Reviews (7)

Less than meets the eye
"How People Learn" is both a simple summary of some recent research in the cognitive sciences and an argument for how teaching should be done. This is currently a very popular topic in the educational industry, as educators look for justification in the cognitive literature for the rather ad-hoc educational theories of the past 40 or 50 years. Most of this volume is devoted to a fairly low-level- let's say High School level- review of selected literature form the cognitive and neuropsychological literature of the last few decades, and as far as it goes, it's not bad. It's spotty, certainly, and musch of it is very old, but the lay reader will still find much of it interesting and informative.

But the final chapter- Conclusions- is a tremendous disappointment, at least for this reader. Half the conclusions offered are so simple, and so obvious, as to be laughable. The other half are either contradictory or simply unjustified.

Consider this gem: "Transfer and wide application of learning are most likely to occur when learners acheive an organized and coherent understanding of the material; when the situations for transfer share the structure of the original learning; when subject matter has been mastered and practiced; when subject domains overlap and share cognitive elements; when instruction includes specific attention to underlying principles; and when instruction specifically emphasizes transfer."

Translated, that means that people can best use things they learn when they've learned them very well, that practice helps, and that it helps to learn something in a way similar to how you're going to use it.

Or this: "The predominant indicator of expert status is the amount of time spent working and learning in a subject area to gain mastery of the content" That's Edu-Speak for "the best way to learn material is to practice it"

The author then concludes with an attempt to justify the "new approaches to teaching" that had their genesis in the ed school of the 60s and 70s in a way that in no way follows what was found in the last 230 pages:

"Traditional education has tended to emphasize memorization and mastery of text. Research on the development of expertise, however, has shown that more than a set of general general problem solving skills or memory for an array of facts is necessary to acheive deep understanding..."

Wait a minute. Didn't we just learn that people who learn things best are those who practice them?

The biggest problem with this book is that it, like so many education books, is written by people with a lot of time in schools of education, but little or no time in a classroom or a basic psychology lab. The authors misinteprret the findings of others, they ignire a few centuries of existing knowledge, and they tend to use an overly complex terminology that parodies the language of psychology. And they confuse the principles of basic learning with the techniques and strategies of more skilled practitioners. Sometimes the results are merely amusing, but often they have tragic consequences.

A perfect example is to be found in the great whole word vs. phonetics debate of the past twenty years. Some education researcher came across the interesting tidbit that skilled readers don't sound out words; they recognize whole words at a glance. This was seized on by the education community, and within a short time phonics were out, whole word was in, and reading acquisition skills plummeted. The educators, amazingly enough, missed the obvious: That the skills required for initial acquisition are very different from the strategies used later on. Even the best readers rely on phonological skills when they encounter new words. If all you learn is whole word, there's no way for you to learn on your own or to sound out new words. Despite the overwheling data in favor of phonetics, Ed schools still push the supposedly superior whole-word teaching method. (The tremendous commercial success of the "Hooked on Phonics" program should be evidence enough regarding which method works better.)

As anyone who has actually read the cognitive memory and learning literature of the past few decades will tell you, there are a number of facts regarding learning that are pretty much undisputable. One is that all learning is essentially unconcious. The brain tries to make patterns from repeated stimuli, and to associate these patterns with other patterns. Another is that repeated presentation strengthens these associations. This is something that's been demonstrated down to the cellular level back in the 1960s (Hebb, et al)

What this means is that initial learning is all about repetition, and lots of it. The best way to learn to play clainet is to practice clarinet, and the best way to learn to perform multiplication is to practice the heck out of your multiplication tables. You can use all the audio-visual aids, enrichment activies and voyages of self-discovery you want, but the only way to acquire inital skills is through repetition. Somehow, this message still hasn't gotten through to the education schools.

Very much an agenda setting book
As someone reading this outside the US, I found the agenda in the book quite interesting. Unsurprisingly about one third of the text is taking up with issues in mathematics and science teaching - a source of major concern in the industrialised West. Lots of advice on principles and techniques (more limited) are offered to the reader. The book's style is that of a report. Topics are numbered and flagged in bold print for your attention. The subsequent text expands on the issues at hand. A valuable component of the book is the number of case studies it references, and one presumes these have been carefully selected. Overall as a review of 'learning sciecne' I found this a most impressive work. My major quibble with it is that the chapter of Brain and Mind sticks out like a sore thumb, and personally I didn't take it to bring anything to the debate in the rest of the book.

