Challenging Your Preconceptions: Thinking Critically About Psychology

This supplement supports the development of critical thinking skills necessary to success in the introductory psychology course. The chapter sequence mirrors the organization of the typical introductory psychology course. In the first chapter, the author identifies seven characteristics of critical thinkers, and in the following chapters he dissects a challenging issue in the discipline and models critical thinking for the reader. Each chapter concludes with an analysis of the process, exercises for the student, and extensive references. This useful volume supports the full semester of the course.

1. Guidelines for Critical Thinking (Introduction). 2. Psychology and the Popular Press (How to Critically Read About Psychology). 3. Statistical Seduction (Statistics and Research). 4. Anatomy is Destiny--Or Is It? (Biological Bases of Behavior). 5. Is What You See What You Get? (Sensation and Perception). 6. Can Hypnosis Help Me Remember? (Altered States of Consciousness). 7. Conditioning and Advertising (Learning). 8. Biases in Memory (Memory). 9. IQ is Forever--Isn't It? (Testing). 10. Understanding Your Own Motives (Motivation). 11. Evaluating Codependency. 12. Is Bibliotheraphy Helpful? 13. Social Influence Tactics (Social Psychology).