controversial topics in psychology: Issues, Debates and Approaches in Psychology Ian Fairholm, 2012-02-13 From where did the discipline of psychology originate? How has it evolved since its inception? These questions are at the heart of understanding the key debates that are central to psychology. In this highly approachable introduction, Fairholm tackles the big questions in psychology covering the ever controversial nature vs. nurture debate, free will and determinism, and other important topics. Whatever your level of study, this introduction will guide you through the most important issues that psychologists continue to dispute in the twenty-first century. This title stands as part of the Insights series edited by Nigel Holt and Rob Lewis, containing well-rounded, quick guides to the cornerstone theories, main topics and theoretical perspectives of their subjects and are useful for pre-undergraduate students looking to find incisive introductions to subjects that they may be considering for undergraduate study or those looking for helpful preparatory reading for undergraduate modules in the subject. |
controversial topics in psychology: Psychology of Trauma 101 Lesia M. Ruglass, PhD, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, FAPA, 2014-10-10 Psychology of Trauma 101 is exceptionally well-written, easy to read, and enriched with empirical findings and discussions related to trauma psychology. Therefore, this book would help any beginning mental health professional better understand the current state of trauma research, theory, and treatment; and thus, Psychology of Trauma 101 is highly recommended. -- Erin K. Poindexter, Journal of Loss and Trauma As trauma research and practice grow, practitioners, trainees, and others struggle to acquire and apply critical information to help the traumatized. In Psychology of Trauma 101, Lesia Ruglass and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett fill this void with a highly readable and reliable guide for practitioners and students in promoting posttraumatic growth and resilience. Charles R. Figley, PhD, Tulane University Our knowledge about the psychological effects of traumatic events has grown dramatically over the past three decades. Psychology of Trauma 101 is a concise, current, and accessible overview of this critical issue, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its causes, and its physical and mental consequences. Grounded in the most up-to-date research and theories on trauma and its effects, this text not only covers the concepts of what trauma is and the ways in which different kinds of traumas affect people, but also considers how it is diagnosed in the wake of DSM-5 and is treated with both conventional and alternative methods. Richly illustrated with first-person accounts from trauma survivors, this book encompasses theories, diagnosis, and treatment as well as how trauma affects family members and caregivers. It also addresses the variables of gender, race/ethnicity, and culture as they bear on trauma psychology and the potential health consequences of trauma. In addition, the book illuminates controversies in the field and such emerging topics as posttraumatic growth, multiple traumas, and how traumatic events affect communities. Written by a team of leading researchers and clinicians in the field, the book is an ideal introduction to this critical topic for students and practitioners. Key Features Provides a comprehensive yet concise overview of trauma and PTSD Considers theoretical frameworks for understanding trauma and its impact on physical and mental health Addresses how trauma is diagnosed and treated with both conventional and alternative approaches Covers posttraumatic growth, multiple traumas, and caregiver issues such as burnout and self-care Includes plentiful firsthand accounts from trauma survivors The Psych 101 Series Short, reader-friendly introductions to cutting-edge topics in psychology. With key concepts, controversial topics, and fascinating accounts of up-to-the-minute research, The Psych 101 Series is a valuable resource for all students of psychology and anyone interested in the field. |
controversial topics in psychology: Psychological Science in the Courtroom Jennifer L. Skeem, Kevin S. Douglas, Scott O. Lilienfeld, 2009-05-08 This rigorous yet reader-friendly book reviews the state of the science on a broad range of psychological issues commonly encountered in the forensic context. The goal is to help professionals and students differentiate between supported and unsupported psychological techniques--and steer clear of those that may be misleading or legally inadmissible. Leading contributors focus on controversial issues surrounding recovered memories, projective techniques, lie detection, child witnesses, offender rehabilitation, psychopathy, violence risk assessment, and more. With a focus on real-world legal situations, the book offers guidelines for presenting scientific evidence accurately and effectively in courtroom testimony and written reports. |