Practice what they preach
The book starts at a place appropriate for someone who never taught before, and presents convincing arguments from the beginning, to the very end. Whenever they introduce important concepts and ideas, they describe studies that really make them come to life. In fact, it would have sounded like a liberal opinion piece had they not provided an extensive bibliography for their findings. Theoretical ideas are weaved into practical advice to create an excellent introduction for an aspiring teacher.

Great book for teachers!!
As a student reading this book, I found several different aspects of learning that would be beneficial to teachers and those reinforcing learning skills. The main focus of the book was directed toward having children use their prior knowledge and apply new information to already formed concepts. This idea encourages teachers to develop a student's understanding by first constructing a general knowledge base of the concrete conceptual information and later giving detailed information to reinforce and develop in depth knowledge. This book also touched upon the importance of technology in the classroom today. With where the world is headed, it is very important for children to have a classroom experience that is enriched with computers, internet connections, and introductions to programs such as power point and the like. Technology not only promotes learning, but it can bring the real-world into the classrooms through the use of videos, simulations, videos, and internet assignments. Overall, this is a great book for teachers! It gives several examples of how these ideas are acted out in the classroom and gives specific topic outlines and descriptions for easy reading.

Excellent book on cognitive learning
As a Deaf person and an educator, as well as having two degrees in Neuroscience, I found this book extremely helpful in elucidating what has been done in understanding how we learn. Perhaps even more important is the questions that the authors, contributors and editors raise concerning what more needs to be done, to adequately help all students reach their highest potential. The book is concise and knowledgeable without being needlessly wordy. It is written so that everybody can understand and make use of it to help educators and researchers to further their goals and those of their students. I've had this book less than six months and yet I've quoted it several times in papers, and refer to it constantly. Thanks to the editors for doing such a great job. Karen L. Sadler Science Education University of Pittsburgh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not like the other Arco books
I bought this book ... when I received word from my dad that GM was taking referals for Industrial Mechanics and he turned my name in. I needed to quickly brush up on my mathematical and mechanical skills before taking the pre-employment exam. This book really let me down.

First - It didn't cover anything about how to do any of the shop mathematics until after you (the reader) had taken the practice exams. NO formulas, equations, NOTHING! And they DID explain it at the end of the exams, but not well enough to understand where you the reader screwed up.

Second - There were so many errors I lost count and closed the book never to read it again. Several of their answers were wrong; there were many typos and miscalculations. I don't buy a preparation guide for errors all it will do is confuse you as to if you are correct or forgot how to do arithmetic. I checked several of their calculations with a TI-90 calculator and the answers I received were not the same as theirs. ...

Good Book
It has a lot of useful information, but for the mechanically inclined test takers, you don't need this book.

I took the AFOQT and I used all of my practical knowledge and experience to answer the mechanical comprehension questions.

This book is useful for those who have no idea what a lugnut is, or why Ford puts a differential in the rear of RWD cars.

Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests
This book is a perfect tool for anyone wishing to prepare for any basic mechanical aptitude test. These tests are common screening tools for companies who hire mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation craft personnel. It includes basic lessons for each area, such as pattern analysis, cube counting, etc. and then is followed by sample tests. It contains many test-taking tips and tricks, which can be extremely useful. It is simple, well organized and easy to understand. A must for anyone with a mechanical aptitude test in their future. ... Read more

Book Description

Known for its currency and clear writing style, this book provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction to elementary forms of learning that have been the focus of research for much of the twentieth century. The book covers habituation, classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, stimulus control, aversive control, and their applications to the study of cognition and to the alleviation of behavior problems. Biological constraints on learning are integrated throughout the text, as are applications boxes that relate animal research to human learning and behavior. The book closely reflects the field of research it represents in terms of topics covered, theories discussed, and experimental paradigms described. ... Read more

Book Description

Understanding temporal integration by the brain is expected to be among the premier topics to unite systems, cellular, computational, and cognitive neuroscience over the next decade. The phenomenon has been studied in humans and animals, yet until now, there has been no publication to successfully bring together the latest information gathered from this exciting area of research. For the first time, Functional and Neural Mechanisms of Interval Timing synthesizes the current knowledge of both animal behavior and human cognition as related to both technical and theoretical approaches in the study of duration discrimination. Chapters written by the foremost experts in the field integrate the fields of time quantum and psychophysics, rhythmic performance and synchronization, as well as attentional effort and cognitive strategies through the linkage of time as information in brain and behavior. This cutting-edge scientific work promotes a concerted view of timing and time perception for those on both sides of the behavior-biology divide. With Functional and Neural Mechanisms of Interval Timing neuroscientists, ethologists, and psychologists will gain the necessary background to understand the psychophysics and neurobiology of this crucial behavior. ... Read more

