Study Guide for Psychology by Myers

Study Guide for Psychology by David G. Myers

This study guide has been an invaluable tool in my first year college course. The 9th edition of Myers book is so densly packed with information, even for someone whom has a great memory, the test I took without utilizing this guide I earned a 70, vs the 82 with this guide. If your professor is utilizing Myers book, then get this guide. And don't forget the free tools mention in the book on the publisher's website, where there are flashcards, and practice test for our benefit.

Excellent study source to help "digest" all the information from the textbook (which is an amazingly informative and fun to read). Very helpful in test preparation. Here is the structure of each chapter: Chapter overview, Chapter review, Introduction, Objectives 1 - 16, Progress test 1, Progress test 2, Psychology applied, Key terms, Answers (explained). Detailed, smart, perfect. Makes studying even more enjoyable.

If, however, you are interested in digesting and learning this information--perhaps because you want to be a Psychology major or need a better foundation to tackle Early Childhood Education or Education in general--then I would highly recommend this study guide. It's one of the few I've bought that's actually worth it. Using it in conjunction with the SQ3R suggestion in both the textbook and the study guide, the Psychology main text was much easier and much quicker to get through--and I both understood and recalled the information when it was necessary.

This is also a great text if you're used to studying subjects, like I was, where essay questions or major projects encompassed most of the grade (literature, history, philosophy). I wasn't used to specific dates and names in quick succession and felt a little overwhelmed at first, but the study guide really broke things down and helped me focus on what was most important to glean from the text.

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Explore the Human Psyche by Bolton

The Everything Psychology Book: Explore the Human Psyche and Understand Why We Do the Things We Do (Everything (Reference)) by Lesley Bolton

In years past, psychology has been criticized as the stuff of "head-shrinkers" and "quacks" Now the study of human behavior is universally accepted as a means for better understanding one's self and achieving inner peace and happiness. 

The Everything Psychology Book is an easy-to-follow guide to the experiments, theories, and principles that have shaped modern psychology and given us insights into human behavior. From learning and personality development to dreams and the unconscious, this straightforward primer explains how the brain works and how our environment affects thinking and behavior. 

In addition to the scientific information, readers learn how to apply what we know about psychology to improve their everyday lives. Dr. Don Baucum walks readers through the complexities of: Desires and the unconscious Senses and emotions Perception and learning Language and communication Personality and intelligence Complete with plain-English explanations and helpful illustrations, The Everything Psychology Book provides readers with a new window into the complexities of human thought and emotion.

While this book is very well written, the subject matter is fairly basic broad review of psychology. This book is more intended for the most novice scholar in this subject matter. For someone who knows a lot about this field, this book is a fairly basic review of a lot of the most basic of theories, such as Freud and Jung. I recommend this book to beginners for certain, but I don't think it's really meant for people who know a lot about the subject because it really doesn't go in detail enough.

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Psychology : a study of mental life by Woodworth

Psychology; a study of mental life by Robert Sessions Woodworth

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases :

preparatory reactions, substitute stimulus, mastery motive, recency value, mastery impulse, lower motor center, substitute response, organized instinct, saturation series, ineffective stimulus, unitary response, native constitution, escape motive, motor exploration, stimulus arouses, sense cells, native traits, accessory apparatus, free association test, acquired reactions, practice curve, sex motive, native reactions, elementary sensations, avoiding reactions

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): 

Principles of Psychology, Briefer Course, Educational Psychology, William James, John Doe, Great War, Social Psychology, Negative Adaptation

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Career Paths in Psychology by Sternberg

Career Paths in Psychology: Where Your Degree Can Take You by Robert J. Sternberg

Career Paths in Psychology is a must-have resource for students contemplating a career in psychology, for psychologists considering switching between areas of psychology, and for professionals thinking of switching to psychology from another field. In this comprehensive anthology, authors selected for their distinction in their chosen careers offer their professional-and personal-perspectives on 19 different graduate-level careers in psychology.

In this volume, the most current APA career guide available for psychology, Robert Sternberg lends his name to a collection of articles covering the fourteen major career options in psychology. Sternberg writes no more than a three page Introduction and a five page Epilogue. The tone throughout is moderately persuasive. Each contributor has been hugely successful in his or her niche, and accordingly, tends to downplay problems while elevating opportunities.

The articles are not of equal quality, but all tend to cover much of the same ground. A general overview of the career is offered. Entry requirements, including skills and personality traits, are discussed. Each addresses details such as potential compensation, "a day in the life of ...", and a short review of the advantages and disadvantages of working in the field. Those chapters not dealing with academia and counseling tend to have more detail. Some even have recommended reading lists. All have references.

