An edition of Psychology (1977)

Psychology

understanding behavior

Concise/basic ed.

by

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Cover of: Psychology by Robert A. Baron, Robert A. Baron
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Last edited by Angelina Lopez578
July 6, 2026 | History
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An edition of Psychology (1977)

Psychology

understanding behavior

Concise/basic ed.

by

  • 4.0 (22 ratings)
  • 673 Want to read
  • 42 Currently reading
  • 22 Have read

A comprehensive introduction to the scientific study of mind and behavior. Designed for students and general readers, the book explains major psychological concepts through clear writing, research-based insights, and real-world examples. It covers key areas such as biological foundations, mental health, and social behavior, With its structured chapters, visual aids, and emphasis on critical thinking, Psychology serves a foundational resource for understanding how people think, feel, and act.

Publish Date
Publisher
Saunders
Language
English
Pages
537

Previews available in: English

Subjects

Psychology Textbooks Psychology textbooks Psychologie Humanities textbooks Behavior Einfu˜hrung

Showing 8 featured editions. View all 21 editions?

Edition Availability
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: from science to practice
2008, Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
in English - 2nd ed.
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: from science to practice
2005, Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
in English
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: Scientific Approaches to Understanding People
1992, Allyn and Bacon
in English - 2nd ed.
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: the essential science
1989, Allyn and Bacon
in English
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: Its Principles and Meanings
January 1985, Harcourt School
in English
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: understanding behavior
1980, Holt, Rinehart and Winston
in English - 2d ed.
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: understanding behavior
1978, Saunders
Paperback in English - Concise/basic ed.
Cover of: Psychology
Psychology: understanding behavior
1977, W. B. Saunders Co.
in English

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Book Details

First Sentence

""It's late afternoon, and following a long day of classes and labs, you return to your dorm room and collapse on the bed.""

