that are confronted by the other undamaged modules.

Levitin a Genius
Levitin, professor of psychology at McGill university has managed to gather the work of some of the best minds in cognitive psychology together in one book. A plethora of interesting and informative essays, this book is a must read for anyone who every wondered: who am I, and why do I think the way I do?

very informative book!
This book is great. It is clear and easy to understand. It is making this topic so much more enjoyable!

Interesting and challenging read
This book delves into the human psyche and engages the reader into discovering the nature of human thought and its processes. An intriguing and informative read! ... Read more