controversial topics in psychology: Educated Tara Westover, 2018-02-20 #1 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER • One of the most acclaimed books of our time: an unforgettable memoir about a young woman who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University “Extraordinary . . . an act of courage and self-invention.”—The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • ONE OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR • BILL GATES’S HOLIDAY READING LIST • FINALIST: National Book Critics Circle’s Award In Autobiography and John Leonard Prize For Best First Book • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award • Los Angeles Times Book Prize Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home. “Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of [Westover’s] childhood, the questions her book poses are universal: How much of ourselves should we give to those we love? And how much must we betray them to grow up?”—Vogue NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • O: The Oprah Magazine • Time • NPR • Good Morning America • San Francisco Chronicle • The Guardian • The Economist • Financial Times • Newsday • New York Post • theSkimm • Refinery29 • Bloomberg • Self • Real Simple • Town & Country • Bustle • Paste • Publishers Weekly • Library Journal • LibraryReads • Book Riot • Pamela Paul, KQED • New York Public Library |
controversial topics in psychology: Current Controversies and Issues in Personality Lawrence A. Pervin, 1984-02-22 A unique up-to-date treatment of the controversies and issues in personality research and their social implications. Designed as a core or supplemental text for advanced undergraduate or graduate students taking introductory personality courses. Examines the relationship between the individual's behavior and a given situation, the nature-nurture controversy, determinants of aggression, emotions, personality and change, and more. |
controversial topics in psychology: Mind Fixers: Psychiatry's Troubled Search for the Biology of Mental Illness Anne Harrington, 2019-04-16 “Superb… a nuanced account of biological psychiatry.” —Richard J. McNally In Mind Fixers, “the preeminent historian of neuroscience” (Science magazine) Anne Harrington explores psychiatry’s repeatedly frustrated efforts to understand mental disorder. She shows that psychiatry’s waxing and waning theories have been shaped not just by developments in the clinic and lab, but also by a surprising range of social factors. Mind Fixers recounts the past and present struggle to make mental illness a biological problem in order to lay the groundwork for creating a better future. |
controversial topics in psychology: Taking Sides Jason A. Nier, 2005 A debate style reader that aims to introduce students to controversies in social psychology. The readings, representing the arguments of leading psychologists and researchers, reflect a variety of viewpoints. |
controversial topics in psychology: Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, Second Edition Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven Jay Lynn, Jeffrey M. Lohr, 2014-10-13 This valued resource helps practitioners and students evaluate the merits of popular yet controversial practices in clinical psychology and allied fields, and base treatment decisions on the best available research. Leading authorities review widely used therapies for a range of child, adolescent, and adult disorders, differentiating between those that can stand up to the rigors of science and those that cannot. Questionable assessment and diagnostic techniques and self-help models are also examined. The volume provides essential skills for thinking critically as a practitioner, evaluating the validity of scientific claims, and steering clear of treatments that are ineffective or even harmful. New to This Edition *Reflects the significant growth of evidence-based practices in the last decade. *Updated throughout with the latest treatment research. *Chapter on attachment therapy. *Chapter on controversial interventions for child and adolescent antisocial behavior. *Addresses changes in DSM-5. |
controversial topics in psychology: Mad in America Robert Whitaker, 2019-09-10 An updated edition of the classic history of schizophrenia in America, which gives voice to generations of patients who suffered through cures that only deepened their suffering and impaired their hope of recovery Schizophrenics in the United States currently fare worse than patients in the world's poorest countries. In Mad in America, medical journalist Robert Whitaker argues that modern treatments for the severely mentally ill are just old medicine in new bottles, and that we as a society are deeply deluded about their efficacy. The widespread use of lobotomies in the 1920s and 1930s gave way in the 1950s to electroshock and a wave of new drugs. In what is perhaps Whitaker's most damning revelation, Mad in America examines how drug companies in the 1980s and 1990s skewed their studies to prove that new antipsychotic drugs were more effective than the old, while keeping patients in the dark about dangerous side effects. A haunting, deeply compassionate book -- updated with a new introduction and prologue bringing in the latest medical treatments and trends -- Mad in America raises important questions about our obligations to the mad, the meaning of insanity, and what we value most about the human mind. |
