"Understanding Psychology" is written around the philosophy that an effective textbook must be oriented to students - informing them, engaging them, exciting them about the field, and expanding their intellectual capabilities - because when students understand psychology, they learn psychology. No matter what brings students into the introductory course and regardless of their initial motivation, "Understanding Psychology, Eighth Edition", draws students into the field and stimulate their thinking. This revision integrates a variety of elements that foster students' understanding of psychology and its impact on their everyday lives. It also provides instructors with a fully integrated supplements package to objectively gauge their students' mastery of psychology's key principles and concepts and to create dynamic lectures.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Introduction to Psychology Module 1: Psychologists at WorkModule 2: A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the FutureModule 3: Psychology's Key Issues and ControversiesChapter 2 Psychological Research Module 4: The Scientific MethodModule 5: Conducting Psychological ResearchModule 6: Critical Research IssuesMastering the Experimental Method: The Difference between Dependent and Independent VariablesChapter 3 Neuroscience and Behavior Module 7: Neurons: The Basic Elements of BehaviorModule 8: The Nervous System and the Endocrine System: Communicating Within the Body Module 9: The Brain Mastering the Action PotentialChapter 4 Sensation and Perception Module 10: Sensing the World Around UsModule 11: Vision: Shedding Light on the Eye Module 12: Hearing and the Other Senses Module 13: Perceptual Organization: Constructing Our View of the World Mastering the Difference between Sensation and PerceptionChapter 5 States of Consciousness Module 14: Sleep and Dreams Module 15: Hypnosis and Meditation Module 16: Drug Use: The Highs and Lows of Consciousness Chapter 6 Learning Module 17: Classical Conditioning Module 18: Operant Conditioning Module 19: Cognitive Approaches to Learning Mastering the Distinction between Reinforcement and PunishmentChapter 7 Memory Module 20: The Foundations of Memory Module 21: Recalling Long-Term Memories Module 22: Forgetting: When Memory Fails Chapter 8 Cognition and Language Module 23: Thinking and Reasoning Module 24: Problem Solving Module 25: Language Chapter 9 Intelligence Module 26: What is Intelligence? Module 27: Variations in Intellectual Ability Module 28: Group Differences in Intelligence: Genetic and Environmental Determinants Chapter 10 Motivation and Emotion Module 29: Explaining Motivation Module 30: Human Needs and Motivation: Eat, Drink, and Be Daring Module 31: Understanding Emotional Experiences Module 32: Nonverbal Behavior and the Expression of Emotions Chapter 11 Sexuality and Gender Module 33: Gender and Sex Module 34: Understanding Human Sexual Response: The Facts of Life Module 35: The Diversity of Sexual Behavior Module 36: Sexual Difficulties: When Sex Goes Wrong Chapter 12 Development Module 37: Nature and Nurture: The Enduring Developmental Issue Module 38: Prenatal Development: Conception to Birth Module 39: Infancy and Childhood Module 40: Adolescence: Becoming an Adult Module 41: Adulthood Chapter 13 Personality Module 42: Psychodynamic Approaches to Personality Module 43: Trait, Learning, Biological, Evolutionary, and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Module 44: Assessing Personality: Determining What Makes Us Distinctive Chapter 14 Health Psychology: Stress, Coping, and Well-Being Module 45: Stress and Coping Module 46: Psychological Aspects of Illness and Well-Being Module 47: Promoting Health and Wellness Chapter 15 Psychological Disorders Module 48: Normal Versus Abnormal: Making the Distinction Module 49: The Major Psychological Disorders Module 50: Psychological Disorders in Perspective Chapter 16 Treatment of Psychological Disorders Module 51: Psychotherapy: Psychodynamic, Behavioral, and Cognitive Approaches to Treatment Module 52: Psychotherapy: Humanistic, Interpersonal, and Group Approaches to Treatment Module 53: Biomedical Therapy: Biological Approaches to Treatment Chapter 17 Social Psychology Module 54: Attitudes and Social Cognition Module 55: Social Influence Module 56: Prejudice and Discrimination Module 57: Positive and Negative Social Behavior Mastering Attitude Change Appendix: Going by the Numbers: Statistics in Psychology Module 58: Descriptive Statistics Module 59: Measures of Variability Module 60: Using Statistics to Answer Questions: Inferential Statistics and Correlation