B.F. Skinner

A group of respected historians and authorities reassess the role of B. F. Skinner and contemporary behaviorism in the history of 20th-century psychology. This landmark collection provides an interesting mix of modern perspectives to clarify perceptions of the theories and approaches of Skinner and of other radical and contemporary behaviorists. This reevaluation of the philosophical bases and development of behavior analysis offers new interpretation. Psychologists, historians, philosophers, and advanced undergraduates and graduate students will also find the work important for its first-to-date comprehensive bibliography of Skinner's published works and for its lengthy historiography of important studies dealing with Skinner and behaviorism. This volume is a companion to Modern Perspectives of John B. Watson and Classical Behaviorism edited by Todd and Morris and published by Greenwood Press in 1994.

Book based on the premise that the three dominant schools in psychology are the result of personal experiences of the originators. Intended as a supplement to undergraduate and graduate courses in personality and/or history of psychology; also to clinicians, counselors, and therapists.

Robert Ewen's An Introduction to Theories of Personality helps students unravel the mysteries of human behavior through its highly readable introduction to the ideas of the most significant theorists and related new research. Engaging biographical sketches open each chapter and unique capsule summaries help students review key concepts. Theories come alive through the inclusion of quotations from the theorists' writings and numerous applications, such as dream interpretation, psychopathology, and psychotherapy. Significant changes in the sixth edition include: *A Reorganization according to the five major perspectives (psychodynamic, humanistic, trait, behaviorist, and cognitive) to help clarify the major approaches to personality for the student. *New boxes at the beginning of each chapter to highlight the theorist's objectives and what he or she was trying to accomplish. *New glossaries of key concepts and of theorists, to help students organize their studies. *New tables and charts to help clarify distinctions between theorists. *Expanded applications to everyday life. *An increased emphasis on the social cognitive perspective, with a chapter devoted entirely to Albert Bandura. *Expanded material on the factor-analytic trait theory, with new material on the "Big Five" theory and Hans Eysenck. An Instructor's Manual With Test Questions contains an overview of each objective noted in the chapter opening and three types of exam questions: multiple-choice, and short and long essay. Dr. Ewen's revised text is intended for courses on theories of personality and/or psychology of personality.

Psychology and 'Human Nature' problematizes what psychology usually takes for granted - the meaning of the psyche or 'human nature'. Peter Ashworth provides a coherent account of many of the major schools of thought in psychology and its related disciplines, including: sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, radical behaviourism, existentialism, discursive psychology and postmodernism. For each approach he considers the claims or assumptions being made about 'human nature', especially regarding issues of consciousness, the self, the body, other people and the physical world. Psychology and 'Human Nature' will be essential reading for all students of psychology. Series Details; The Psychology Focus Series provides students with a new focus on key topic areas in psychology. Each short book: * presents clear, in-depth coverage of a discrete area with many applied examples * assumes no prior knowlede of psychology * has been written by an experienced teacher * has chapter summaries, annotated further reading and a glossary of key terms

Educational Psychology: A Century of Contributions--the first comprehensive book-length treatment of this topic--looks at the historic contributions of 16 leading psychologists, as well as others, who influenced the field of educational psychology from its philosophical moorings in the late 19th century to its current scientific status at the dawn of the 21st. It presents information regarding these individuals' ideas and scientific discoveries, along with a sense of the historical context in which they lived. The book is divided into three sections that correspond to three eras in the history of the discipline: *the founding period (1880s to 1920); *the rise to prominence period (1920 to1960); and *the modern period (1960 to the present). Each section begins with an overview chapter describing the period in terms of key social, political, and historical events affecting educational theory, research, and practice. In addition, the overview chapters discuss major theoretical, methodological, and instructional contributions of the period and how they changed the course of educational psychology. The biographical chapters describe the scholar's major contribution in terms of theory, research, and practice and his or her legacy and impact. These descriptions portray these individuals as real human beings responding to historical events and social influences of their time in personal and collective ways that changed the nature and direction of the field. Educational Psychology: A Century of Contributions is a cohesive collection appropriate for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in educational psychology.

Harcum maintains that the proper assumptions about human nature are established by their relative utility in solving existing human problems. In order to facilitate solutions to familiar problems of daily living, the author advocates a definition of the science of psychology that includes the concepts of human freedom and intrinsic dignity. The author emphasizes the importance of the free will concept to behavioral scientists and practitioners as well as to citizens of the general population who, perhaps without realizing it, are forced users of behavioral science. The author's intention is to show that our cherished beliefs in the concepts of freedom and dignity are consistent with scientific principles and thus will become a vital part of a scientifically designed culture.

This diverse set of essays traces Epstein's experimental and theoretical work over a 15-year period. Four of the essays were coauthored by the eminent psychologist B. F. Skinner. The book demonstrates how the scientific study of the behavior can increase our understanding and effectiveness in many domains: creativity and innovation, parenting, artificial intelligence, self-improvement, and even world peace. Reviewers have praised the volume as an impressive effort by one of America's most notable psychologists. The volume paints a fairly consistent picture of Epstein's evolving view on cognition, creativity, and behavior. The first sections focus on generativity research and theory and on some "Columban" (pigeon) simulations of human behavior, including some related laboratory studies. The next sections cover efforts to create a comprehensive science of behavior; esssays about Skinner, one of the principal architects of behaviorism; and forays into artificial intelligence, child rearing, categorization research, and other topics. The volume concludes with some uncertain reflections on growing older and a modest proposal for a day of world peace.