Introduction to Contemporary Psychology (7th Edition), Volumes 1 and 2

Author: (USA) Rathus, S.A., (USA) Valentino, L. (Auth.), You Jin, Zhang Zhao, et al. (Translators)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: Professor Rathus's introductory textbook, like other similar textbooks, provides a detailed review of the general overview of scientific psychology, summarizes the basic concepts and important research in various fields of psychology, and offers comprehensive answers to fundamental psychological questions. However, unlike other general psychology textbooks, this book emphasizes the cultivation of students' interest, the spirit of scientific inquiry and critical thinking, and the connection between psychology and life and the times. Overall, the book can be summarized by five characteristics: open, connected, encouraging, active, and nice. The acronym "OCEAN" (Ocean), formed by these five characteristics, reflects its distinctive features. The human inner world is more vast and profound than the ocean, and it should also be beautiful, just as presented in this book. Indeed, the book is not only rich and profound in content but also beautiful in writing and presentation. Openness is not only one of the features of this book but also a spirit that the authors repeatedly emphasize and vigorously advocate. This is reflected in the following aspects: First, as the authors state, stimulating students' interest in other psychology courses is their greatest wish. The authors painstakingly inspire students' interest in psychology, hoping that from the moment they step through the door of psychology, they can maintain a high degree of openness to all research fields of psychology, so that this interest can be transformed into motivation for learning and research. Second, the authors emphasize critical thinking, requiring students to examine everything with a skeptical eye, hoping that students can break psychological stereotypes, challenge preconceived notions, break free from the constraints of tradition and authority, and approach, think about, and solve problems creatively. Moreover, the authors practice what they preach, so the words between the lines of the textbook reflect the light of the authors' open perspectives. In terms of content, the authors emphasize new trends that have emerged in recent years, such as evolutionary psychology, and update the textbook content and focus in a timely manner, making the new edition of the textbook highly contemporary; in terms of form, the authors actively incorporate online resources, make the best use of modern information technology, and creatively apply the PQ4R learning method, making the textbook rich in form and distinctive in features.