The fourteen careers include academia (separate chapters on the different academic departments, i.e., psych, school psych, and business), counseling (private practices, schools, community organizations and hospitals covered in separate chapters), government research, public school work, industrial/organizational psych, consumer psych, human-factors psych, military psych, and health psych.

Those considering a career in psychology should note that a doctorate is considered the entry level education requirement. I am avoiding the temptation to capitalize every word of the preceding sentence. Without a PhD there are few, if any, career options available in psychology.

Acceptance into an APA accredited doctoral program is quite competitive. In the few programs I have personally evaluated, less than ten percent of the applicants are accepted. The head of one psych department warned me that it was easier to get admittance into medical school than it was into psychology.

Assuming a four year undergraduate education, immediate entry into a doctoral program, and a one year post-doctoral fellowship (generally required to compete for the best positions), a career in psychology is likely to be a nine to eleven year investment. If you are thinking of making this investment, read this book. Better yet, drop by the graduate psychology department of an APA accredited program and chat with a professor. Find a graduate student to interview.

All things considered, psychology is more of a calling than a career.

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Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

As I sit here and write, I wonder why I did not draft this review long before now. I read Cialdini's book about five years ago and have been hooked ever since. It is simply a superb book about influence.

Cialdini believes that influence is a science. This idea attracted me. As a rhetorician, I have always thought of persuasion as more of an art. Cialdini, however, makes a first-rate case for the science point of view. But maybe most importantly, he makes his case in a well-written, intelligent, and entertaining manner. Not only is this an important book to read, it is a fun book to read too.

He introduces you to six principles of ethical persuasion: reciprocity, scarcity, liking, authority, social proof, and commitment/consistency. A chapter is devoted to each and you quickly see why Cialdini looks at influence as a science. Each principle is backed by social scientific testing and restesting. Each chapter is also filled with interesting examples that help you see how each principle can be applied. By the end of the book, I had little doubt that these are six important dimensions of human interaction.

I highly recommend this book to all professionals. It does not matter if you are a manager, sales person, pastor, or non-profit volunteer. The ideas in this book, once applied, will make it easier for you to accomplish your goals. In a video featuring the author, Professor Cialdini even goes so far as to promise that these principles can help you influence the most resistant of all audiences--your children.

With a claim like that, who wouldn't be intrigued?

My advice is to read this sooner rather than later. You will be quite glad you did.

Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.

You'll learn the six universal principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader—and how to defend yourself against them. Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of Influence will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.

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Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative & Mixed Methods

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches by John W. Creswell

My impression of "Research Design" is that Creswell sincerely wanted readers to understand how to conduct thorough research with confidence. While I focused more on the chapters on qualitative and mixed-methods research, the quantitative chapter was equally easy to understand as the more inquiry-based methods. As an education student, I've always feared doing quantitative research, however this book makes it as available and comprehensible as either of the other two methods discussed. However, I would venture to guess that if you were in a highly technical field, this book would not suffice to supply you with the complete methodologies to conduct quantitative research.

The author conveniently structures each chapter with the learner in mind. For each section of the book, Creswell supplies easy to follow steps and checklists for students and researchers to cover most angles of research. At the completion of each chapter (all of which are short and easy to digest), there is a small section on writing practice to provide practical application for the reader who might not have a professor to rely on for further instruction, or for the professor who wants an easy, practical assignment right from the text. I studied this book independently, and while I feel a second read through might be in order, it was absolutely easy to understand and useful in my independent study.

Creswell's book is a good review of the three paradigms of research and writing guide for dissertation writing. I think a person needs to know about Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods in order to get the most out of this book. This is not an introduction, but a review. The text is divided into two sections. The first section is a broad review of the three paradigms. The second section is a "how to" for writing a dissertation or research to be published.

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Planning and Design Practical Research

 Practical Research: Planning and Design (9th Edition) by Paul D. Leedy & Jeanne Ellis Ormrod

Written in uncommonly engaging and elegant prose, this text is a "do-it-yourself, understand-it-yourself” manual designed to help research students in any discipline understand the fundamental structure of quality research and the methodical process that leads to genuinely significant results. It guides the reader, step-by-step, from the selection of a problem, through the process of conducting authentic research, to the preparation of a completed report, with practical suggestions based on a solid theoretical framework and sound pedagogy.

Suited for the core text in any introductory research course or even for self-instruction, this text will show students two things: 1) that quality research demands planning and design; and, 2) how their own research projects can be executed effectively and professionally.