Table of Contents

1. Psychology: Understanding Behavior
Page 3
Psychology: A Capsule Memoir
Page 6
Looking Back: The Early Years
Page 8
Decades of Growth: Psychology Comes of Age
Page 12
Psychology: Who, What, and Where
Page 13
Who: The Training and Background of Psychologists
Page 13
What: The Different Specialties of Psychology
Page 14
Where: Psychologists at Work
Page 16
Methods of Psychological Research: In Quest of Understanding
Page 16
Experimentation in Psychology
Page 17
Systematic Observation: The Correlational Method of Research
Page 24
Case Studies: Generalizing from the Unique
Page 27
Surveys and Tests: Tools for Research
Page 28
Of Man and Beast: A Note on Research with Animals
Page 30
Using This Book: A Road-Map for the Reader
Page 31
Summary
Page 32
2. Biological Bases of Behavior: A Look Beneath the Surface
Page 35
Neurons: Basis for Communication
Page 37
Basic Structure of the Neuron: One-Way Traffic
Page 38
Communication Within Neurons: Axonal Transmission
Page 38
Communication Between Neurons: Bridging the Gap
Page 40
The Nervous System: Foundation for Behavior
Page 42
The Nervous System: A Note on Some Major Divisions
Page 42
The Central Nervous System: Running the Show
Page 42
Brain and Behavior: The Intimate Bond
Page 49
Hunger and Thirst: Eat, Drink, and...
Page 49
Sleep: The Pause That Refreshes
Page 54
Emotional Reactions
Page 60
The Physiological Basis of Reward: "Pleasure" Centers in the Brain
Page 63
Drugs and Behavior: For Fast, Fast, Fast Relief
Page 65
Summary
Page 72
3. Perception: How the World Outside Gets Inside
Page 75
Transducers: Getting Information Into Your Head
Page 77
Inside the Eye
Page 78
What Makes It Tick: Inside the Ear
Page 82
Knowing Something Is Out There: The Detection Problem
Page 82
Other Sensory Modalities: Taste, Touch, and Smell
Page 84
Visual and Auditory Identification: What Is It Out There?
Page 85
Wave Motion: One Good Turn Follows Another
Page 85
Pitch Perception: Analyzing Auditory Frequencies
Page 86
Color Vision: Analyzing Visual Frequencies
Page 88
Illusion: Inconsistent Inputs and Other Strange Stimuli
Page 90
Visual Illusions: The Mind Is Quicker Than the Eye
Page 90
The War Between the Senses: Visual Capture
Page 96
Where Have All the Stimuli Gone? Sensory Deprivation and the Stabilized Image
Page 97
Even a Child Can Do It: The Infant's Perception of the World
Page 100
Visual Capture in Infants: The Eyes Have It
Page 100
Visual Proximity in Infants
Page 101
The Infant's Perception of Distance
Page 102
Extrasensory Perception: Fact or Fraud?
Page 103
Uri Geller: Fact?
Page 104
Uri Geller: Fraud?
Page 104
ESP and Cheating
Page 106
Summary
Page 106
4. Learning About the World: Classical Conditioning, Instrumental Conditioning, and Observational Learning
Page 109
Classical Conditioning: Learning Through Association
Page 111
The Work of Pavlov: Of Hungry Dogs and Ringing Bells
Page 112
Principles of Classical Conditioning: Some Rules of the Game
Page 115
Instrumental Conditioning: Learning Through Consequences
Page 119
Instrumental Learning: Some Determining Factors
Page 120
Schedules of Reinforcement: The "When" and "Why" of Pay-offs
Page 124
Patterns of Reinforcement and Extinction: The Partial Reinforcement Effect
Page 127
Shaping: A Little—Gradually—Goes a Long Way
Page 128
Operant Conditioning and Behavioral Problems
Page 129
Aversive Conditioning: Learning About Negative Consequences
Page 130
Punishment: Does It Really Work?
Page 134
Classical and Instrumental Conditioning Revisited: New Looks at Some Old Ideas
Page 142
Constraints Upon Learning: How General Are "General" Laws of Learning?
Page 142
The Distinction Between Classical and Instrumental Conditioning: Autoshaping
Page 144
Observational Learning: Learning Through Seeing
Page 146
Summary
Page 150
5. Memory and Language
Page 153
Three Kinds of Memory: Short, Medium, Long
Page 154
Sensory Storage: For Fast Fading Facts
Page 154
Short-Term Memory: The Little Engine That Could
Page 156
Long-Term Memory
Page 160
Recall and Recognition: Different Ways to Measure Memory
Page 162
Free Recall: No Charge for Wrong Orders
Page 162
Serial Position: Following Orders
Page 167
Recognition: I Never Forget a Face
Page 169
Improving Your Memory: Mnemonics and Imagery
Page 170
Mnemonics: Tricks to Help Memory
Page 170
Imagery: A Picture Is Worth Several Words
Page 172
Unusual Memory Abilities and Disabilities
Page 173
Amnesia: When Memory Fails
Page 173
The Mind of a Mnemonist: When Forgetting Fails
Page 175
Language: Communication Through Words
Page 175
Surface and Deep Structures: Linguistic Descriptions of Language
Page 176
Semantic Memory: Is a Canary Hairy?
Page 178
Linguistic Relativity: Do Words Shape Thought?
Page 182
Summary
Page 183
6. Motivation and Emotion: Attempting to Explain Behavior
Page 185
Motivation: Something in the Way It Moves Me
Page 186
The Evolution of Motivational Concepts: From Volcano Spirits to Predictability
Page 186
Behavioral Effects of Drive Arousal: Energizing the Organism
Page 189
Motivation as an Energizer of Behavior: Flipping the Switch to ON
Page 190
Drive and Performance: That Extra Push
Page 191
Physiological Needs: Built-In Motivation
Page 196
Need for Sexual Gratification: Lust for Life
Page 196
The Effectance Motive: Discovering the World
Page 203
Acquired Motivation: Learning What to Want
Page 207
The Achievement Motive: Striving for Success
Page 208
Emotion: Tears, Cheers, and Fears
Page 211
Identifying the Basic Emotions: Observations and Physiological Indicators
Page 211
Perceiving the Emotions of Others: Context and Culture
Page 213
Perceiving Our Own Emotions: If I'm Laughing, I Must Be Happy
Page 217
Summary
Page 220
7. Development and Growth: From Child to Adult
Page 223
Physical Growth and Development
Page 224
Prenatal Growth: From Small Beginnings
Page 224
Infancy: Getting a Good Start on Life
Page 227
Childhood and Adolescence
Page 230
Maturity ... and Decline
Page 231
Cognitive Development: Of Speech and Thought
Page 233
Language: Tool of the "Talking Ape"
Page 234
Cognitive Development: Thinking About Thought
Page 239
Social and Moral Development: Getting Along with Others ... and Living with Oneself
Page 246
Attachment: The Beginnings of Love