Book Description

The third edition of this widely adopted interdisciplinary exploration of cross- cultural human development remains the leader in the field. Combining the latest research with vignettes,stories, and personal experiences in their conversational — and frequently humorous — writingstyle, Gardiner and Kosmitzki make the study of developmental similarities and differences among peoplean exciting experience for students.Cross Cultural issues throughout the lifespan — health, family, cognition,physical development, language, self and gender, personality. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Stands alone as the cross-cultural developmental text book
I just got this book from the publisher and have decided to use it for my cross-cultural development class. No other book that I have found does an even remotely adequate job of combining cross-cultural research and human development. Teaching this class should be a lot easier.

easy to understand with many interesting stories
I have read that book and I found many interesting stories about how culture affect our live which I've never imagine it before and I learn a lot about many different unique cultures around the world and if you want to know more detail about culture differences and compare them, you should read this book.

Fun reading for a textbook!
I have used this book as a textbook in a sophmore - junior - senior level university course in cross-cultural psychology. It is so readable, that students report that they read ahead just for fun. Recommended for anyone interested in how culture affects our lives. ... Read more

Book Description

From Graham Hancock, bestselling author of Fingerprints of the Gods, comes a mesmerizing book that takes us on a captivating underwater voyage to find the ruins of a lost civilization that’s been hidden for thousands of years beneath the world’s oceans.

While Graham Hancock is no stranger to stirring up heated controversy among scientific experts, his books and television documentaries have intrigued millions of people around the world and influenced many to rethink their views about the origins of human civilization. Now he returns with an explosive new work of archaeological detection. In Underworld, Hancock continues his remarkable quest underwater, where, according to almost a thousand ancient myths from every part of the globe, the ruins of a lost civilization, obliterated in a universal flood, are to be found.

Guided by cutting-edge science and the latest archaeological scholarship, Hancock begins his mission to discover the truth about these myths and examines the mystery at the end of the last Ice Age. As the glaciers melted between 17,000 and 7,000 years ago, sea levels rose and more than 15 million square miles of habitable land were submerged underwater, resulting in a radical change to the Earth’s shape and the conditions in which people could live. Using the latest computer techniques to map the world’s changing coastlines, Hancock finds astonishing correspondences with the ancient flood myths.

Filled with thrilling accounts of his own participation in dives off the coast of Japan, as well as in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Arabian Sea, we watch as Hancock discovers underwater ruins exactly where the myths say they should be—sunken kingdoms that archaeologists never thought existed. Fans of Hancock’s previous adventures will find themselves immersed in Underworld, a provocative book that provides both compelling hard evidence for a fascinating, forgotten episode in human history and a completely new explanation for the origins of civilization as we know it. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Deserves Attention
Graham Hancock has been producing various books speculating that an ancient and previously unknown civilization existed in the Paleolithic era for about ten years now. Periodically he changes the proposed location of the civilization, originally thought to be Antarctica in Fingerprints of the Gods and now under the sea in Underworld. Regardless of where Hancock thinks this civilization was to be found, he tells an entertaining story with much that bears thinking about.

All of Hancock's books are part history, part travel guide. One of the more enjoyable aspects of Underworld are all the stories about his various travels and travails as he examines different areas of the world for evidence of ancient cities and buildings. He is always eager and excited to find out more, and lets nothing, not even the ubiquitousness of bureaucracy ( his stories of the red tape involved in getting permission to dive in places like the Persian Gulf are worthy of the old Yes Minister show ) get him down.

Besides the travel stories, Hancock is worth reading because he has come up with an amazing amount of material which at least brings into question the accepted theories about the human past. I hope that his journalistic, rather than academic, credentials will not lead many to dismiss his theories, because they do deserve more study.