The authors, Paul D. Leedy and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod, made this book an easy read with plenty of basic concepts and strategies for basic research methodology. I found it extremely helpful in understanding the research process for any research project. I highly recommend this book for any undergraduate or graduate student who are being introduced to research methodology for the first time, or to the students who need to refresh their memory on how to do practical research.

This is a great book for practical applications for any type of research. It provides all of the steps to completing your research project.

This is a good book for academics who are looking to write their dissertation, thesis paper or doctorate. Examples of work with annotations for explanations makes the book intuitiive enough for anyone who will need to write up their research.

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Guide for Mastering APA Style

Mastering APA Style: Student's Workbook and Training Guide by American Psychological Association

Mastering APA Style: Student's Workbook and Training Guide is a must have tool for all psychology professionals. This is a great resource for anyone exploring their master's or needing guidance in the literature writing area.

This user-friendly training guide includes groups of instructional exercises and practice tests on various aspects and features of the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, including electronic references and citations, grammar, headings, seriation, statistical and mathematical copy, italics and capitalization, numbers style, and table formatting. The exercises and tests require students to apply APA Style to prove that they can use it accurately in term papers and research reports.

This workbook is a self-pacing, self-teaching workbook that can be used to learn APA Style quickly and effectively. Intended for students of psychology or related disciplines as well as other professions that use APA Style, Mastering APA Style: Student's Workbook and Training Guide is an effective learning tool for the classroom or independent study.

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APA Pocket Handbook by Jill Rossiter

The APA Pocket Handbook: Rules for Format & Documentation [Conforms to 6th Edition APA] by Jill Rossiter

This handbook is ideal for preparing undergraduate essays. It was specifically designed with the average student's needs in mind. The book is intended to cover the vast majority of situations that the normal student will encounter while writing a college essay. Organized for speed and brevity, the book is primarily a concentrated, up-to-date guide on APA format (11 pages) and documentation requirements (12 pages In-Text, 19 pages References) with a heavy emphasis on examples and visual aids (90 to be exact). Additionally the book contains pointers on how to get started, what to document, what notes to take (by source type), and how to handle quotes of varying length. All of this in a book designed to fit in a shirt pocket.

This book is a must have for students with APA essay assignments. As a full time college student, time is not on my side. Reading through a 400+ page book to find out how to correctly format and document an essay is a real problem. I needed something short and to the point. The book is everything I needed, and nothing I didn't. The information is straight to the point and the examples are simple and clear. If you're a visual learner like myself, you will like the generous amounts of visual aids. All of this, and it fits in your shirt pocket to boot.

If you want to brush up on how to cite something, then this would be a great book. It gives you a lot of things that are nice little hints, and the examples provided are good to have. If you want to know little rules on the Title or Abstract Page then you can also use the book, and the Information section is somewhat covered.

This handbook is great. The official APA guide is so long and confusing. But this is wonderful. It tells you everything in plain, simple English. It has pictures to show you what everything should look like. For those of you who are used the MLA and now have to format using APA, this is the handbook for you. Very direct, very simple and WITH PICTURES.

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APA The Easy Way (for APA 6th Edition)

APA: The Easy Way! (Updated for APA 6th Edition) by Peggy M. Houghton & Timothy J. Houghton

This handbook covers many detailed specifications of the APA style...including in-text citations, source citations, and a sample paper. It also sheds new light on the manual using step-by-step processes and exemplification that enable readers to fulfill APA rules and regulations while focusing on the content, rather than the format, of their academic research.

Ms. Houghton takes the reader step by step in setting your computer up in APA Style, then the remainder of the book is a quick reference for some of the most frequently used information.

No one can ever rationalize the logic in using APA style in areas other than the Psychological Sciences. Yet there we are, those of use whose studies have little or nothing to do with this area of study. In this regard the APA The Easy Way is a godsend. It takes the pain of dealing with the APA Manual, cuts through the BS and tells you the "meat" of what you really need to know to conform to this style of writing. It could definitely use some more sample papers. It would help to make comprehending the style easier if you could see it used is someone's work. Additionally, it would help immensely if it quoted the page numbers in the actual APA Manual from where each area addressed was taken from. This would help just in case you are challenged to provide a specific reference from where you followed APA formatting. All-in-all a very simple and easy-to-use guide that helps take the sting out of writing APA style.

This is a great little book that summarizes the most important aspects of APA style. It is concise and easy to follow with just enough examples. I highly recommend you start here before buying the style guide which is more difficult to follow. If you do buy the style guide, get this book to work with and the larger more complicated books as a general reference. There are also many free online resources for APA style and some of them are excellent.