controversial topics in psychology: Irreversible Damage Abigail Shrier, 2020-06-30 NAMED A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE ECONOMIST AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2021 BY THE TIMES AND THE SUNDAY TIMES Irreversible Damage . . . has caused a storm. Abigail Shrier, a Wall Street Journal writer, does something simple yet devastating: she rigorously lays out the facts. —Janice Turner, The Times of London Until just a few years ago, gender dysphoria—severe discomfort in one’s biological sex—was vanishingly rare. It was typically found in less than .01 percent of the population, emerged in early childhood, and afflicted males almost exclusively. But today whole groups of female friends in colleges, high schools, and even middle schools across the country are coming out as “transgender.” These are girls who had never experienced any discomfort in their biological sex until they heard a coming-out story from a speaker at a school assembly or discovered the internet community of trans “influencers.” Unsuspecting parents are awakening to find their daughters in thrall to hip trans YouTube stars and “gender-affirming” educators and therapists who push life-changing interventions on young girls—including medically unnecessary double mastectomies and puberty blockers that can cause permanent infertility. Abigail Shrier, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, has dug deep into the trans epidemic, talking to the girls, their agonized parents, and the counselors and doctors who enable gender transitions, as well as to “detransitioners”—young women who bitterly regret what they have done to themselves. Coming out as transgender immediately boosts these girls’ social status, Shrier finds, but once they take the first steps of transition, it is not easy to walk back. She offers urgently needed advice about how parents can protect their daughters. A generation of girls is at risk. Abigail Shrier’s essential book will help you understand what the trans craze is and how you can inoculate your child against it—or how to retrieve her from this dangerous path. |
controversial topics in psychology: The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Individual Differences Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Sophie von Stumm, Adrian Furnham, 2015-06-22 The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Individual Differences provides a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of recent research, current perspectives, practical applications, and likely future developments in individual differences. Brings together the work of the top global researchers within the area of individual differences, including Philip L. Ackerman, Ian J. Deary, Ed Diener, Robert Hogan, Deniz S. Ones and Dean Keith Simonton Covers methodological, theoretical and paradigm changes in the area of individual differences Individual chapters cover core areas of individual differences including personality and intelligence, biological causes of individual differences, and creativity and emotional intelligence |
controversial topics in psychology: The Human Spark Jerome Kagan, 2013-06-04 As infants we are rife with potential. For a short time, we have before us a seemingly infinite number of developmental paths. Soon, however, we become limited to certain paths as we grow into unique products of our genetics and experience. But what factors account for the variation -- in skills, personalities, values -- that results? How do experiences shape what we bring into the world? In The Human Spark, pioneering psychologist Jerome Kagan offers an unflinching examination of personal, moral, and cultural development that solidifies his place as one of the most influential psychologists of the past century. In this definitive analysis of the factors that shape the human mind, Kagan explores the tension between biology and the environment. He reviews major advances in the science of development over the past three decades and offers pointed critiques and new syntheses. In so doing, Kagan calls out the shortcomings of the modern fad for neuroscience, shows why theories of so-called attachment parenting are based on a misinterpretation of research, and questions the field's reflexive tendency to pathologize the behavior of the young. Most importantly, he reminds us that a life, however influenced by biology and upbringing, is still a tapestry to be woven, not an outcome to be endured. A profound exploration of what is universal and what is individual in human development, The Human Spark is the result of a scientist's lifelong quest to discover how we become who we are. Whether the reader is a first-time parent wondering what influence she, her genes, and the wider world will have on her child; an educator seeking insight into the development of her students; or simply a curious soul seeking self-knowledge, Kagan makes an expert and companionable guide. |
