Introducing Psychology: A Graphic Guide

by Nigel C. Benson and Borin Van Loon

Book Overview

What is psychology?When did it begin? Where did it come from? How does psychology compare with related subjects such as psychiatry and psychotherapy? To what extent is it scientific?

Introducing Psychology answers all these questions and more, explaining what the subject has been in the past and what it is now. The main "schools" of thought and the sections within psychology are described, including Introspection,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1840468521
• ISBN13: 9781840468526
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Icon Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.7" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

'Introducing Psychology' - Very Good!

Introducing Psychology by Nigel C. Benson This book is a good overall introduction to the subject of Psychology. It introduces the reader to the many different schools that have contributed to the field. Explaining how the teachings of one school relate to those of another. How they overlap, how they contradict and most interestingly how their interactions have in many cases given rise to the growth and development of entirely new schools of Psychology - such as Social Psychology, Humanism, Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Psychology (just to mention a few). Nigel C. Benson seems to have a real talent for making a very broad and complex science (which is what psychology is) accessible, enjoyable and understandable to the layman. I found the book easy to follow, interesting and most importantly, 'fun to read.' I recommend it to anyone who is interested in developing an understanding of this fascinating area of human research.

great for beginners

This book gives you a general idea about what psychology is and about different streams/schools in this field. It is very useful for beginners as it helps one create a skelett of psychology, because it's brief(not too much information,just enough to get you started). The illustrations are reinforcing the data. If you want to start in this field, you can do so by reading this book(max2-3h).

Enjoyable and complete introduction to psychology

Introducing Psychology tries to give a basic overview on what psychology is all about. It starts with a general definition and sets off on a trip through the history of psychology and its numerous sections, including: Psychoanalysis, Behaviourism, Biopsychology, Social Psychology and Humanism. The main figures that had an influence on the course of psychology are all briefly discussed. The impact of names like Pavlov, Maslow, Jung and Freud is described to more extend. The story brought by the author is easy to digest without actually neglecting the more difficult concepts. Because this book must clearly be seen as a first glimpse into the fascinating world of psychology, it does not dive too deep into the subjects, but highlights the basic ideas. Further reading is clearly encouraged by making strong recommendations for books to read. As extra further information on how to start the study of psychology is given. The main assets of this book -and the whole series for that matter- are the tongue-in-cheek illustrations. Although sometimes the depictions are quite absurd, they do help in bringing the reader better understanding of the concepts explained in the text. But even more important, they make this clever book a joy to read. Introducing Psychology is a must read for everyone who shows interest in the area of psychology and its applications.

Excellent summary of a complex subject!

The whole series of these books by Icon is extremely good but, even by their high standards, "Introducing Psychology" stands out as being a masterpiece! The author has amazingly managed to summarize the whole of psychology in an easy-to-read, concise and entertaining way. The illustrations are superb, guiding the reader through all the main sections of psychology with valuable and memorable insights. The book is packed with information and is cleverly humourous. I highly recommend it to anyone new to psychology or wanting to learn more. I only wish it was longer!

Great for Beginners Knowledge of Psychology

Personally I have to say that this is one of the better books on psychology written specifically(hence the title "Pyschology for BEGINNERS). To illustrate, the book is 176 pages with a fairly good index and some interesting and quite explanatory pictures and lots of good information on different psychological tecnhinques. It starts out explaining what psychology is and what it is NOT. It goes back to the philosophers to find its origins(psychology) and traces to the future where we learn and know more about genes, our brain. The book tackels subjects, whcih are quite controversial in teh psychological industry quite tamely and does give different points of view. Like on the nature-nurture debate. It explains some of the new techniques psychology uses and used to classify behavior. It, the book, gives information on psychological and psychiatric associationn. The book explains the courses to take if you want to major in psychology. There are also lots of good graphs showing different information on different behaviors. The author's explantions are interseting and simple even for the layman reader. Some words can be quite techniquel but in all in all, its quite manageable. The author profiles different people and psychologists providing a paragraph to a couple of pages on the figure depending on improtance. The book also gives a good explanation of Freud's theories though does not delve into Jung as much. But thats good. Cause getting into Jung or other psychiatrists would have been to techniquel and not for the "beginner." Buy the book if you are interested in psychology. You will not be disappointed.