Physiological Psychology: A Neuroscience Approach [Hardcover]

Timothy K. Smock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0136731120 | ISBN-13: 978-0136731122 | Edition: 1

For courses in Physiological Psychology, Biological Psychology, Brain and Behavior, Psychobiology, and Introduction to Neuroscience at the sophomore to senior level. *The first NEW full color entree in the biological psychology market in many years. *In a visually appealing format, this text approaches the material from a timely "neuroscience" perspective, and mirrors the changing face of the field of psychology. The book focuses on the structures and functions of brain anatomy first, then introduces the resulting behaviors. By weaving examples and themes from the Humanities with a solid introduction into the scientific concepts, the book's narrative captures students' excitement and provides them with the scientific foundation necessary for optimum understanding of this dynamic field of psychology. *Using state of the art color illustrations, concepts are introduced and illustrated with great detail and clarity. High interest boxes in each chapter examine interesting historical developments and findings in the field, and serve to further discuss relevant scientific detail.Chapter pedagogy, self-contained, modular chapters, extensive references for further study, and a substantial support package make this text a compelling learning and teaching tool.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In a visually appealing format, this book reflects the current trends and understandings of neuroscience along with the latest technological advances and discoveries in the field. Using state of the art color illustrations, concepts are introduced and illustrated with great detail and clarity. High interest boxes in each chapter examine interesting historical developments and findings in the field, and serve to further discuss relevant scientific detail. The book focuses on the structures and functions of brain anatomy first, then introduces the resulting behaviors. By weaving examples and themes from the Humanities with a solid introduction into the scientific concepts, the book's narrative provides readers with the scientific foundation necessary for optimum understanding of this dynamic field of psychology. Natural science concepts are taught within the context of each chapter and Humanities themes and examples are used to illuminate complex topics.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 511 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (September 14, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0136731120
• ISBN-13: 978-0136731122
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 7.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,977,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for the Professionals, But Lovely for the Students, January 7, 2007

By 

David Friend (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physiological Psychology: A Neuroscience Approach (Hardcover)

This book is a sometimes-satisfying-oftentimes-brief introduction to the subject matter. The format is the same as any science textbook (chapter, subtopic, summary, review questions, etc.), and if you already own a good physiology textbook you will find that most of the material is redundant.

Do not buy this book if you're a student of a health care profession. The information on disease states is much too shallow. In fact, I think this book is mostly appropriate for psychology students seeking exposure to neuroscience and physiology--such as key concepts of body sytems and brain receptors. You will not find anything beyond the basics of biochemistry, and if you want to learn about relevant drug therapies and pharmacology, this book only serves appetizers.

Now for the aesthetics: Dr. Smock has a style of writing which I believe all textbook writers should try to emulate; he is engaging, accurate, and clear. His illustrations are top-rate, and his numerous history captions help to spot scientific trends and origins. His chapters begin with tone-setting quotations from philosophers and poets, and the inclusion of supplemental highlights of modern psych-concepts is refreshing. There is a bio-caption at the front of the book which tells that Dr. Smock is the recipient of several "student-initiated awards," no doubt well-deserved. Very few texts are as student-friendly.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breakthroug in the convergence of Humanities and Neuroscienc, January 7, 2000

By 

Troy Knapp (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physiological Psychology: A Neuroscience Approach (Hardcover)

I had seen an early copy of this work while it was underdevelopment at the Howard Hughes Undergradute Neuroscience Research Labratory at the University of Colorado. From inception it has been a groundbreaking project in the realm of undergraduate neuroscience education. The book effectively melds the hard sciences of neurobiology with the softer aspects of the Humanities that undergraduates are concurrently learning. This would be an excellent book for any neuroscience program residing in a liberal arts institution.