controversial topics in psychology: Psychology and Christianity Eric L. Johnson, 2009-08-20 How are Christians to understand and undertake the discipline of psychology? This question has been of keen interest because of the importance we place on a correct understanding of human nature.This collection of essays edited by Eric Johnson and Stanton Jones offers four different models for the relationship between Christianity and psychology. |
controversial topics in psychology: Controversies in Psychology Andrew M. Colman, 1995 Topics covered include psychic research, out-of-body experiences, the physiology of hypnosis, eyewitness testimony, and psychological aspects of illness and healthcare. |
controversial topics in psychology: Opening Skinner's Box Lauren Slater, 2004 Traces developments in human psychology over the course of the twentieth century, beginning with B. F. Skinner and the legend of the child raised in a box. |
controversial topics in psychology: Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience Scott Slotnick, 2017-09-16 When we're thinking about how the brain works, why do we believe that one explanation is better than another? Is the majority view necessarily the correct view? In Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience, Scott Slotnick tackles the most contentious debates within the exciting and fast-paced field of cognitive neuroscience. Student-focused and sympathetically written, its deep engagement with cutting-edge debates will help you develop your critical thinking skills. Providing evidence from both sides of each debate, the book covers essential topics such as long-term memory, working memory, language, perception, and attention. By helping you to weigh up the evidence and choose the most compelling answer, Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience will enhance your analytical skills. With its unique debate format and a wealth of illustrations, the book brings to life the key issues that are sparking debate within psychology and neuroscience. |
controversial topics in psychology: The Chimp Paradox Steve Peters, 2013-05-30 Your inner Chimp can be your best friend or your worst enemy...this is the Chimp Paradox Do you sabotage your own happiness and success? Are you struggling to make sense of yourself? Do your emotions sometimes dictate your life? Dr. Steve Peters explains that we all have a being within our minds that can wreak havoc on every aspect of our lives—be it business or personal. He calls this being the chimp, and it can work either for you or against you. The challenge comes when we try to tame the chimp, and persuade it to do our bidding. The Chimp Paradox contains an incredibly powerful mind management model that can help you be happier and healthier, increase your confidence, and become a more successful person. This book will help you to: —Recognize how your mind is working —Understand and manage your emotions and thoughts —Manage yourself and become the person you would like to be Dr. Peters explains the struggle that takes place within your mind and then shows you how to apply this understanding. Once you're armed with this new knowledge, you will be able to utilize your chimp for good, rather than letting your chimp run rampant with its own agenda. |
controversial topics in psychology: Own Your Psychology Major! Glenn Geher, 2019 This book provides a roadmap for new psychology majors, and inspiration to help motivate students to make the most of internship, research, and service opportunities during their undergraduate years. |
controversial topics in psychology: Obedience to Authority Stanley Milgram, 2017-07-11 A special edition reissue of the landmark study of humanity’s susceptibility to authoritarianism. In the 1960s Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram famously carried out a series of experiments that forever changed our perceptions of morality and free will. The subjects—or “teachers”—were instructed to administer electroshocks to a human “learner,” with the shocks becoming progressively more powerful and painful. Controversial but now strongly vindicated by the scientific community, these experiments attempted to determine to what extent people will obey orders from authority figures regardless of consequences. “Milgram’s experiments on obedience have made us more aware of the dangers of uncritically accepting authority,” wrote Peter Singer in the New York Times Book Review. Featuring a new introduction from Dr. Philip Zimbardo, who conducted the famous Stanford Prison Experiment, Obedience to Authority is Milgram’s fascinating and troubling chronicle of his classic study and a vivid and persuasive explanation of his conclusions . . . A part of Harper Perennial’s special “Resistance Library” highlighting classic works that illuminate our times The inspiration for the major motion picture Experimenter |