An addictive read
Author and explorer Graham Hancock continues his pursuit of uncovering clues to the past, this time under the sea. Underworld is the narrative of a journey through the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, Bay of Bengal and the Pacific Ocean around Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan in which underwater structures of possible human origin are explored. The government of India has recently authenticated two of Hancock's discoveries off the coast of that country. In both cases, these structures are dated between 9000 and 11 000 years before the current era, which supports the theory of a great flood that submerged vast areas of land at that time. What I really like about Hancock is that he provides the orthodox view at the same time as his own theories. I cannot but agree with his statement, "There's something wrong with the underpinning of history." Hancock has indicated the most likely places for pre-flood civilizations with the help of Dr. Glen Milne of Durham University who is an expert on glaciation-induced changes in the sea level, and taking into account the plethora of flood-myths found amongst all cultures on all continents. Underworld is lavishly illustrated and well served by a thorough index and extensive bibliography. This gripping text will amply reward the reader who enjoyed Hancock's earlier titles like Keepers of Genesis and Fingerprints of the Gods. Hancock deserves credit for stimulating interest in history and archaeology. He was the writer that created interest in those little doors in the light shaft of the great pyramid that was recently in the news. Let's hope something will be revealed behind the second door! In the mean time, I thoroughly enjoy Hancock's speculations.

Tantilizing Possibilities
While not as entertaining as "Fingerprints of the Gods", "Underworld" is both interesting and meticulous. You will certainly begin to question what you believe. More than that, you will definately learn something about culture and history. At the very least, reading anything by Hancock will provide you with endless factoids to amaze your friends.

Enjoy!

Challenging the consensus
Archaeologists have been pushing back the date of humanity's first attempts at agriculture and the civilization that follows it. An inexplicable commonality is seen in agriculture emerging in distant places at nearly the same time. Self-confessed - sorry, self-adulatory - Graham Hancock thinks there's an answer for that chronological similarity. He contends agriculture, and civilization reach even further back in time than evidence found in places like Iran or Turkey suggests. He thinks the legends and mythologies of India, Malta and South America point to a multitude of "Atlantis-like" urbanised cultures that have disappeared from view - under water.

"Underworld" is a collation of ancient legends, old maps, submerged evidence and innovative thinking that gives humanity much deeper roots than previously thought. Hancock dives into the world's offshore depths, trolls through a wealth of mythologies, views unusual and unexplained artefacts and comes up with a challenge to consensus archaeology. Was there a global sprinking of advanced civilizations at the end of the last Ice Age? Did the melting ice caps drown more than the various land bridges that connected the British Isles with Europe, Sri Lanka with India and Alaska with Siberia? If Hancock is correct, and he is not to be dismissed lightly, humanity achieved far greater social complexity during the glacial advances than just living in caves wrapped in bear skins. What appears to be a near simultaneous emergence of agriculture, he argues, is in reality what we see left over from much older societies.

Hancock has made dives in many of the sites revealed by fishermen, archaeologists and others, recording finds on video and still camera and maps. The images are impressive, as are the numbers of potential sites. Utilising computer generated maps of the sea's rise after the Great Meltdown of the glaciers, he shows the logic of his thesis with compelling evidence. He's careful to note where the data seems firm as well as lacking. Where lacking, he urges more scientific attention to these places.

Although he justifiably spends most of the account on locations in India, where in some places the sea has invaded over 700 kilometres since the last Last Glacial Maximum, his relation of Japanese sites makes the most compelling reading. There, some of the longest-lived legends indicate Japan's oldest settlers, the Jomon, preceded the West in the establishment of agriculture and settled communities. Where scholars once held these people were "simple hunter-gatherers", Hancock sees evidence of rice growing nearly twelve thousand years old. Temple styles found today are duplicated in undersea sites, in some places nearby as if the sea simply pushed the people and their culture inland. These people may have followed the "Black Current" across the Pacific to establish settlements along the western coast of South America.

Hancock is careful to separate the known from the speculative, and not all of the speculations are his. Scholars in the places he visits are contributers to this innovative idea. So many sites and such commonality of legend add up to a highly plausible notion. Regrettably, even while crediting these researchers with empirical methods, Hancock is a bit too full of himself. Long passages of his problems, illness, fright from daring pilots cruising mountain passes permeate the book. By restricting himself to the scholars, their evidence coupled with his own and other researchers' ideas, he could have made this account less tedious while recounting adventures and exploration. Even the computer-generated maps are often repeated unnecessarily. He raises serious questions which deserve serious study. Hancock makes a compelling introduction, but we await a less self-indulgent approach. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Discover "Lost" Cities/Monuments (Natural Wonders?)
Graham Hancock got my undivided attention with "Fingerprints of the Gods". He has won my continued interest by writing and researching ancient and mysterious civilizations. The "new" location of his research is underwater, off shore in the Meditarranean, India, and Asia, i.e., Taiwan and Japan. He *does* includes some references to fascinating "finds" in the Caribbean, the Bahamas and a recent site discovered near Cuba. His writing style is most engaging and so is the subject matter.

