Discovering Biological Psychology is a text for the beginning undergraduate course in biological, or physiological, psychology. The book provides a foundational understanding of the structure and function of the nervous system and its relationship to both typical and disordered human behavior. Written by an author with more than 25 years of teaching experience at schools ranging from community colleges to the Ivy League, this text presents classic concepts, current topics, and cutting-edge research in a style that is at once accessible to beginning and less well-prepared students and appealing to students with stronger backgrounds. Instructors using this text can teach a rigorous course that does not oversimplify the material, while keeping students excited and engaged.
LAURA A. FREBERG
If you have not had the opportunity to write a text yourself, you may find it baffling that others of us engage in such behavior. My route to this project was neither short nor direct. The fact that I ride a 1994 Harley Davidson Fat Boy, listen to vintage Rolling Stones, obsess about college football, and have a weakness for playing Legend of Zelda on the Wii may not directly affect the way I describe classical conditioning in sea slugs, but these are important parts of who I am. I hope in the remaining paragraphs you will sense the enthusiasm and passion for life the field of psychology holds for each of us.
UCLA & DISSERTATION RESEARCH AT YALE
I had the very real privilege to study psychology with some of the most gifted faculty in the United States. During the 1970s, the psychology faculty at UCLA read like a who's who in the discipline. My thinking about psychology was shaped by Eric Holman, John Garcia, Ivar Lovaas, Jackson Beatty, John Libeskind, Donald Novin, Frank Krasne, and F. Nowell Jones, to name a few. As a graduate student, I sat in awe as Arnold Scheibel lectured on neuroanatomy for three hours straight without pause, and without ever referring to any notes. Many happy hours were spent in Murray Jarvik's and Ron Siegel's lab, where we watched monkeys apparently hallucinating and discovered that it is virtually impossible to make elephants drunk. As a capstone, I had the very real pleasure to complete my dissertation research under the direction of Robert Rescorla, then at Yale. Bob has a mastery of experimental design that I've never seen equaled by anyone else, and he tolerated my many questions with patience and grace.
With this background, I might have been expected to pursue a career at a research university, but other factors intervened. My youngest daughter, Karla, has autism, and in the interests of finding a reasonable mix between career and family, I opted for a more teaching-oriented career. Beginning with my first class at Pasadena City College, when I was twenty-three, I have spent more than thirty years in front of the classroom. Currently, I serve as a professor of psychology at California Polytechnic State University, located in the beautiful seaside town of San Luis Obispo.
WRITING TEXTBOOKS
I didn't just sit down to write a textbook. Instead, I found myself getting gradually more involved with the publishing business. Reviewing others' work led to production of test banks, study guides, and instructors' manuals, coauthoring revised editions, and editing collections of readings for psychology. Eventually, curiosity took over, and I wondered what the material would look like if I could write it my way. The text you have in your hands is the end result of not just my personal experience, but the sum of many collaborative, thought-provoking discussions with students and faculty colleagues, to whom I am immensely grateful.
It is a privilege to be able to communicate the work of so many gifted scientists to the next generation of students. In 1904, William James predicted that our knowledge and understanding of psychology would achieve meaningful progress only when we possessed the science and technology we needed to understand the underlying biological processes of thought and behavior. James observed that "Something definite happens when to a certain brain-state a certain 'sciousness' corresponds. A genuine glimpse into what it is would be the scientific achievement, before which all past achievements would pale."
Who could wish for a better subject about which to write?
MY TEXTBOOKS
Introducing a new textbook into the very competitive field of psychology is not an easy assignment with so many good books failing to reach their second edition. My textbook in biological psychology has received outstanding reviews and acceptance from around the world. I enjoy my correspondence and discussions with students and faculty from near and far which contributed - with their input - to a great second edition.
I have also been contracted to coauthor two addition textbooks with one of today's best known leaders in our field of psychology. This is a singular honor. Our objective is to offer a rich, complete, and current review of psychology in a format written to be understood. Stay Tuned.
MY LIFE
I am always amazed at how students view faculty only in the context of the lab or the classroom. They seemed to be shocked at seeing us enjoy a picnic at the park or shopping for groceries. Yes, we indeed have another life. I have three daughters who have made joint presentations with me domestically and internationally. One colleague remarked at a APS convention that if she had realized how easy it was to have a bio-statistician on her team, she would have 'spawned' one herself! My husband of nearly 40 years has provided help and support in making my dreams a reality. Who else would be willing to find the perfect picture of 'brain worms' or help proof?
THANK YOU!
If you have read this far I would like to thank you for your interest and should you have any questions, I would invite you to send me an email or visit my web site or blog:
email: laura@laurafreberg.com
blog: http://www.laurafreberg.com/blog
site: http://www.laurafreberg.com
See you in the world of Psychology!
Laura