controversial topics in psychology: Irreducible Mind Edward F. Kelly, Emily Williams Kelly, Adam Crabtree, 2010 Current mainstream opinion in psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy of mind holds that all aspects of human mind and consciousness are generated by physical processes occurring in brains. Views of this sort have dominated recent scholarly publication. The present volume, however, demonstrates empirically that this reductive materialism is not only incomplete but false. The authors systematically marshal evidence for a variety of psychological phenomena that are extremely difficult, and in some cases clearly impossible, to account for in conventional physicalist terms. Topics addressed include phenomena of extreme psychophysical influence, memory, psychological automatisms and secondary personality, near-death experiences and allied phenomena, genius-level creativity, and 'mystical' states of consciousness both spontaneous and drug-induced. The authors further show that these rogue phenomena are more readily accommodated by an alternative 'transmission' or 'filter' theory of mind/brain relations advanced over a century ago by a largely forgotten genius, F. W. H. Myers, and developed further by his friend and colleague William James. This theory, moreover, ratifies the commonsense conception of human beings as causally effective conscious agents, and is fully compatible with leading-edge physics and neuroscience. The book should command the attention of all open-minded persons concerned with the still-unsolved mysteries of the mind. |
controversial topics in psychology: Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, First Edition Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven Jay Lynn, Jeffrey M. Lohr, 2012-12-18 This is the first major text designed to help professionals and students evaluate the merits of popular yet controversial practices in clinical psychology, differentiating those that can stand up to the rigors of science from those that cannot. Leading researchers review widely used therapies for alcoholism, infantile autism, ADHD, and posttraumatic stress disorder; herbal remedies for depression and anxiety; suggestive techniques for memory recovery; and self-help models. Other topics covered include issues surrounding psychological expert testimony, the uses of projective assessment techniques, and unanswered questions about dissociative identity disorder. Providing knowledge to guide truly accountable mental health practice, the volume also imparts critical skills for designing and evaluating psychological research programs. It is ideal for use in advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and evidence-based practice. |
controversial topics in psychology: Current Controversies in Virtue Theory Mark Alfano, 2015-02-11 Virtue is among the most venerable concepts in philosophy, and has recently seen a major revival. However, new challenges to conceptions of virtue have also arisen. In Current Controversies in Virtue Theory, five pairs of cutting-edge philosophers square off over central topics in virtue theory: the nature of virtue, the connection between virtue and flourishing, the connection between moral and epistemic virtues, the way in which virtues are acquired, and the possibility of attaining virtue. Mark Alfano guides his readers through these essays (all published here for the first time), with a synthetic introduction, succinct abstracts of each debate, suggested further readings and study questions for each controversy, and a list of further controversies to be explored. |
controversial topics in psychology: Controversies in Psychology Phil Banyard, 2003-09-01 An introduction to the areas that have been studied in psychology that have excited controversy, including advertising, psychometric testing, propoganda and warfare. |
controversial topics in psychology: Measurement in Psychology Joel Michell, 2005-10-20 This book traces how such a seemingly immutable idea as measurement proved so debatable when it collided with the subject matter of psychology. This book addresses philosophical and social influences (such as scientism, practicalism, and Pythagoreanism) reshaping the concept of measurement and identifies a fundamental problem at the core of this reshaping: the issue of whether psychological attributes really are quantitative. The author argues that the idea of measurement now endorsed within psychology actually subverts attempts to establish a genuinely quantitative science, and he urges a new direction. This volume relates views on measurement by thinkers such as Hölder, Russell, Campbell, and Nagel to earlier views, like those of Euclid and Oresme. Within the history of psychology, it considers contributions by Fechner, Cattell, Thorndike, Stevens and Suppes, among others. It also contains a nontechnical exposition of conjoint measurement theory and recent foundational work by leading measurement theorist R. Duncan Luce. This thought-provoking book will be particularly valued by researchers in the fields of psychological history and philosophy of science. |