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Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, & Sheila Heen

We've all been there: We know we must confront a coworker, store clerk, or friend about some especially sticky situation--and we know the encounter will be uncomfortable. So we repeatedly mull it over until we can no longer put it off, and then finally stumble through the confrontation. Difficult Conversations, by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, offers advice for handling these unpleasant exchanges in a manner that accomplishes their objective and diminishes the possibility that anyone will be needlessly hurt. The authors, associated with Harvard Law School and the Harvard Project on Negotiation, show how such dialogues actually comprise three separate components: the "what happened" conversation (verbalizing what we believe really was said and done), the "feelings" conversation (communicating and acknowledging each party's emotional impact), and the "identity" conversation (expressing the situation's underlying personal meaning). The explanations and suggested improvements are, admittedly, somewhat complicated. And they certainly don't guarantee positive results. But if you honestly are interested in elevating your communication skills, this book will walk you through both mistakes and remedies in a way that will boost your confidence when such unavoidable clashes arise.

We attempt or avoid difficult conversations every day-whether dealing with an underperforming employee, disagreeing with a spouse, or negotiating with a client. From the Harvard Negotiation Project, the organization that brought you Getting to Yes, Difficult Conversations provides a step-by-step approach to having those tough conversations with less stress and more success. you'll learn how to:

• Decipher the underlying structure of every difficult conversation

• Start a conversation without defensiveness

• Listen for the meaning of what is not said

• Stay balanced in the face of attacks and accusations

• Move from emotion to productive problem solving

Bringing together the insights of such diverse disciplines as law, organizational behavior, cognitive, family and social psychology and "dialogue" studies, Stone, Patton and Heen, who teach at Harvard Law School and the Harvard Negotiation Project, illustrate how to handle the challenges involved in effectively resolving "difficult conversations," whether in an interpersonal, business or political context. While many of their points are simplisticAdon't ignore your feelings, consider the other person's intentions, take a break from the situationAthey're often overlooked in stressful moments. Most useful are the strategies for disarming the impulse to lay blame and for exploring one's own contribution to a tense situation. Also of value are specific recommendations for bringing emotions directly into a difficult discussion by talking about them and paying attention to the way they can subtly inform judgments and accusations. If these recommendations aren't followed, the authors contend, emotions will seep into the discussion in other, usually damaging, ways. Stone, Patton and Heen illustrate their points with anecdotes, scripted conversations and familiar examples in a clear, easy-to-browse format. While "difficult conversations" may not have the intrinsic appeal of the Harvard Negotiation Project's previous bestseller, Getting to Yes, this book is a cogent resource for those who see the sense in preparing for tough talks in advance.

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104 Activities for Self-Esteem and more by Alanna Jones

 104 Activities That Build: Self-Esteem, Teamwork, Communication, Anger Management, Self-Discovery, Coping Skills by Alanna Jones

This popular book makes teaching and learning by playing games a simple and fun experience for everyone. Games can be used to encourage people to modify their behavior, increase interaction with others, start discussions, address issues and build relationships. This book contains 104 games and activities that address the topics of teamwork, self-esteem, communication, coping skills, anger management, and self-discovery. If you have a small group, large group or even one-on-one sessions there is something useful in 104 Activities That Build for you. Games that can be used in any setting with minimal resources and on any budget! It's more than pen/pencil worksheets; it's interactive and fun.

Alanna Jones is a certified recreational therapist who has compiled an interesting set of 104 games and activities that social workers, recreational therapists, and some educators and school counselors (in substantially separate classrooms for behavior/emotional disorders) can use. The book is organized into activities that build (1) teamwork, (2) self-esteem, (3) communication, (4) self-discovery, (5) anger management, and (6) coping skills. Almost all activities are designed for elementary school aged children, but Ms. Jones, under each activity, presents variations--either in the activity itself or in the intended age group.

The crucial part of using these activities occurs after the activity is done. This is the "debriefing" part of the activity. It is absolutely necessary to do this debriefing in order that the youngster(s) arrive at some understanding of the activity just completed, and its possible meaning to them. It is assumed that the reader is comfortable with this type of debriefing, and has the skills to intercede in case the activity or debriefing are going south.

The things I liked about this book are: (1) Ms. Jones' energy and positive thinking about youngsters and her desire to provide them with challenging and thoughtful moments; (2) She explains each activity or game fully, provides lists of materials needed, gives some advice on structuring the activity; (3) This is therapy "in action," so it attracts the interest and energy of the youngsters.

