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Books > Social sciences > Psychology > Experimental psychology
Containing contributions from world leaders honouring Bruce Whittlesea's lifetime contribution to memory research, this volume reflects the current understanding amongst memory researchers that memory is more than passive acquisition and retrieval, but involves constructions, attributions, and inferences.
The cooperative action of different regions of our brains gives us
an amazing capacity to perform activities as diverse as playing the
piano and hitting a tennis ball. Somehow, without conscious effort,
our eyes find the information we need to operate successfully in
the world around us. The development of head-mounted eye trackers
over recent years has made it possible to record where we look
during different active tasks, and so work out what information our
eyes supply to the brain systems that control our limbs. We are now
in a position to explore the strategies that the eye movement
system uses in the initiation and guidance of action.
Psychology is a comparatively young science. From its origins in
the psychophysics laboratories of late 19th century Germany, it
made great strides throughout the 20th century, and can now be
considered one of the most rapidly growing of the sciences, as
evidenced by the enormous growth at both undergraduate level and
research level.
The rational analysis method, first proposed by John R. Anderson,
has been enormously influential in helping us understand high-level
cognitive processes.
The study of learning and memory occurs in several scientific traditions: neurobiology, neurogenetics, neurochemistry; animal learning and behaviour; behavioural neuroscience; ethological and evolutionary approaches; cognitive psychology; neuropsychology, computational modelling, and artifical intelligence all contribute. However, researchers using one approach typically work in relative isolation from those using other approaches. The aim of the volume is to bring together leading researchers in the various fields of learning and memory to discuss the field's core concepts, across disciplinary boundaries, with the hope that such discussion will enhance and reorient the field and lead to a more unified science of memory. Science of Memory: Concepts is not to be simply another edited volume that reports research by contributors, but rather a searching examination of 16 fundamental concepts in the field. For each, three position papers describe how the concept is viewed in the author's particular tradition. There is an integrator for each concept, who will pull together the main themes from the various contributions and elucidates key points of agreement and disagreement. The volume will begin with an introductory chapter by Yadin Dudai, Roddy Roediger, and Endel Tulving, and will end with a concluding chapter by Susan Fitzpatrick. Science of Memory is essential reading for professional researchers and students in all the various fields of learning and memory.
Over the past two decades, a new picture of the cognitive
unconscious has emerged from a variety of disciplines that are
broadly part of cognitive science. According to this picture,
unconscious processes seem to be capable of doing many things that
were thought to require intention, deliberation, and conscious
awareness. Moreover, they accomplish these things without the
conflict and drama of the psychoanalytic unconscious. These
processes range from complex information processing, through goal
pursuit and emotions, to cognitive control and self-regulation.
Economics has paid little attention to the psychology of economic behaviour, leading to somewhat simplistic assumptions about human nature. The psychological aspects have typically been reduced to standard utility theory, based on a narrow conception of rationality and self-interest maximization. The contributions in this volume, some focused on analytical models and methodology, others on laboratory and field experiments, challenge these assumptions, and provide novel and complex understandings of human motivation and economic decision-making. With a pioneering introduction by the book's two editors, this volume brings together exciting contributions to a field that is rapidly growing in influence and reach.
Music is a powerful means of communication. It provides a means by
which people can share emotions, intentions, and meanings even
though their spoken languages may be mutually incomprehensible. It
can also provide a vital lifeline to human interaction for those
whose special needs make other means of communication difficult.
Music can exert powerful physical effects, can produce deep and
profound emotions within us, and can be used to generate infinitely
subtle variations of expressiveness by skilled composers and
performers.