I enjoy his ability to include 1) solid scientific evidence to back up his theories, 2) diaries he kept while exploring underwater sites, 3) a photo journal of monuments and structures (whether natural or man-made is yet to be determined) by his wife, 4) descriptions of what he actually sees, 5) ancient maps of the "old world", and 6) "inundation" computerized maps (scietific but limited) of what the world would have been like *before* the flood which occured after the Ice Age. Graham Hancock does a phenomenal job of describing how he got started in this research and he does a superior investigative report supporting his main theory, that many civilizations/ancient cities were wiped out worldwide due to the floods that occurred approximately 11,000 years ago. He and his wife learned to dive just so they could view first hand, the objects of their theories and research.

Initially, I was impressed that this was a 700+ page book. I found the first three parts of the book fascinating reading, fairly easy to get through. However, by part 4, I was tired and slowing down. When I got to part 5, I had to force myself to finish the book. I am glad I did *not* give up. It was very much worth learning about stone monuments found near islands owned by Japan. The monuments are either natural, man-made, or both - as of yet, the "experts" are uncertain. Most astonishing are Graham Hancock's use of "inundation maps", maps developed by computers, from scientific data fed into them, such as, how high the water levels rose after the ice melted, etc. Today's computerized maps are compared to existing ancient maps, such as, "the 1424 Pizzagano chart", the results that are quite similar. For this alone, Graham Hancock deserves recognition by the scientific community and serious consideration for his theories. This is a highly recommended book, although in all honesty, it becomes tedious reading about half-way through. However, it is well worth finishing once you get started. I hope the US Public Broadcasting System (PBS) buys the "Underwater" UK TV film series of Graham Hancock's dives and searches - to view them would be awesome. Erika Borsos (erikab93) ... Read more

Book Description

Solidly rooted in current cognitive psychology and motivationresearch, this book applies the findings of such research directlyto classroom teaching and students' learning. Discernable throughout the book is the authors' belief that a solid understanding of the cognitive psychologyperspective enhances a teacher's ability to understand educational goals, educational processes, and the overall educational system.After an introduction to the basic principles of cognitive psychology and its position in education, the book explains cognitive processes, explores the importance of beliefs and motivations in the process of cognition, and, finally,examines the ways cognitive psychology informs teaching and learning in specific content areas. Devotes an entire chapter to sensory, short-term, and working memory, presenting the modal memory model. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent, Quick review for USMLE step 1 and NBME shelf exam
Information is presented in a clear and concise fashion with good graphs and charts. Easy reading makes this a quick review. ... Read more

Book Description

Barbara Okun's practical introduction to counseling has helped thousands of readers become effective and empathetic helpers. Logical, easy-to-understand, and applicable, the book's unique framework helps readers enhance their self-awareness and their understanding of contemporary forces. The hallmark of this book has been its practical, applied approach, infused with many case examples, dialogues, tables, and experiential exercises. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Insightful and useful book, but lacks multi-cultural flavor.
Okuns's book provides a strong counseling model that practioners can follow. I found her exercises and examples particularly helpful and seemingly useful. However, her model is based on an affective,western;client-centered model. Many of the techniques suggested would be difficult to apply to clients of diverse populations. If you decide to buy this book, consider purchasing her other book, Understanding Diverse Families:What Practioners Need to Know. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Can't beat it
...This book is the source of all you need. It's hard going at times, but so's the subject. The book's 15 years old and remains the best guide to the analysis of correlated data. It's a reference book, one I value as much as a good dictionary. To use it as a text would be misguided unless the instruction was aimed at a sophisticated audience.

Best MRC Book Ever
I agree with the previous reviewer that there are times when the exposition in the book gets a bit intense; but c'mon! We're dealing with statistics. You gotta sweat a bit. That's when learning happens. In my opinion the book is extremely clearly written. And although you may have to re-read a few sentences a few times, the basic tools for understanding most every major aspect of MRC is embedded in the text. In sum, this was a great book that I read as a 2nd-year graduate student in psychology. Unlike the first reviewer, I turned to this text when I got confused during the course lectures!

MRC Analysis---good book overall
Cohen and Cohen's MRC analysis book is well versed and easy to understand for someone that is familiar with MRC terminology, however, for first year graduate students, the text is very equivocal. The book is lacking ample illustrations of complex problems, leaving students to rely on outside sources. Also, the book uses unfamiliar symbols that do not correspond with other MRC books, which intensifies the confusion level of the students even more.