Page 246
Sex-Typing: A Girl for Me, a Boy for You
Page 251
Moral Development: Learning to Tell "Right" from "Wrong"
Page 254
Human Development: A Postscript
Page 258
Summary
Page 259
8. Personality: Understanding the Behavior of Individuals
Page 261
Theories of Personality: Trying to Paint the Total Picture
Page 262
The First Theories of Personality
Page 262
Psychoanalytic Theory: Mapping the Unconscious
Page 263
Rogers' Self Theory: Tender Loving Acceptance
Page 269
Some Additional Personality Theories: The Ideas of Jung, Sheldon, and Erikson
The Measurement of Personality: Assessing Differences Among Individuals
Page 277
Types and Traits
Page 284
Situational Determinants of Behavior: It's Not Only Who You Are but Where You Are
Page 290
Traits versus Situations
Page 290
Honesty: Do You Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide?
Page 291
Some Conclusions About Personality
Page 293
Summary
Page 294
9. Maladjusted Patterns of Behavior
Page 297
Concepts of Maladjustment
Page 298
The Supernatural Model: Angels of the Lord or Servants of Satan
Page 298
The Medical Model: Abnormal Behavior as Illness
Page 300
The Psychological Model: Learning Ways to Reduce Anxiety
Page 302
Defense Mechanisms: The Way We Often Deal with Our Problems
Page 303
Neurotic Behavior: Cracks in the Defenses
Page 306
Hypochondriasis: Enjoying Poor Health
Page 306
Phobic Reaction: A Specific Fear versus Vague Anxieties
Page 307
Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis: Repetitive Thoughts and Actions
Page 309
Dissociative Reaction: Massive Repression
Page 311
Reactive Depression: The Depths of Despair
Page 313
Anxiety Reaction: Pushing the Panic Button
Page 314
Psychotic Behavior: The Ultimate Psychological Disorders
Page 315
Psychosis: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer
Page 316
Manic-Depressive Psychosis: Riding an Emotional Roller Coaster
Page 319
Paranoid Disorder: Why Are They All Against Me?
Page 321
Schizophrenic Disorders: Withdrawal from Reality
Page 322
Conduct Disorders: Socially Unacceptable Behavior
Page 325
Psychopathic Personality: Life without a Superego
Page 325
Alcoholism: Anxiety Reduction from a Bottle
Page 328
Fitting Real People into Arbitrary Categories: Behavioral Differences versus Diagnostic Groups
Page 331
Summary
Page 334
10. Psychotherapy: Altering Maladjusted Behavior
Page 337
Biotherapy: Bodily Treatments to Cure Psychopathology
Page 338
Electroconvulsive Therapy: Shock Treatment
Page 338
Psychosurgery: Slicing into the Brain
Page 340
Drug Therapy: Pharmacy to the Rescue
Page 341
Insight Psychotherapy: Illuminating the Dark Corners of the Mind
Page 343
Psychoanalysis: Where There Is Id, Let Ego Be
Page 343
Client-Centered Therapy: Your Perspective Is All-Important
Page 346
Unlearning Maladjusted Behavior: Bringing the Laboratory into the Therapist's Office
Page 350
Learning New Responses: The Therapist as a Source of Rewards and Punishments
Page 350
Behavior Modification: Changing the Overt Behavior
Page 351
Therapy in Groups: Expanding the Therapeutic Situation
Page 362
Psychodrama
Page 363
Encounter Groups: Letting It All Hang Out
Page 364
Community Psychology: Going Where the Action Is
Page 367
Why Take Psychology Into the Community?
Page 368
Community Psychology Responds to a Disaster: Dealing with the Aftereffects of a Tornado
Page 372
Summary
Page 374
11. Social Behavior: Interacting with Others
Page 377
Person Perception: Coming to Know Others
Page 379
Attribution: When Acts Tell the Story
Page 379
Forming Impressions of Others: Do We Average or Add?
Page 381
Nonverbal Communication: The Language of Gazes and Gestures
Page 383
Interpersonal Attraction: Whom We Like and Why
Page 387
Attitude Similarity: Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Page 388
Praise or Blame from Others: The Reciprocal Nature of Liking
Page 388
Physical Attractiveness and Liking: Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?
Page 389
Attraction and Interpersonal Behavior: When Liking Tips the Balance
Page 391
Social Influence: Changing Attitudes and Altering Behavior
Page 392
Attitude Change: The Power of Positive Persuasion
Page 392
Changing the Behavior of Others: Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience
Page 399
Altruism and Helping: The Milk of Human Kindness
Page 410
Bystanders and Helping: Is There "Safety in Numbers"?
Page 411
Feeling Good and Helping: Mood and Pro-Social Behavior
Page 414
Aggression and Violence
Page 415
The Situational Roots of Violence: Frustration, Attack, and Exposure to Aggressive Models
Page 417
Aggression: Its Prevention and Control
Page 420
Summary
Page 425
12. Psychology in Applied Settings: Contributions and Controversies
Page 429
Industrial and Organizational Psychology: The Study of People at Work
Page 430
Personnel Selection: Round Pegs for Round Holes
Page 430
Motivation to Work: By Bread Alone?
Page 438
Job Satisfaction: The Free Fringe Benefit
Page 440
Educational and School Psychology: The Nature and Measurement of Intelligence
Page 444
The Measurement of Intelligence: Tests of Mental Ability
Page 445
Testing and Public Policy: Questions Regarding Fairness and Use
Page 449
Intelligence: Genetic and Environmental Components
Page 454
Consumer Psychology: Where Behavior and Economics Meet
Page 458
Advertising as the Businessman Sees It: What Works ... and What Does Not?
Page 459
Advertising and Attitudes: Commercials as Persuasive Appeals
Page 461
Advertising as the Consumer Advocate Sees It: What Is Fair and What Is Not
Page 464
Summary
Page 466
References
Page R.1
Glossary
Page G.1
Author Index
Subject Index
Page IX

Edition Notes

Bibliography: p. R.1-R.22.
Includes indexes.

Published in
Philadelphia

Classifications

Dewey Decimal Class
150
Library of Congress
BF121 .B33 1978

The Physical Object

Format
Paperback
Pagination
537 p. in various pagings, [4] leaves of plates :
Number of pages
537
Weight
12.6 ounces

Edition Identifiers

Open Library
OL4567803M
Internet Archive
psychologyunders0000baro
ISBN 10
072161566X
ISBN 13
9780721615660
LCCN
77084664
OCLC/WorldCat
3447008
LibraryThing
494113
Goodreads
3664814

Work Identifiers

Work ID
OL2661659W

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