'If' is one of the most important and interesting words in the English language. It is used to express hypothetical thought - an essential part of human reasoning and decision making. This type of thought occurs wherever there is uncertainty, and uncertainty is everywhere in our lives. The use of conditional terms such as 'if' also distinguishes human intelligence from that of all other animals, permitting a higher level of rationality in human reasoning and decision making. Until now, such conditionals have been the subject of independent study by psychologists and philosophers. In this volume, Jonathan Evans and David Over present a new theoretical approach to understanding hypothetical thought. The book draws on studies from the psychology of judgement and decision making, as well as philosophical logic. A new volume in the acclaimed Oxford Cognitive Science series, 'If' will be an important book for both psychologists and philosophers interested in human reasoning. Advance praise for If: "This book brings together a wealth of work in cognitive psychology and will be valuable to both psychologists and philosophers. There is not, as far as I know, another book which covers this ground." Professor Dorothy Edgington, Dept of Philosophy, University of Oxford "This is a wonderful book. It is excellently written and provides convincing arguments for a new perspective on conditionals." Dr Klaus Oberauer, Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Germany
One of the most dramatic areas of development in early human life is that of vision. Whereas vision plays a relatively minor role in the world of the newborn infant, by 6 months it has assumed the position as a dominant sense and forms the basis of later perceptual, cognitive, and social development. From a world leader in the study of visual development in human infants comes a major new work, condensing a lifetime of work in this area - The developing visual brain. Drawing on over 20 years of cutting edge research in the Visual Develoment Units in Cambridge and University College London, the book provides the definitive account of what we know about the developing visual system, and the problems that can occur during development. The book reviews, evaluates, and sets in context the exciting progress being made in this area, and additionally suggests new areas for research. Written to be accessible for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in psychology, the neurosciences, optometry, and visual science, The developing visual brain represents an important new addition to the literature on vision.
QUANTUM JUMPS presents a radical new paradigm--that we exist in an interconnected holographic multiverse in which we literally jump from one parallel universe to another. Experience a new science of instant transformation. In a moment you can become smarter... more confident... happier... more outgoing... more effective... in better relationships... with more willpower. Gain practical tools to achieve real change in your life, regardless of past history. Leap forward to become happier and more successful, living the life of your dreams. Supported by distinguished sources from the fields of psychology, biology, sociology and physics, QUANTUM JUMPS is an inspirational book packed with practical tools for living a happier, healthier, more prosperous life. ""The 'Quantum Age' has finally arrived. Cynthia Sue Larson understands its implications for our everyday lives--for how we can make wiser decisions, relate better to other people, manage our careers more effectively, use our dreams to provide insights, and even how we can use 'quantum jumping' for self-healing."" -- Stanley Krippner ""The twenty-first century will be remembered as the era in which quantum physics, biology, and consciousness started shaking hands. We now know that 'quantum' is no longer limited to the invisible, subatomic realm, but involves our everyday world and our own mind. Cynthia Sue Larson's QUANTUM JUMPS is a daring, adventuresome, delightful romp in this territory."" -- Dr. Larry Dossey ""Cynthia Larson's new book QUANTUM JUMPS offers her latest insights into using the quantum metaphor to explain a number of human experiences that go beyond what we would normally call "normal." She writes with clarity, vision, and offers hope and encouragement to those who often fear such experiences that go beyond accepted norms of existence."" -- Fred Alan Wolf ""In QUANTUM JUMPS, Cynthia Sue Larson illustrates how 'quantum jumping' can greatly transform our everyday lives, bringing fresh new perspectives and clarity through one of our most natural gifts--the imagination."" -- Annamaria Hemingway ""Multiverse, alternate realities and quantum physics have taken root in American consciousness. We know that the universe is bigger and more mysterious than we can imagine. Cynthia Sue Larson is the first writer to provide a manual to allow us to experience the truth of the new physics. Better yet, Cynthia shows us how to manifest new positive realities that are surrounding us. She shows us what to do to make our Quantum Jump to these higher orders of reality. Her work is an amazing achievement and a stellar addition to the field of mind-body research."" -- Dr. Donald "Rock" Schnell ""I highly recommend QUANTUM JUMPS to all who desire to move out of 'stuckness' and jump into a state of well-being "" -- Jennifer Reich ""A brilliant blend of science and spirituality, possible and probable, QUANTUM JUMPS will catapult the reader into a whole new view of potential and remind us that we've always occupied this fantastic world of quantum reality, but it is now that we must act upon it I highly recommend this delightful book to anyone needing a verifiable record of the miraculous, mystical and magnificent. You will not want to put this book down "" -- Alexis Brooks
Donald Broadbent made a major and lasting contribution to the field of applied psychology during his long career. This book brings together many other leaders in the field, who describe the impact of Broadbent's work on their own research, and the new developments which resulted. It is a collection of authoritative reviews as well as a tribute to one of the most important researchers in experimental psychology.
