Biopsychology (4th Edition) [Hardcover]

John P. J. Pinel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0205289924 | ISBN-13: 978-0205289929 | Edition: 4

Written in a friendly and engaging manner, Pinel's Biopsychology introduces the fundamentals of modern biopsychology. The fourth edition has been thoroughly updated to keep Biopsychology abreast of the many recent developments in this rapidly changing field. Despite the significant infusion of new material, Pinel's text continues the tradition that has made it such a success: clear, engaging prose; an unwavering emphasis on behavior; an attractive, superbly designed and integrated illustration package; and insight-provoking accounts of modern biopsychological research.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Written in a friendly and engaging manner, Pinel's Biopsychology clearly presents the fundamentals of the study of the biology of behavior, but it makes the topics personally and socially relevant to the reader. The fourth edition has been thoroughly updated and includes references to the major recent developments in the rapidly changing field of biopsychology. New topics have been introduced, but Pinel's book continues the tradition that has made it a successful book: a strong emphasis on behavior, a beautiful and accurate illustration package, and the straight-forward and integrative presentation of material. The following four features aid in the retention of the material: bold-faced key terms with marginal definitions, study exercises within chapters, Food-for-Thought discussion questions at end of chapter, and helpful appendices. The true-life case of Professor P., found in Chapter 6, introduces the reader to the topic related to brain damage. Follow the case of Professor P. as he recognizes the symptoms of brain damage and correctly predicts the placement of his own brain tumor. Because of the personal style with which Pinel writes, the reader will likely (and correctly) guess that Professor P. is the author himself, John Pinel. Includes new or expanded coverage of dozens of topics, including: cognitive neuroscience, evolution, the human genome project, human brain scanning, genetic engineering, search of a Parkinson's gene, melatonin and sleep, functional brain imaging and language, and the diathesis-stress model. For anyone interested in the biological aspects of psychology.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 564 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 4 edition (July 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205289924
• ISBN-13: 978-0205289929
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,369,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, finally a textbook that is fun and interesting to read!, January 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Biopsychology (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

I loved John P.J. Pinel's Biopsychology textbook. I'm a college student and I find most textbooks boring and difficult to read. I just loved this textbook! The scientific explanations were clearly, understandable. This book really drew me in on how the human brain works. The illustations were awesome! The narratives on behavior were great and lots of fun to read. This book was not wordy either, a problem that I have had with many of the textbooks I've read in the past. I looked forward to reading this book. I wish more textbooks were like these!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great psychology textbook, December 30, 2001

By 

"maelstrom1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biopsychology (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

Being an undergraduate psychology student in university, I took a course which used Biopsychology as the course textbook. As with most academic texts, I was skeptical at first, but I quickly changed my mind about this one.

Biopsychology is a great psychology textbook that is an asset to any psych student. The chapters are very readable and easy to understand and I especially liked the full-colour, large, and easy to view pictures that appeared throughout the book. Pinel writes with a certain style that to me was aesthetically pleasing and not dull and drab like other psych textbook authors I've read -- believe me, there's been a lot of them!

In terms of content, Pinel gives a good overview of the biology of the brain and how it relates to psychological phenomena. I found his chapters on sleeping and eating/drinking to be particularly interesting.

There are also some helpful items included in the text for students. All important words are bolded and a definition appears on the same page in the corner. The layout of each chapter has natural divisions that make it easy for note-taking. There are also self-tests that are useful for a quick review of the material.

Overall, I enjoyed reading and studying from this book. Without a doubt, one of its best features is the collection of great graphics accompanying all the topics. I have yet to see another psych textbook with a supply of good graphics that rivals this one. Highly recommended.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book brings many counter-intuitive points., September 2, 2002

By 

Sergiu P Codreanu (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biopsychology (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

I found chapters on sleeping and drugs use especially fascinating as they do effectively challenge popular and even professional traditional opinion. To make my point I want to present you a pop quiz based on the book's contents (please keep in mind that the book is counter-intuitive):

1) A person who sleeps four hours a day or less will usually suffer health consequences. True or False?
2) Smoking and Alcohol use are detrimental to one's health, but they are not as dangerous and addictive as illegal drugs. True or False ?
3) A very low caloric short-term diet could permanently help one lose weight. True or False ?

The answer to above questions is False, to find why you need to read this avant-garde textbook.