Psychology For Dummies

Learn to: Understand why you feel and act the way you do Grasp human behavior and mental processes Discover what psychology is all about Take a fascinating journey of discovery through the science of psychology Psychology For Dummies is a fun, user-friendly guide to the basics of human behavior and mental processes. In plain English — and using lots of everyday examples — psychologist Dr. Adam Cash cuts through the jargon to explain what psychology is all about and what it tells you about why you do the things you do. From B. F. Skinner to bipolar disorder, anorexia to xenophobia, Psychology For Dummies takes you on a fascinating journey of self-discovery. Psychology 101 — discover the scientific nature of psychology, the different approaches psychologists use to investigate and understand people, and the ethical guidelines that psychologists are expected to use Make sense of psychology — get an introduction to the brain and its parts, the concept of conscious awareness and its role in psychology, and the senses that permit us to stay in contact with the world around us Between me and you — find out how well you know yourself, how you developed an identity, the ways you form relationships, and how you communicate The nuts and bolts — get the latest on contemporary approaches to abnormal psychology, including neuropsychological and cognitive explanations for anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and more Open the book and find: An intro to psychological testing and assessment Important contributions to the field of psychology The principles of how humans learn Different approaches and goals of therapies Info on the relationship between psychological and physical health The influence of society on group behavior Advice on maintaining good psychological health

Introduction 1 Part I: Getting Started with Psychology 5 Chapter 1: Seeing the Purpose of Psychology 7 Chapter 2: Making Sense of What People Do: Psychology Essentials 13 Part II: Picking Your Brain (And Body) 31 Chapter 3: Hardware, Software, and Wetware 33 Chapter 4: Conscious Beings 51 Chapter 5: Getting Sensitive 61 Part III: Thinking and Feeling and Acting 75 Chapter 6: Thinking and Speaking 77 Chapter 7: How Does That Make You Feel? 103 Chapter 8: Barking up the Learning Tree: Dogs, Cats, and Rats 123 Part IV: Me, You, and Everything in Between 143 Chapter 9: Developing an Award–Winning Personality 145 Chapter 10: Catching the First Boat off Isolation Island 173 Chapter 11: Conforming Like a Contortionist: Social Psychology 199 Chapter 12: Growing Up with Psychology 221 Chapter 13: Modern Abnormal Psychology 241 Part V: Building a Better You 263 Chapter 14: Assessing the Problem and Testing the Psyche 265 Chapter 15: Getting Comfy on the Couch 279 Chapter 16: Changing Behavior, Changing Thinking 291 Chapter 17: Being a Person Is Tough: Client–Centered and Existential Therapies 311 Chapter 18: Stress, Illness, Growth, and Strength 325 Part VI: The Part of Tens 343 Chapter 19: Ten Tips for Maintaining Psychological Health 345 Chapter 20: Ten Great Psychological Movies 351 Index 357

Adam Cash, PsyD, is Clinical Director of Specialized Psychology Solutions, a child psychology clinic specializing in behavior, learning, development, and autism spectrum disorders. He has taught at the community college and university levels and also worked as a forensic psychologist.