A Dictionary of Psychology (Oxford Paperback Reference) [Hardcover]

Andrew M. Colman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2006 | Series: Oxford Paperback Reference

With over 11,000 entries, this comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary covers all branches of psychology. Clear, concise descriptions for each entry offer extensive coverage of key areas including cognition, sensation and perception, emotion and motivation, learning and skills, language, mental disorders, and research methods. The range of entries extends to related disciplines including psychoanalysis, psychiatry, the neurosciences, and statistics. Entries are extensively cross-referenced for ease of use, and cover word origins and derivations as well as definitions.

In addition to the alphabetical entries, the Dictionary of Psychology, Second Edition also includes appendices covering over 800 commonly used abbreviations and symbols, as well as a list of phobias and phobic stimuli, with definitions. Comprehensive and clearly written, this dictionary is an invaluable work of reference for students, lecturers, and the general reader with an interest in psychology.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Joined by a distinguished group of advisory editors, prolific author and editor Colman (psychology, Univ. of Leicester, U.K.) offers more than 10,500 definitions of terms in psychology. The entries range from neuroanatomy and psychoanalysis to statistics and pharmacology, and they often cover etymology and history as well as language. Weighty in substance, the work is nevertheless manageable; Colman uses words with grace and economy, offering many entries (e.g., trademark drug names and their chemical names) of only a sentence or two. Longer entries, e.g., "Blood-Brain Barrier," "Rorschach Test" (with Leonardo da Vinci as forerunner!), "Love," and "False Memory," are more explanatory. Cross references are handled effectively; for example, users will find that "Onanism" is another name for "Coitus Interruptus" or (less correctly) "Masturbation." Browsers will find much food for thought and some intellectual treats, like "Monty Hall Problem" (made famous by Marilyn vos Savant's Parade column) and the difference between animal magnetism and hypnosis. Eager to teach and entertain, Colman offers a list of do-it-yourself demonstrations in the preface. Comprehensive, sound, readable, and up-to-date, this is probably the best single-volume dictionary of its kind. A visit to the American Psychiatric Association's library revealed that it is also the newest such work in many years. Essential wherever psychology matters. E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Author Colman, professor of psychology at the University of Leicester and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, describes the aim of this dictionary: "to provide sensible and informative definitions of the most important and difficult words that a reader is likely to encounter in books and articles on psychology." Some 400 entries have been revised and 423 have been added since the first edition (2001), resulting in more than 11,000 entries ranging in length from a single phrase to several hundred words. The number and range of entries promise, and deliver, great breadth of coverage from every branch of psychology--from clinical, social, and physiological psychology to sensation and perception, emotion and motivation, and learning.

Each entry begins with a boldfaced term and indication of part of speech. A great many conclude with an etymological derivation. Although many entries contain technical terms, these are generally cross-referenced to other entries. There are no biographies, but references to psychologists and other individuals within entries are accompanied by brief descriptors and birth and (if appropriate) death dates. An appendix identifies hundreds of phobias and phobic stimuli, often including etymological derivation. Another appendix, of hundreds of abbreviations and symbols such as ACTH, DSM, and TA, refers the reader to the appropriate main entry. Finally, a three-page bibliography lists principal sources. Optical illusions are the most frequent type of illustration.

Though it contains many unique entries (the intriguing bow-wow theory, Dracula hormone, muddy children problem, and Rat Man , for example), the dictionary has considerable overlap with the 25,000-entry APA Dictionary of Psychology (2006). The latter offers more terms related to how psychological concepts intersect with health, law, and other fields. In addition, it is more U.S. focused, contains biographies, and is easier on the eye. Though the Oxford Dictionary of Psychology might not be a first choice for collections needing just one psychology dictionary, it is highly recommended for academic and public libraries as well as for psychology students and professionals. Craig Bunch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 876 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (April 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192806327
• ISBN-13: 978-0192806321
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Value!, November 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Dictionary of Psychology (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

I have never seen a one-volume dictionary of psychology that comes close to this book in its exhaustive coverage of topics in the field of psychology. It seems like every time I see a book with the word "Oxford" on the cover it's a sure bet that I'm going to give it five stars.

Although I haven't read the entire book (who reads a whole dictionary?) I won't rule out doing so in the future.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Psychology Reference Tool, December 21, 2004

By 

G. Reid (Roseland, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Dictionary of Psychology (Hardcover)

Ideal for professional psychologists and general readers alike. I discovered this book in the library and I was highly impressed with both the content and the presentation of the material. I have been involved with and interested in psychology for many years. With over 10,500 psychology-related entries, this new psychology dictionary is the most up-to-date reference of its kind available. It covers all areas of psychology including psychoanalysis, psychiatry, neuroanatomy and statistics. There is comprehensive coverage of phobias and phobic stimuli and mental disorders.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Too Long, Not Too Short, July 24, 2007

By 

Robert Derenthal "bucherwurm" (California United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Dictionary of Psychology (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Hardcover)

One aspect of this dictionary that particularly impressed me is that terms or concepts defined seem to be just the right length; they are not too short, nor needlessly long or convoluted. Speaking of convoluted, I am sometimes reading a book in the field of Psychology and become exasperated on encountering a windy discussion of a term so I head for the DofP and everything becomes crystal clear.

Another interesting thing is that Dr. Coleman often describes the evolution of a term, i.e. how it became part of the psychological language. The various psychological disciplines are well represented including social psychology, statistics, testing, psychology of mind and neuroscience, clinical psychology including diagnostic nomenclature, and the obligatory Freudian terms. A smattering of medical terms is included along with words from philosophical psychology and psycho-physics.

Having been educated in the field of Psychology it's hard for me to put myself in the place of someone with no exposure to Psych, but I feel that that the intelligent layman should have little difficulty understanding most of the definitions.

If you can afford it this dictionary is, in my opinion, greatly superior to the Penguin Dictionary of Psychology.

Another excellent book to consider is the 1000 page Oxford Companion to the Mind. While oriented toward brain-mind processes it provides the reader with a wide variety of essays in Psychology. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Psychology is another good reference volume, but I think it is now out of print.