This book succinctly demonstrates how the brain's frontal lobe is specialized for directing voluntary action. Using data from monkeys, neurological patients, and normal subjects, the author presents a flow diagram of frontal lobe operations at the systems level. Topics include the various definitions of the term "voluntary" in a neuropsychological context, how the motor cortex provides a mechanism for the execution of voluntary behavioral actions, and how the premotor areas play a role in the selection of the movements to be performed. The text also shows how the prefrontal cortex is engaged when the subject has to make new voluntary decisions, and how the basal ganglia play a critical role in response learning. The author considers how, in humans, the prefrontal cortex has been refined to allow for trial-and-error decision making, and how the premotor and prefrontal areas select between verbal responses. Psychologists, neuropsychologists, and neurophysiologists will all want to read this pathbreaking book.
Professional Development, Training, and Supervision in Human Services Organizations provides the latest research on Human Service Organizations (HSO) groups, both public and private, and their use of the Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) model for effective designing, implementing and maintaining services within HSOs. Each volume in this series highlights key concepts and applications pertinent to each division of HSOs, with this release providing program directors and supervisors with the tools they need to develop an efficient and effective training program for onboarding, performance evaluation and professional development for their staff.
Discovered little more than a decade ago, optogenetics - a revolutionary technique combining genetic and optical methods to observe and control the function of neurons - is now a widely used research tool. Optogenetics-driven research has led to insights into Parkinson's disease and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. With contributions from leaders and innovators from both academia and industry, this volume explores the discovery and application of optogenetics, from the basic science to its potential clinical use. Chapters cover a range of optogenetics applications, including for brain circuits, plasticity, memory, learning, sleep, vision and neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Providing authoritative coverage of the huge potential that optogenetics research carries, this is an ideal resource for researchers and graduate students, as well as for those working in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and in a clinical setting.
What are the mental processes involved in listening to, performing, and composing music? What is involved in 'understanding' a piece of music? How are such skills acquired? Questions such as these form the basis of the cognitive psychology of music. The author addresses these questions by surveying the growing experimental literature on the subject. The topics covered will be of interest to psychologists, as windows onto a human cognitive skill of some complexity that is only now beginning to receive the attention devoted to such skills as language. They are also relevant to musicians who are seeking to understand the psychological bases of their skills. The author does not simply review existing research, but takes a critical look at what has been achieved in the subject, introducing such topics as composition and musical skill in non-literate cultures. He draws freely on his own knowledge and experience as a practising musician, as well as a psychologist, to provide an overview that is scholarly and also accessible to the general reader.
Creativity is at the heart of successful research, yet researchers are rarely taught how to manage their creative process, and modern academic life is not structured to optimize creativity. Creativity in Research provides concrete guidance on developing creativity for anyone doing or mentoring research. Based on a curriculum developed at Stanford University's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, this book presents key abilities that underlie creative research practice through a combination of scientific literature on creative confidence, experiential exercises, and guided reflection. By focusing attention on how research happens as well as its outputs, researchers increase their ability to address research challenges and produce the outputs they care about. Simultaneously, they may also transform their emotional relationship with their work, replacing stress and a harsh inner critic with a more open and emotionally empowered attitude.
While many books have discussed methodological advances in nonlinear dynamical systems theory (NDS), this volume is unique in its focus on NDS's role in the development of psychological theory. After an introductory chapter covering the fundamentals of chaos, complexity and other nonlinear dynamics, subsequent chapters provide in-depth coverage of each of the specific topic areas in psychology. A concluding chapter takes stock of the field as a whole, evaluating important challenges for the immediate future. The chapters are written by experts in the use of NDS in each of their respective areas, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, organizational and clinical psychology. Each chapter provides an in-depth examination of theoretical foundations and specific applications and a review of relevant methods. This edited collection represents the state of the art in NDS science across the disciplines of psychology.