I had two small questions about some of this book: (1) Self-esteem comes from accomplishing something, and I thought self-esteem activities were the weakest section of the book; and (2) In regard to anger management, these activities must be regarded as an adjunct, not the central core, of an anger management therapy program. When readers have a good therapeutic anger management therapy program at their facility (in their classroom), Ms. Jones' activities can help.

I was impressed by Ms. Jones' selection and believe it will help counselors, therapists, coaches, and recreational therapists.

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The New Psychology of Success BY Dweck

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success BY Carol Dweck

That the way we look upon phenomena can have drastic consequences has been known for a long time. It has now been demonstrated that the same goes for intelligence.

This book by Carol Dweck demonstrates, on the basis of good research, that what people think about their own intelligence has far-reaching consequences. Dweck shows that people with a so-called FIXED MINDSET, who see intelligence as unchangeable, develop a tendency to focus on proving that they have that characteristic instead of focusing on the process of learning. They tend to avoid difficult challenges because failing on these could cause them to lose their intelligent appearance. This disregard of challenge and learning hinders them in the development of their learning and in their performance. So it actually hinders them in developing their knowledge, skills and abilities.

However, when people view intelligence as a potential that can be developed, this is called the GROWTH MINDSET, this leads to the tendency to put effort into learning and performing and into developing strategies that enhance learning and long term accomplishments. An implication is that it pays off to help children and students invest in a view of intelligence as something that can be developed. Carol Dweck does not deny that people differ in their natural abilities but she stresses that it is continued effort which makes abilities blossom. Children who have learned to develop a growth mindset know that effort is the main key to creating knowledge and skills.

Fortunately the growth mindset can be taught to people. People who were trapped in a fixed mindset can be freed from it and start building their intelligence. If you are a teacher or a parent you would be wise to take good notice of this message and maybe buy this book. the book contains some good examples of how to help children learn how important it is to work and learn. But really anyone could learn from it.

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The Science of Fear by Gardner & Peterson

The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Should Not - and Put Ourselves in Great Dangerby Daniel Gardner & Scott Peterson

Gardner's book is both enjoyable and informative, providing a wealth of information about how humans evaluate risk. In particular, the author shows how our instincts (or "Gut") reactions to risk are often incorrect, yet we are reluctant to overrule these reactions with the more calm and reasoning "Head" side of our thinking.

Gardner uses a vast review of research in the field of risk assessment to bolster his points, yet manages to make these scientific studies accessible to laypeople, summarizing many of the principles with names such as the Example Rule, the Anchoring Rule, and the Rule of Typical Things. He then gives a number of examples of how people are often led astray by different entities (e.g., the news media, advertising agencies, political campaigns) who use these principles to evoke unreasoning fear as a means of manipulation, the implicit message being, "Here's something that you should be afraid of, but if you'll just buy this product or elect this candidate, you'll be safe."

I especially enjoyed the abundant statistics and discussions about the relative risk or safety of different activities (e.g., car travel vs. airline travel, heart disease vs. cancer, etc.), and how, from a historical and statistical perspective, "there's never been a better time to be alive." I would have liked for Gardner to have covered certain topics in more detail (e.g., vaccinations, climate change), but the ones he did cover in detail (e.g., terrorism, environmental chemicals, the role of the news media) were all well done.

All in all, a fascinating and valuable book for anyone who wants to know how to better use the reasoning side of their brain to evaluate the risks we all face.

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Thinking, Fast and Slow by Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman, the author of this exceptional book, and Amos Tversky (who died in 1996) made economics and other disciplines a lot more realistic--and tougher--for economists, researchers and students. Prior to their work, economists and others maintained classical theories and explanations that relied on certain seemingly logical assumptions about human behavior. However, people don't always behave the way logic might suggest, for a variety of reasons that Kahneman (and Tversky) explained, starting in the 1970s. Today, the subject of behavioral decision-making is one of the more exciting ones in fields like economics, finance, medicine and even law, thanks to their pioneering work. In recognition of the impact of his work in economics, Kahneman, a cognitive psychologist and professor emeritus at Princeton, won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002, specifically for his work on prospect theory.

The title of this book comes from Kahneman's discussion of two simple models of how people think. "System 1" thinking corresponds to fast, intuitive, emotional and almost automatic decisions, though it sometimes leaves us at the mercy of our human biases. "System 2" thinking is more slow-going and requires more intellectual effort. To nobody's surprise, we humans are more likely to rely on System 1 thinking, because it saves us effort, even if it can lead to flawed thinking. Here is a quick way Kahneman uses to illustrate System 1 and System 2 thinking. Suppose that a bat and ball together cost $1.10 and that the bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? Many people, relying mainly on System 1 thinking, will quickly say $0.10, but the correct answer is five cents. Think about it.