controversial topics in psychology: The Parasitic Mind Gad Saad, 2020-10-06 Read this book, strengthen your resolve, and help us all return to reason. —JORDAN PETERSON The West’s commitment to freedom, reason, and true liberalism have become endangered by a series of viral forces in our society today. Renowned host of the popular YouTube show “The SAAD Truth”, Dr. Gad Saad exposes how an epidemic of idea pathogens are spreading like a virus and killing common sense in the West. Serving as a powerful follow-up to Jordan Peterson’s book 12 Rules for Life Dr. Saad unpacks what is really happening in progressive safe zones, why we need to be paying more attention to these trends, and what we must do to stop the spread of dangerous thinking. A professor at Concordia University who has witnessed this troubling epidemic first-hand, Dr. Saad dissects a multitude of these concerning forces (corrupt thought patterns, belief systems, attitudes, etc.) that have given rise to a stifling political correctness in our society and how these have created serious consequences that must be remedied–before it’s too late. |
controversial topics in psychology: Freedom and Destiny Rollo May, 1999-01-17 The popular psychoanalyst examines the continuing tension in our lives between the possibilities that freedom offers and the various limitations imposed upon us by our particular fate or destiny. May is an existential analyst who deservedly enjoys a reputation among both general and critical readers as an accessible and insightful social and psychological theorist. . . . Freedom's characteristics, fruits, and problems; destiny's reality; death; and therapy's place in the confrontation between freedom and destiny are examined. . . . Poets, social critics, artists, and other thinkers are invoked appropriately to support May's theory of freedom and destiny's interdependence.—Library Journal Especially instructive, even stunning, is Dr. May's willingness to respect mystery. . . .There is, too, at work throughout the book a disciplined yet relaxed clinical mind, inclined to celebrate . . . what Flannery O'Connor called 'mystery and manners,' and to do so in a tactful, meditative manner.—Robert Coles, America |
controversial topics in psychology: Encyclopedia of School Psychology Steven W. Lee, 2005-04-27 Lee (U. of Kansas) emphasizes the role of school psychologists as consultants, and one of this encyclopedia's goals is to introduce non-specialists to the scope of psychology applied to education. It can also serve as a reference for practitioners and vocational counselors. For ease of use, the comprehensive contents are listed both alphabetically |
controversial topics in psychology: 这才是心理学 基思·斯坦诺维奇 (美), Keith E. Stanovich, 2007 教育部高等学校心理学教学指导委员会推荐用书 |
controversial topics in psychology: Current Controversies in Philosophy of Cognitive Science Adam J Lerner, Simon Cullen, Sarah-Jane Leslie, 2023-05-31 In this volume, leading researchers debate five core questions in the philosophy of cognitive science. For each topic, the volume provides two essays, each advocating for an opposing approach. |
controversial topics in psychology: Communicating Science Effectively National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on the Science of Science Communication: A Research Agenda, 2017-03-08 Science and technology are embedded in virtually every aspect of modern life. As a result, people face an increasing need to integrate information from science with their personal values and other considerations as they make important life decisions about medical care, the safety of foods, what to do about climate change, and many other issues. Communicating science effectively, however, is a complex task and an acquired skill. Moreover, the approaches to communicating science that will be most effective for specific audiences and circumstances are not obvious. Fortunately, there is an expanding science base from diverse disciplines that can support science communicators in making these determinations. Communicating Science Effectively offers a research agenda for science communicators and researchers seeking to apply this research and fill gaps in knowledge about how to communicate effectively about science, focusing in particular on issues that are contentious in the public sphere. To inform this research agenda, this publication identifies important influences †psychological, economic, political, social, cultural, and media-related †on how science related to such issues is understood, perceived, and used. |
controversial topics in psychology: Introduction to Forensic Psychology Bruce A. Arrigo, Stacey L. Shipley, 2005 Suitable for course adoption in a variety of undergraduate and graduate curricula, instructors will find this book most useful as primary source reading in classes exploring psychology and the legal system, criminal behavior, psychology, public policy, and the law: the criminal offender, topics in criminal justice and psychology, and introduction to forensic psychology. Complete in its coverage and concise in its analysis, this book is a must read for anyone wishing to learn about the fascinating and complex world of law, psychology, and crime.--BOOK JACKET. |
controversial topics in psychology: Controversial Issues in Psychology James M. Vanderplas, 1966 |