Coming to work sick may do more harm than staying home - for the employee, the team, and the firm. Whilst the cost of absenteeism in organizations has been widely acknowledged and extensively examined, the counter-issue of 'presenteeism' has only recently attracted scholarly attention as a phenomenon that harms employee wellbeing, disrupts team dynamism, and damages productivity. This volume brings together leading international scholars from diverse scientific backgrounds, including occupational psychology, health, and medicine, to provide a pioneering review of the subject. International in scope, the collection incorporates both Western and East Asian perspectives, making it an informative resource for multinational companies seeking to formulate human resource strategies and better manage their culturally diverse workforce. It will also appeal to scholars and graduate students researching human resource management, organization studies, organizational health, and organizational psychology.
Brief and acute psychotic disorders with a short duration and a generally good prognosis have long intrigued psychiatrists. Although they are included in internationally accepted diagnostic systems, understanding of these disorders remains minimal. This book is the first comprehensive overview of the clinical features, biology, course and long-term outcome of brief and acute psychoses. The authors review the world literature on the topic and they also present data from their own longitudinal study - the most complete investigation of this group of disorders so far conducted. The book concludes with considerations of the nosological status of brief and acute psychoses and their impact on our understanding of the continuum of psychotic and affective disorders.
This book combines the salient features of the methodology of experiments in psychology, the concepts of general experimental psychology, and the advantages of laboratory manual.
Memory is typically thought of as a set of neural representations - 'memory traces' - that must be found and reactivated in order to be experienced. It is often suggested that 'memory traces' are represented by a hierarchically organized system of analyzers, modified, sharpened and differentiated by encounters with successive events. Remembering: An activity of mind and brain is the magnum opus of one of the leading figures in the psychology of memory. It sets out Fergus Craik's current view of human memory as a dynamic activity of mind and brain. The author argues that remembering should be understood as a system of active cognitive processes, similar to (perhaps identical to) the processes underlying attending, perceiving and thinking. Thus, encoding processes are essentially viewed as the mental activities involved in perceiving and understanding, and retrieval is described as the partial reactivation of these same processes. This account proposes that episodic and semantic memory should be thought of as levels in a continuum of specificity rather than as separate systems of memory. In addition, the book presents Craik's views on working memory and on age-related memory impairments. In the latter case the losses are attributed largely to a difficulty with the self-initiation of appropriate encoding and retrieval operations compensated, when needed, by support from the external environment. The development of these ideas is discussed throughout the book and illustrated substantially by experiments from the author's lab, but also by empirical and theoretical contributions from other researchers. A broad account of current ideas and findings in contemporary memory research, but viewed from the author's personal theoretical standpoint, Remembering: An activity of mind and brain will be essential for researchers, graduate and postdoctoral students working in the field of human memory.
Working memory refers to how we keep track of what we are doing moment to moment throughout our waking lives. It allows us to remember what we have just done, focus on what we are doing now, to solve problems, be creative, think about what we will be doing in the next few seconds, and continually to update in our mind changes around us throughout the day. This book brings together in one volume, state-of-the-science chapters written by the most productive and well known working memory researchers worldwide. Chapters cover different approaches to understanding how working memory works, using behavioural experimental techniques, neuroimaging, computational modelling, how it changes from childhood through to healthy old age, how it is affected by dementia and brain damage, and how it is used in everyday life. A unique feature of the book is that each chapter starts with answers to a set of common questions for all authors. This allows readers very rapidly to compare key differences in theoretical assumptions and approaches to working memory across chapters, and to understand the theoretical context before going on to read each chapter in detail. Uniquely, all authors consider evidence that is not consistent with their theoretical assumptions, whereas it is common for authors to ignore contradictory evidence. This approach leads to new interpretations and new hypotheses to test in future research and greatly enhances our understanding of this crucial human ability. Written and edited by the leading researchers in the field, the book will be an important and influential addition to the memory literature. |
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