One of the book's main themes is the author's description of how little control we actually have over our own System 1 responses and the degree to which our subconscious intuition and biases affect System 1 choices. It's amazinging to me how much of our lives seems to run on System 1 autopilot. Of course, forewarned is forearmed, which another important theme. Basically, this book provides the reader an impressive overview of many key concepts in behavioral research, with lots of illuminating stories from Kahneman's work and experiences. Before you know it, you may find "heuristic" (a rule of thumb) working its way into your conversations.

I will expand on one of the book's chapters ("The Law of Small Numbers") to illustrate some of Kaneman's analysis. Suppose you learn that out of more than 3,000 counties in the United States, the incidence of kidney cancer is lowest in mostly rural, sparsely populated counties in the Midwest, the South, and the West. Before you are tempted to try to explain the lower cancer rates on some elements of rural living, you should realize that the highest rates of kidney cancer are also found in (other) rural, sparsely populated counties in those same states. The reason for these seemingly contradictory results is that the small sample sizes of kidney cancer in sparsely populated counties allow for widely varying cancer rates. Put differently, if the Law of Large Numbers says the average results obtained from a large number of trials should be close to the expected value (of cancer rates, or whatever), then the Law of Small Numbers says that the smaller the sample size you deal with, the greater the chance of obtaining results that are further from the overall expected value. The low cancer rates in some counties turn out to be artifacts, not statistically systematic results.

Here is one final example from Kahneman's work of some of the concepts the reader will encounter in this book. Suppose that Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. In college, she majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with the issues of discrimination and social justice, and she also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations. Which is more probable?

1. Linda is a bank teller.

2. Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.

According to Kahneman, about 85% - 90% of undergraduates at several major universities chose the second option, that Linda was a bank teller and active in the feminist movement. However, this is an example of the "conjunction fallacy," since the probability of two events occurring together (in conjunction) must necessarily be less than the probability of either event occurring alone. Put simpler, the probability that Linda is a bank teller must be greater than the probability that she is a bank teller and active in feminist causes. (To be complete, Kahneman points out that there are critics of the Linda experiment who, for example, question whether it is reasonable for test subjects to understand the word "probability" as if it meant "plausibility.")

Okay, you hopefully have an idea about some of the ground covered in this book. If behavioral research interests you, this book merits your attention. I should also mention that there is blessedly little technical jargon in the book, so if you are new to the field of behavioral research you should be able to enjoy the book. Indeed, I think most people will get a lot from it.

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Quirk: Brain Science by Hannah Holmes

Quirk: Brain Science Makes Sense of Your Peculiar Personality by Hannah Holmes

This book lets one look at personalities and why they do the things they do and it explains certain personalities down to a tee.

One of the engaging and interesting features of this book is the way Holmes begins each chapter -- with a short self-survey which tells you how you fare on each factor or facet. She writes, "This gives you a quick look at where you land on this facet. If your answers tend toward the `often' side, you're higher in that facet."

There are five factors (neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness) and 18 facets -- an average of three or four facets under each factor. I thought the organization of the book was great -- easy to understand and follow.

What makes this book even more fascinating, however, is how Holmes incorporates her own (and her family's) personal experiences and exactly how she (or they) cope with the situation. Her treatment of the many experiments that have been done on rats and mice is also interesting, and she incorporates it well throughout the book.

Her humor is delightful. In the chapter on the facet of "Altruism," she writes about how her beach community rallied against the city council regarding a poop-scooper law regarding dogs on the beach: "As we battle the city council we also formed a community of like-minded people, of helpers. Now many dog owners scoop every poop we spot, and gather human trash, too. These days no dog can poop in peace--three citizens rush at every bent backside. A bag, a spare, and one to share!" (p. 131). (This story goes on for several paragraphs.)

That quotation reveals several things. First, Holmes' writing is very accessible--easy, comfortable, and fun. Second, she has an ability to tell little stories that hold attention well. Third, she often uses commonplace examples to make her points.

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The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Richard J. Davidson

The Emotional Life of Your Brain: How Its Unique Patterns Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Live--and How You Can Change Them by Richard J. Davidson

This book traces the author's history in psychological and neuroscience research. At first that bugged me as it seemed to be all about him. Most of the research in this book is his own and/or that of his students. However, in the end I think that turned out to be a good thing both because he quite obviously is a preeminent expert in the field and he goes pretty deep into the implications of his own findings. In other words he knows what he is talking about and not just speculating about the meaning of someone else's work. In any case you see the history and the evidence in favor of the author's ideas build over time and he does an excellent job putting it all together. He definitely believes you can alter to some degree your emotional profile and he ends the book with suggestions for exercises on how do to that for any of the six dimensions he describes.