controversial topics in psychology: Issues, Debates and Approaches in Psychology Ian Fairholm, 2012-02-13 From where did the discipline of psychology originate? How has it evolved since its inception? These questions are at the heart of understanding the key debates that are central to psychology. In this highly approachable introduction, Fairholm tackles the big questions in psychology covering the ever controversial nature vs. nurture debate, free will and determinism, and other important topics. Whatever your level of study, this introduction will guide you through the most important issues that psychologists continue to dispute in the twenty-first century. This title stands as part of the Insights series edited by Nigel Holt and Rob Lewis, containing well-rounded, quick guides to the cornerstone theories, main topics and theoretical perspectives of their subjects and are useful for pre-undergraduate students looking to find incisive introductions to subjects that they may be considering for undergraduate study or those looking for helpful preparatory reading for undergraduate modules in the subject. |
controversial topics in psychology: Applied Social Psychology Jamie A. Gruman, Frank W. Schneider, Larry M. Coutts, 2016-09-08 This student-friendly introduction to the field focuses on understanding social and practical problems and developing intervention strategies to address them. Offering a balance of theory, research, and application, the updated Third Edition includes the latest research, as well as new, detailed examples of qualitative research throughout. |
controversial topics in psychology: Theoretical Issues in Psychology Sacha Bem, Huib Looren de Jong, 2013-05-22 Bem and de Jong present complex ideas in an accessible manner. Theoretical Issues in Psychology gives undergraduate psychology students all the resources they need to begin reflecting on the most pressing conceptual issues in their discipline. - Stuart Wilson, Queen Margaret University The 3rd edition of Theoretical Issues in Psychology provides an authoritative overview of the conceptual issues in psychology which introduces the underlying philosophies that underpin them. It includes new insights across the philosophy of science combined with increased psychological coverage to show clearly how these two communities interrelate, ensuring an integrative understanding of the fundamental debates and how they link to your wider studies. Key features of this new edition include: Concise paragraphs, multiple examples and additional summaries throughout to help you focus on key areas of knowledge. Textboxes with definitions and key concepts to help your understanding of the main debates and ideas. New content on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, cognition and cognitive neuroscience. New up-to-date material on consciousness and evolutionary psychology. For lecturers and teachers, PowerPoint slides are available for each chapter. Sacha Bem & Huib Looren de Jong′s textbook remains essential for students taking courses in conceptual and historical issues in psychology, the philosophy of psychology or theoretical psychology. |
controversial topics in psychology: The Animal Mind Margaret Floy Washburn, 1908 |
controversial topics in psychology: Positive Evolutionary Psychology Glenn Geher, Nicole Wedberg, 2019-08-12 Positive psychologists focus on ways that we can advance the lives of individuals and communities by studying the factors that increase positive outcomes such as life satisfaction and happiness. Evolutionary psychologists use the principles of evolution, based on Darwin's understanding of life, to help shed light on any and all kinds of psychological phenomena. This book brings together both fields to explore positive evolutionary psychology: the use of evolutionary psychology principles to help people and communities experience more positive and fulfilling lives. Across eleven chapters, this book describes the basic ideas of both evolutionary and positive psychology, elaborates on the integration of these two fields as a way to help advance the human condition, discusses several domains of human functioning from the perspective of positive evolutionary psychology, and finally, looks with an eye toward the future of work in this emerging and dynamic field. Over the past few decades, evolutionary psychologists have begun to crack the code on such phenomena as happiness, gratitude, resilience, community, and love. This book describes these facets of the human experience in terms of their evolutionary origins and proposes how we might guide people to optimally experience such positive phenomena in their everyday lives. |