Overall, the text is a great addition to a statistical library, and this reviewer recommends it, in spite of being a sub-par book for first year graduate students. ... Read more

Book Description

This book sets the standard in bringing technical scientificinformation on the subject of sensation and perception to a wide audience withoutstanding readability and thorough coverage.Retaining itstraditionally clear and accessible writing style, this new edition boasts athoroughly revised art program and over 1,300 new references. The motionchapter now focuses solely on visual motion perception, so it appears earlierin the book. In addition, the book includes thirteen In-Depth sections,each of which explore a current “hot” research topic to provide a senseof how researchers ask questions with subjects varying from the role of facerecognition in eyewitness testimony to phantom limb perception. ... Read more

Book Description

Outline of a theory of practice is recognized as a major theoretical text on the foundations of anthropology and sociology. Pierre Bourdieu, a distinguished French anthropologist, develops a theory of practice which is simultaneously a critique of the methods and postures of social science and a general account of how human action should be understood. With his central concept of the habitus, the principle which negotiates between objective structures and practices, Bourdieu is able to transcend the dichotomies which have shaped theoretical thinking about the social world. The author draws on his fieldwork in Kabylia (Algeria) to illustrate his theoretical propositions. With detailed study of matrimonial strategies and the role of rite and myth, he analyses the dialectical process of the 'incorporation of structures' and the objectification of habitus, whereby social formations tend to reproduce themselves. A rigorous consistent materialist approach lays the foundations for a theory of symbolic capital and, through analysis of the different modes of domination, a theory of symbolic power. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bourdieu kicks Foucault's ...
How could anyone put Foucault above Bourdieu? Bourdieu has a rigorous sociology behind his work & provides a real theoretical groundwork to reconcile materialist, interpretive/symbolic and interactionist perspectives. Foucault on the other hand has led anthropologists down a slippery slope of prevarication, vagueness, grandstanding and an obsession with a hollow & impoverished idea of what constitutes a "critical" stance.

excellent ideas, a lot of ethnography
For anyone interested in cultural studies or in ethnology/ anthropology/ sociology, _Outline_ is a must read.

Bourdieu, a teacher of Foucault, has been rated France's 2nd most influential scholar (after Foucault) and for good reason. In _Outline_, Bourdieu provides a well-grounded introduction to his main concepts and gives a great deal of supporting detail to support his interpretations.

At times, his descriptions of the Kabyle culture seem to be far too long for persons who are reading him as a general social theorist. If you do not have a deep-rooted love of sociology or other culturally-immersive social sciences, you might prefer his _Logic of Practice_, which has less ethnology in it, or _Practical Reason_, which has nearly none.

If you are a student of culture, however, you will find these extended examples to be excellent background material and useful illustrations of Bourdieu's concepts.

In terms of writing style, Bourdieu is uneconomical, but the payoff is worth slogging through his difficult prose. ... Read more

Book Description

This eighth edition of McCall's well-respected book continues to present concepts in a way that students can easily understand. The new edition has been updated throughout and now includes recommendations by the APA Task Force on Statistical Inference. As in previous editions, McCall helps students see the many real applications of statistics to research in the behavioral sciences. Taking a traditional approach to teaching the basic statistical concepts and methods used in behavioral research. McCall emphasizes building an understanding of the logic of statistics rather than stressing the mechanics. In this exciting revision, McCall continues to keep the data for the computational problems simple, so your students can focus on the rationale and outcome of techniques rather on the calculations themselves. Using clear discussion, a wide variety of end-of-chapter exercises, and examples drawn from actual studies, McCall helps students learn how to choose appropriate statistical methods and correctly interpret the results. Also retained in this edition are the author's step-by-step explanations for each proof and his clear definitions of symbols--the essential vocabulary of statistics--that have been so successful in helping students master the material. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Joy of Statistics?
Although it is a rare segment of the human population who could claim to find scientific statistics "enjoyable", Robert McCall has somehow managed to take some of the pain out of what is generally deemed a horrifying experience. I thank Mr. McCall and the hands-on approach of his book for enabling me to make it through Stats this time with a passing grade! ... Read more

Book Description

Since it was first published more than twenty-five years ago, Asking Questions has become a classic guide for designing questionnaires?the most widely used method for collecting information about peoples attitudes and behavior. An essential tool for market researchers advertisers, pollsters, and social scientists, this thoroughly updated and definitive work combines time-proven techniques with the most current research, findings, and methods. The book presents a cognitive approach to questionnaire design and includes timely information on the Internet and electronic resources. Comprehensive and concise, Asking Questions can be used to design questionnaires for any subject area, whether administered by telephone, online, mail, in groups, or face-to-face. The book describes the design process from start to finish and is filled with illustrative examples from actual surveys. ... Read more