You will come away from reading this book with a much deeper understanding of the dimensions of your emotional style and their underlying neural correlates. This book is definitely for the general reader and while it is densely packed with information it is not overly technical or academic.

For more than thirty years, Richard Davidson has been at the forefront of brain research. Now he gives us an entirely new model for understanding our emotions, as well as practical strategies we can use to change them.

Davidson has discovered that personality is composed of six basic emotional "styles," including resilience, self-awareness, and attention. Our emotional fingerprint results from where on the continuum of each style we fall. He explains the brain chemistry that underlies each style in order to give us a new model of the emotional brain, one that will even go so far as to affect the way we treat conditions like autism and depression. And, finally, he provides strategies we can use to change our own brains and emotions-if that is what we want to do.

Written with bestselling author Sharon Begley, this original and exciting book gives us a new and useful way to look at ourselves, develop a sense of well-being, and live more meaningful lives.

In the course of the book, the author describes numerous experiments throughout his career that gave rise to these findings. It was interesting to learn how these discoveries came about, and to consider the efficacy of his methods. In fact, a good deal of time is spent on the narrative of the author's career and research methods. This might be off-putting for some people, but I found it to be a good framework to understand the methods used for this research, and to learn of the author's personal trajectory towards studying positive emotion, the brain, and meditation, though sometimes the author seems to take a tad too much credit (or perhaps he really is that important).

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (J-B Lencioni Series)

By dedicating 90% of his book to a so-called leadership fable, Patrick Lencioni very effectively conveys the very essence of the model he proposes in order to deal with dysfunctional teams. Though the story he presents is that of a hypothetical newly appointed CEO of a distressed start-up and (in the beginning of the story) her highly dysfunctional executive team, the model is perfectly applicable to any team throughout most organizations.

The model consists of a pyramid with the five dysfunctions of a team (from the bottom, up):

1) Absence of trust: stemming from an unwillingness in the team members to be vulnerable and genuinely open up with one another about their mistakes and weaknesses.

2) Fear of conflict: inability to engage in unfiltered, passionate (yet constructive, though it may strike you as odd) debate.

3) Lack of commitment: no buy in and commitment can be expected when ideas and opinions have not been aired and genuinely taken into consideration prior to a decision.

4) Avoidance of accountability: without commitment to a clearly defined set of goals, team members will hesitate to call their colleagues on their actions and behaviors that are counterproductive for the team.

5) Inattention to results: Lencioni brings it all home through the realization that avoidance of accountability leads to a state where team members tend to put their individual needs above the team's collective goals.

Throughout the last leg of his book, Lencioni contrasts how dysfunctional teams behave by comparing them to a cohesive team in the case of each of the five dysfunctions. He also provides suggestions on overcoming each of the dysfunctions and insights into the role of the leader in this process, all in a very structured and to-the-point way. Complementing this, he provides a Team Assessment tool to help determine where your team is at in terms of each of the five elements of the model.

As much as the book can be digested without too much trouble in 2-3 straight hours, it is inevitable (unless you are fooling yourself or you operate in a very healthy team) to have your managerial wheels in your mind turning at full speed by the time you are done with it. As a manager and an avid reader, I welcomed this book with open arms because I found it to be very useful and readily applicable. Now comes my challenge in putting it to use.

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.

Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D.

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do To Get More of It

In the introduction to this book, she promises to help you understand how human it is to struggle with temptation, procrastination, etc. The book definitely delivers on this promise. There were many examples where I felt like I was reading about myself. The science, especially the brain science, is exciting, explains so much, and makes you feel like less of an idiot for whatever bad habits you have. But unlike a lot of science books, this one provides practical advice and helpful strategies. Every chapter contains a number of willpower "experiments" that basically tell you exactly how to apply an idea to your own life. In this book you'll find many great suggestions for increasing your motivation, resisting temptation, sticking to your goals, overcoming setbacks, or whatever else you need willpower to do.

I've haven't had the book long enough to promise it will totally change your life, but I can see how a lot of the things the author recommends could be very helpful.

The other thing worth knowing is that it's a fun book to read, more than most self-help or science books. There aren't many science books that are actually entertaining. This book combines the science and humor brilliantly. If you get it, be sure to read the footnotes, where some of the funniest material and interesting gems are hidden.

