Product Description

The Seventh Edition of Wayne Weiten's popular text, PSYCHOLOGY: THEMES AND VARIATIONS, continues to offer students a unique survey of psychology with three distinct goals: to show both the unity and diversity of psychology's subject matter; to illuminate the process of research and its intimate link to application, and to make the text challenging to think about and easy to learn from. Weiten achieves these goals through a number of distinctive features. Integrative themes-including empiricism, theoretical diversity, sociohistorical contexts, multifactorial causation, cultural heritage, heredity and environment, and subjectivity of experience-are woven throughout the text to provide connections among the different areas of research in psychology. A unique end of chapter section, "Reflecting on the Chapter's Themes," ties together the key themes most relevant to each chapter, and shows links across chapter content. The book's dynamic, teaching-oriented illustration program further enhances these themes. Featured Studies, Personal Applications, and Critical Thinking Applications provide students with unprecedented opportunities to see research methods in action, to understand the practical side of psychology, and to develop important critical thinking skills. Weiten reinforces concepts through periodic in-chapter Concept Checks and an end of chapter practice quiz in every chapter. At the same time, he presents topics in a hierarchical manner, giving students handles they can use to prioritize concepts within the chapter.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76701 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 880 pages

Review
"The section on current trends and issues in treatment (chapter 14) is novel for an introductory psychology book. It is one thing that sets this textbook apart. Very good. The history of mental hospitals and related issues is particularly well done."



"The critical thinking application is a great way for the students to consider the prevalence of mental illness, and is well done."

"I have been favorable impressed with the (this) psychology textbook since its earliest editions. The book is ’user friendly’ and does an excellent job of introducing the student to the diverse and engaging field of psychology. This upcoming edition appears to continue and expand upon the excellent text now in use."

"I liked how Weiten tied in thory with research findings. For example, in the development chapter, the section ’Time of Turmoil’ was the first time I have seen an author successfully tie together the issues of suicide and violence during adolesence..."

"I also get the sense that Weiten truly had my community college students in mind when he wrote the material and developed the pedagogical aids."

"(Weiten’s chapter 2) The author exhibits enthusiasm and academic seriousness in a writing style that is clear, concise and purposeful. Explanations are thorough but there are not wasted words. Overall, I am impressed with the organization and cohesiveness found throughout the chapter. It is clear that the author not only has a plan but he actually follows it."



"The ’Critical Thinking Application’ at the end of each chapter is on e of my favorite parts of the textbook. The author has done an excellent job of selecting issues that students can relate to in their daily lives."

About the Author
Wayne Weiten teaches psychology and mentors teaching assistants at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has received distinguished teaching awards from Division 2 of the American Psychological Association(APA) and from the College of DuPage, where he taught until 1991. He is a Fellow of Divisions 1 and 2 of the APA. In 1996–1997, Weiten served as president of the Society for Teaching Psychology. A trained social psychologist with a very strong quantitative background, his primary area of research is stress and health psychology. Weiten has also conducted research on a wide range of topics, including educational measurement, jury decision-making, attribution theory, stress, and cerebral specialization. He is the co-author of PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO MODERN LIFE (Thomson Wadsworth, 2006) and the creator of PSYKTREK: A MULTIMEDIA INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY.

Customer Reviews

Great for distance learners!
I am taking all distance learning courses and I have found that this book is user friendly and informative. As a student taking distance learning courses it is important to have a good understanding of your text materials to do well. This book has many features to help you take better notes, become a better reader, and allows you to test your knowledge throughout various points of each chapter as well as at the end of each chapter. This book contains personal applications and critical thinking applications at the end of every chapter. These elements of the text allow the student to apply what they have learned to their personal experience as well as their educational experience. This is a great pick for the distance learner and any student who appreciates a good education.

Excuse me, But do you Mind?
When asked to choose a book to use in my Introduction to Psychology class, I was somewhat unsure because there are armadas of books out there. For students, I think someone should take in price as a factor, look at what they are given in the way of student-aid and multimedia, and how good the book really happens to be. I initially chose this book because I knew someone that had used an older version of it and said that it was a good choice and, well, I couldn't be happier.

As far as the cost of the book, it really isn't bad for a new book. It keeps up with newer stuff, not really leaving you behind with outmoded material you really shouldn't learn anyhow. It also adds in newer elements to the study of the subject, allowing a student to feel out the subject without feeling like they've stepped onto the Intro bandwagon. This isn't to say that all the beginner's concepts aren't covered because they are - this is simply to say that the book takes the subjects and runs with them a lot more than most beginner material. Another thing to take into account if you are teaching a class are the number of chapters vs. the filler material. With classes becoming shorter now (many schools now have a 14 week series v. a 16 week one) the material needs to be able to sink in faster.
Happily for the students reading this, the material will do that AND the book will come with A LOT of help to making testing a positive experience.

One nice thing that comes with the book is the Concept Charts, making it east for people to see the ideas "come to life." It is easier to explain how a science goes from an idea to a modern approach by placing it in a nice graph, and the points that are added make it easier still to separate one person from another. The Chart book follows along with the book amazingly, too; I looked into it first off and saw that it took into account everything the Chapters were trying to say.

Running through the book, it covers: Evolution of Psychology, Researching, Biological Biases for Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Variations on Consciousness, Learning, Memory, Language and Thought, Intelligence and Testing, Motivation and Emotion, Development across the Life Span, Personality, Stress and Coping, Disorders, Treatment, and Social behavior. Combine this with the CD, web help, and you've got a full book of concepts.

If your teacher picked this out, MAKE SURE you get the concept charts with your book. It is good, will help you if you are going into any field dealing with psychology, and is a book that is worth keeping instead of recycling.

An excellent *introductory* text to Psychology for everybody
Weiten's book covers all the major aspects of Psychology, including an outline of its historical background, accepted principles, principles in dispute, and case studies. The book is wonderfully typeset in full colour, using illustration without hesitation. The abundance of case studies -- as with any non-fiction book -- makes reading the book both enjoyable and relevant. Weiten includes all the major experiments, like Milgram's obedience study in which ordinary people were willing to give massive electric shocks to others -- all in the name of 'research'. The large format pages allow clear demonstrations of: puzzle solving, optical illusions, and other intriguing aspects of psychology. As a bonus, the book includes a quote and mug-shot of *all* the main psychologists the book mentions (incl. Freud, Jung, Bandura, Skinner & Milgram). I loved the book, and you'll be anally retentive not to have a look.