Book Description

"Treatment Planning for Person-Centered Care puts the entire concept of individualized service planning into understandable language for all readers. The authors have captured the essence of active involvement of the persons served in the identification of needs (as well as strengths) and the development of a plan that will address those needs. This book is definitely in concert with and supports the CARF Behavioral Health standards, and would be an excellent resource to better understand how to move towards a person-centered assessment and planning process."
-Nikki Migas, M.P.A., Managing Director, Behavioral Health Customer Service Unit, CARF. the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission

"This book encourages the field to turn a very important corner. It clarifies the goals and the processes that Mental Health and Alcohol/Drug systems presently need to focus on: joining with clients to help them enter/re-enter their communities and successfully exit the treatment systems. This book will help practitioners develop the necessary conceptual overview as well as individual components of service plans that will significantly enhance our clients' chances for real world success."
-Ed Diksa, California Institute for Mental Health

"The authors take what for many clinicians is irritating paperwork requirement, treatment planning, that is a diversion from their "real" work of therapy and turn it into a valuable tool. By placing the person, the client at the center of planning, Adams and Grieder take the reader step by step through a transforming process. They lead us to re-think whose goals we are trying to achieve in treatment. This book could precipitate many fruitful seminar discussions during clinical training."
-Eric Goplerud, Ph.D., George Washington University Medical Center

Treatment Planning for Person-Centered Care is a process-oriented book, guiding therapists in how to engage clients in building collaborative treatment plans that result in better outcomes. Suitable as both a reference tool and as a text for pre-degree training programs, the book addresses the entire process of treatment, from assessment through outcome evaluation. The book is relevant to providers in all settings, with a practical approach and case examples throughout.

About the authors:Neal Adams, MD, PhD is past president of the American College of Mental health Administration and board certified in general psychiatry. Diane Grieder, M.Ed, has over 20 years experience consulting on improved mental health delivery systems. A prologue and epilogue are included by Dr. Wilma Townsend, a leading consumer advocate, consultant, and trainer in the field.

* Enhance the reader's understanding of the value and role of treatment planning in responding to the needs of adults, children and families with mental health and substance abuse treatment needs
* Build the skills necessary to provide quality, person-centered, culturally competent and recovery / resiliency-orientated care in a changing service delivery system
* Provide readers with sample documents, examples of how to write a plan, etc.
* Provide a text and educational tool for course work and training as well as a reference for established practioners
* Assist mental health and addictive disorders providers / programs in meeting external requirements, improve the quality of services and outcomes, and maintain optimum reimbursement ... Read more

Book Description

The bestselling author of The Sign and the Seal reveals the true origins of civilization. Connecting puzzling clues scattered throughout the world, Hancock discovers compelling evidence of a technologically and culturally advanced civilization that was destroyed and obliterated from human memory. Four 8-page photo inserts. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

Raises interesting questions
Graham Hancock provides a provocative, alternative interpretation to development of early civilization in this work. He challenges a number of traditional assumptions regarding the dating and sequencing of monuments and artifacts in such cultures as the early Egyptian, Peruvian and Mexican periods. And for daring to call into question some of the basic assumptions of archeology, he has been praised by some but widely vilified by many established members of the scientific community. It is interesting to note the strong reactions just in the reviews in Amazon.

While I may not be qualified to establish whether Hancock's theories are a revolutionary rediscovery of our past or just an interesting alternative interpretation, I can tell you that this book makes very interesting reading. It is not presented as a grand conspiracy theory, nor do I feel that Hancock is trying to justify a particular ideology. Instead, Hancock takes the reader on an exploration of a number of historical oddities - interesting phrases from ancient Incan writings about fires in the sky, ancient maps that precisely detail hidden parts of Antarctica and other possible explanations for the Atlantis mythos. He does not present any outrageous claims that earth was invaded by aliens or that Egyptians were an industrial civilization, however, he does present a fair amount of material for consideration by his readers to form their own opinions. In many cases, he admits not have the answers just questions that can not be answered by established "scientific facts". As a serious scientist, Hancock does research his questions sufficiently to justify raising issues with established doctrine

Overall, this is a though provoking book that is highly entertaining to read whether you believe it to be true or just an interesting theory.