A caveat: the book is based on a Stanford class called "The Science of Willpower" (which I haven't taken), so if you only want advice and aren't interested in psychology, the brain, etc., this might not be the book for you. But if you're at all interested in science, this is the absolute best kind of geeky self-help. Everything is grounded in science but the book doesn't leave you wondering what to do with it.

Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal's wildly popular course "The Science of Willpower," The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. 

Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters. For example, readers will learn:

Willpower is a mind-body response, not a virtue. It is a biological function that can be improved through mindfulness, exercise, nutrition, and sleep.

Willpower is not an unlimited resource. Too much self-control can actually be bad for your health.

Temptation and stress hijack the brain's systems of self-control, but the brain can be trained for greater willpower

Guilt and shame over your setbacks lead to giving in again, but self-forgiveness and self-compassion boost self-control.

Giving up control is sometimes the only way to gain self-control.

Willpower failures are contagious--you can catch the desire to overspend or overeat from your friends­­--but you can also catch self-control from the right role models.

In the groundbreaking tradition of Getting Things Done, The Willpower Instinct combines life-changing prescriptive advice and complementary exercises to help readers with goals ranging from losing weight to more patient parenting, less procrastination, better health, and greater productivity at work.

Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (AACC Library) by Mark R. McMinn E books Download from Bookstore

Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (AACC Library) by Mark R. McMinn E books Download from Bookstore

This book—one of the best in its field—is a gift to counselors. The chapters on sin and prayer alone are worth the price of the book. And the ‘What If This Happened’ sections take the material out of the merely cerebral and force readers to interact with it in real-life scenarios. This book fills a major void and will become required reading for my seminary students. The six integration challenges are a gold mine for both the practitioner and the professor.

The American Association of Christian Counselors and Tyndale House Publishers are committed to ministering to the spiritual needs of people. This book is part of the professional series that offers counselors the latest techniques, theory, and general information that is vital to their work. While many books have tried to integrate theology and psychology, this book takes another step and explores the importance of the spiritual disciplines in psychotherapy, helping counselors to integrate the biblical principles of forgiveness, redemption, restitution, prayer, and worship into their counseling techniques. Since its first publication in 1996, this book has quickly become a contemporary classic—a go-to handbook for integrating what we know is true from the disciplines of theology and psychology and how that impacts your daily walk with God. This book will help you integrate spiritual disciplines—such as prayer, Scripture reading, confession—into your own life and into counseling others.

Mark R. McMinn, Ph.D., is professor of psychology at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois, where he directs and teaches in the Doctor of Psychology program. A diplomate in Clinical Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology, McMinn has thirteen years of postdoctoral experience in counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological testing. McMinn is the author of Making the Best of Stress: How Life's Hassles Can Form the Fruit of the Spirit; The Jekyll/Hyde Syndrome: Controlling Inner Conflict through Authentic Living; Cognitive Therapy Techniques in Christian Counseling; and Christians in the Crossfire (written with James D. Foster).

After years of discussion about the relationship between psychology and theology, it is time to move the discussions to a more intimate level: what actually happens in the Christian counseling office? It is here that counseling becomes intensely personal, reflecting counselors’ spiritual lives as much as their psychological preparation and theological sophistication.

This updated landmark book looks at what happens in two secret places in counselors’ lives: behind the closed doors of their counseling offices and in their own spiritual lives.

It asks such probing questions as

How can we move into the frontier of interdisciplinary integration, where the practical implications of responsible psychology, Christian theology, and spiritual growth are seen in every counseling interaction?

What challenges do we face as we critically evaluate dominant views of mental health, establish a scientific base, and define relevant ethical standards for Christian counseling?

How can we adapt our definitions of training?

How can we nurture our own spiritual lives so that Christ will be revealed through us?

It also asks practical questions, such as

Is it wise to pray with a particular client?

Under what circumstances should I use Scripture memory as part of counseling?

What is the proper role of confession in the therapy process?

Is forgiveness a reasonable goal in a specific situation?

Mark R. McMinn is professor of psychology at George Fox University, where he teaches and serves as the director of faith integration in the Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology. Mark holds a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University, is a licensed psychologist in Oregon, and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a past president of the APA’s Psychology of Religion division.

Mark has received teacher-of-the-year awards at both George Fox University and Wheaton College, where he taught from 1993 to 2006. He was recently awarded the 2010 Graduate Researcher of the Year award at George Fox. Much of his research and all his clinical work in recent years have focused on clergy health and finding effective ways for mental health professionals and clergy to work well together.