Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior with In-Psych Plus CD-ROM and PowerWeb (Hardcover)

This textbook reflects the experiences of Michael Passer and Ronald Smith as faculty who have taught the introductory psychology course several dozen times, and, earlier, as students whose own interest in psychology was sparked by instructors who brought the introductory course to life. Four goals have influenced their writing of this text: 1) to show students that the world of behavior is fascinating; 2) to help students think critically and analytically about behavior, dispelling common myths; 3) to convey the intellectual excitement of studying behavior with scientific rigor; 4) to apply knowledge obtained from scientific inquiry to real-world problems. Users and reviewers of Passer and Smith's text overwhelmingly praise the authors for succeeding at these goals!

Michael W. Passer coordinates the introductory psychology program at the University of Washington, which enrolls more than 3,000 students per year. He received his Bachelors degree from the University of Rochester, his Ph.D. from UCLA in social psychology, and has been a faculty member at the University of Washington since 1977. A former Danforth Foundation Fellow and U.W. Distinguished Teaching Award finalist, Dr. Passer has had a career-long love of teaching. He teaches introductory psychology twice yearly and also has taught courses in research methods, social psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and attribution theory. Dr. Passer developed and annually offers a graduate course on Teaching of Psychology, which prepares students for their careers in the college classroom. He has published over 20 scientific articles and chapters, primarily in the areas of attribution, stress, and anxiety.

Ronald E. Smith is Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington, where he has served as Director of Clinical Psychology Training and as Head of the Social Psychology and Personality area. He received his Bachelors degree from Marquette University and his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Smith has held faculty positions at Purdue University and at Washington, as well as visiting appointments at Marquette University, the University of Hawaii, the University of New Mexico, and UCLA. His major research interests are in personality, stress and coping, and in performance enhancement research and intervention. Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Past President of the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology. He has published more than 100 scientific articles and book chapters in his areas of interest and has authored or co-authored 19 books on introductory psychology, stress and stress management, sport psychology, and human performance enhancement.