Hancock Hones In On Human Curiosity - What Does It Mean?
What this book does is open up the mind to previously unexplored possibilites, presenting an interesting melange of pseudo-science and rivetting archaeo-astrological evidence for a different story of humanity's history. Much more than an attempt to rewrite Egyptian history, this book forces the reader to reconsider history as we know it. Wrapping myth, folklore and some incredible locations, Hancock has become a favourite referral to friends who enjoy a good mystery. His debunkers are many, but sceptics are hard pressed to explain a great deal of Hancock's evidence, such as the ancient maps clearly depicting an ice-free Antarctica. Proof of a complex, sea-faring civilization pre-dating the supposed emergence of civilization by some 5,000 years or a fabrication? Ultimately, Hancock leaves that decision to the reader, preferring to layer the evidence instead of sensationalize the obvious. An intelligent and worthwhile read. Those who enjoy this book should pick up "From Atlantis to the Sphinx" - cheesy title, but uses Hancock's book as a springboard for further explorations into the origin of humanity.

Time to OPEN YOUR EYES
It's hard to swallow for most. But EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT ANCIENT HISTORY IS A LIE.

Grahm Hancock only touches the surface of what is starting to be known about the Ancients.

The Great Pyramid was not designed by the Egyptians.

Several great minds in the past 100 or so years have stated it.

Now great minds like Hancock are proving it.

Pick up a copy of 'Secret of the Great Pyramid' by Sollog from 1995.

He and Hancock are the foremost great minds proving we've all been lied to about our 'history'.

OPEN YOUR EYES

This book will help you.

ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS
I bought Hancock's book, looking for some information on the pre-Diluvian theory many scholars support. I was very interested in learning more about this fascinating subject, which had been mentioned on a couple of other books.

A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME. The first few chapters are really nice and intriguing; afterwards everything becomes worthless. The book becomes more or less 'Hancock's Trip Diary': he tells and retells his visits to Mexico, Peru and other places, and about the "amazing things" and "rare coincidences" he finds which, in fact, are mostly assumptions. Even though he supports his points with very serious references, they are not well built and developed. He never goes any deeper than saying: "WHAT IF BLA BLA BLA?" - and that's really a quote of how most of the chapters end.

The Pre Diluvian theory is a very intriguing and interesting subject. Yet, this book takes away all the magic that can lie within it.

Go on and buy something else. This one es mostly crap. One of the worst titles I've read, EVER. Not serious, not well researched (and founded mostly on Hancock's assumptions).

we all should think in new directions
The biggest purpose this book serves: it reminds us that what has been seen as truth might actually be totally flawed. We should all open our minds and try to think in new directions - don;t get yourself stuck with "Established" knowledges and beliefs! ... Read more

Book Description

A proven performer designed for today’s psychology students, Fundamentals of Behavioral Statistics combines current thinking with a clear presentation designed to foster complete student understanding.A classic text that features a modern, student-oriented approach to studying behavioral statistics with an emphasis on accessibility and comprehensiveness, it is built on four tenants of success: a strong mathematical foundation, clear and interesting examples, rich illustrations and abundant exercises. The revision will continue to place great emphasis on introducing students to exploratory data analytic techniques by replacing outdated techniques with the latest, most up to date methods.Real life examples, used to present the most current approaches to teaching statistics, will be revised to incorporate results from popular and familiar experiments. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Really good
A unique introductory book in statistics. The hallmark of this book is nodoubt the clarity of detailed explanations of fundamental statistical concepts. A lot of invaluable material and explanantions here not to be found in other textbooks on statistics!

Highlights that spring to my mind are the excellent treatments of averages, correlation and regression, and hypothesis testing. A very important topic (usually missing in most textbooks) is the strength of evidence in hypothesis and significiance testing and is treated very nicely in various parts of the books. This book should not be missed by beginners (and probably experts) in the field. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Classic
An astounding piece of synthetic analysis of a very, very complicated field, this book has rightly been referrred to by scores and scores of subsequent writers in the field of psychoanalysis and personality theory. The authors have critically scrutinzed the various schools of thought in the post-Freudian landscape and astutely determined their theoretical similarities and differences. The writing is direct and persuasive, albeit intended for an audience familiar with psychological terminology. It is amazing work and one of the best books in any field over the last 20 years.

I like it!
This book is necessary in developing a full understanding of Object Relations Theory.

Essential reading
This book is cited in virtually every book written on object relations theory since its publication. It gives a thorough background to the theories of all of the major contributors to object relations theory. It is brilliantly written and understandable with a basic knowledge of psychoanalytic jargon. An essential work. ... Read more