controversial topics in psychology: Most Underappreciated Robert Arkin, 2011-02-16 Fifty of today's most prominent social psychologists describe their scholarship, focusing on the human and personal side of the life of the mind. Each author spotlights his or her least appreciated work, and discusses theory, methods, findings, or application. The contributors also use this opportunity to provide the context behind their work. Some authors describe their mentors, the influential figures who led them to certain areas of research. Others offer advice to young researchers who are just entering the field and who can learn from their predecessors' mistakes and miscalculations. These contributors address issues like how to prepare for, and make the most of, a professorship in a liberal arts college context, and how to frame a research question, title an article, handle a controversy, pursue a passion, devise a method, think about a meta-analysis, and write persuasively. Still others discuss what makes their research important to them and to the field, describing the impact of their work on their own future research agendas. In fifty engaging and succinct essays, these eminent psychologists pull back the curtain on their professional lives. Their stories are personal and touch on relationships, passion for ideas, and the emotional highs and lows of academic life. This book is a truly unique glimpse behind scenes of social psychology and the people who have advanced the field. |
controversial topics in psychology: The Child's Theory of Mind Henry M. Wellman, 1992 Do children have a theory of mind? If they do, at what age is it acquired? What is the content of the theory, and how does it differ from that of adults? The Child's Theory of Mind integrates the diverse strands of this rapidly expanding field of study. It charts children's knowledge about a fundamental topic - the mind and characterizes that developing knowledge as a coherent commonsense theory, strongly advancing the understanding of everyday theories as well as the commonsense theory of mind.Henry M. Wellman is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Center for Human Growth and Development at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. |
controversial topics in psychology: Topics in Health Psychology S. Maes, 1988-11-17 Health psychology is a fairly new but fast growing area of psychology. This book attempts to supply an overview of current research in different topics such as psychological precursors of coronary heart disease and cancer, smoking prevention, medical events and procedures and many others. |
CONTROVERSIAL Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of CONTROVERSIAL is of, relating to, or arousing controversy. How to use controversial in a sentence.
CONTROVERSIAL | English meaning - Cambridge Diction…
They hold widely divergent opinions on controversial issues like abortion. Eugenics was the central, and most …
CONTROVERSIAL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Controversial definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of controversy, or prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; polemical.. See examples …
CONTROVERSIAL definition and meaning | Collins Englis…
If you describe something or someone as controversial, you mean that they are the subject of intense public argument, disagreement, or …
Controversial - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocab…
adjective marked by or capable of arousing controversy “the issue of the death penalty is highly controversial ” “Rushdie's controversial book” “a …
CONTROVERSIAL Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of CONTROVERSIAL is of, relating to, or arousing controversy. How to use controversial in a sentence.
CONTROVERSIAL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
They hold widely divergent opinions on controversial issues like abortion. Eugenics was the central, and most controversial, part of his social philosophy. The official censors have excised …
CONTROVERSIAL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Controversial definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of controversy, or prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; polemical.. See examples of CONTROVERSIAL used in a …
CONTROVERSIAL definition and meaning | Collins English …
If you describe something or someone as controversial, you mean that they are the subject of intense public argument, disagreement, or disapproval. Immigration is a controversial issue in …
Controversial - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
adjective marked by or capable of arousing controversy “the issue of the death penalty is highly controversial ” “Rushdie's controversial book” “a controversial decision on affirmative action” …
controversial adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and …
Definition of controversial adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement. A controversial plan to build a new road has met …
controversial - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Apr 9, 2025 · Engaging in or given to controversy; disputatious, argumentative. Nouns often used with "controversial" ± arousing controversy. (now rare) Someone or something (such as a …
Controversial - definition of controversial by The Free Dictionary
1. Of, producing, or marked by controversy: a controversial movie; a controversial stand on human rights. 2. Fond of controversy; disputatious.
What does controversial mean? - Definitions.net
Controversial refers to something that elicits intense disagreement, debate, or differing opinions among individuals or groups. It often involves controversial topics or issues that provoke …
Controversial Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary
Of, producing, or marked by controversy. A controversial movie; a controversial stand on human rights.