Book Description

How do we make decisions--good and bad--and why are some people so much better at it than others? Thats the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus. Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers--in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way. ... Read more

Book Description

Lawyers. Accountants. Radiologists. Softwareengineers. That's what our parents encouraged us to become when we grew up. But Mom and Dad were wrong. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind. The era of "left brain" dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which "right brain" qualities-inventiveness, empathy, meaning-predominate. That's the argument at the center of this provocative and original book, which uses the two sides of our brains as a metaphor for understanding the contours of our times.

In the tradition of Emotional Intelligence and Now, Discover Your Strengths, Daniel H. Pink offers a fresh look at what it takes to excel. A Whole New Mind reveals the six essential aptitudes on which professional success and personal fulfillment now depend, and includes a series of hands-on exercises culled from experts around the world to help readers sharpen the necessary abilities. This book will change not only how we see the world but how we experience it as well. ... Read more

Book Description

@COURSE = For the basic Behavior Management course. Scholarly and empirically-based, this market-leading bookgives readers what they need to know to understand and use the principlesand practices of applied behavioral management in the classroom. Thecontent is presented clearly, in a friendly, accessible—even fun—manner.Chapters flow, step-by-step, through an actual behavior analysis,using classroom-based examples and practices firmly grounded in research.Content is presented in the order of decision-making by: 1) a teacherwho has a student exhibiting challenging behavior in class; or, 2)a student who needs to execute a behavior-change project.This book covers: identifying target behavior, collecting and graphing data, experimental design, arranging antecedents and consequences, and generalizing behavior change.For professionals in the fields of teaching and behavior management. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Understand data collection and applied behavior analysis
One of the best texts on Applied Behavior Analysis! It is extremely user friendly with lots of examples applicable to today's classroom. I've used several editions of this text...as a grad student, a classroom teacher, and now as a college professor. I would highly recommend it to any teacher (or future teacher) or any university instructor as a college text. ... Read more

Book Description

This best-seller covers a wide range of theories—conditioning, social-cognitive, information processing, and social constructivism—while providing solid material on the psychology of motivation. The author's lucid prose demonstrates how different concepts of learning relate to one another; dozens of proven examples emphasize meaningful learning and the implications of the latest research.Clearly and entertainingly written, this book covers the following topics: learning and the brain; behaviorism and classical conditioning; effects of aversive stimuli; social-cognitive theory; long-term memory; complex learning and cognition; and motivation.An obvious resource for teachers of students of all ages and backgrounds, this book can be an interesting read for those involved in any facet of the learning process; as well as psychologists and therapists. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Human Learning
This is an amazingly well written text. Ms Ormrod actually practices what she preaches, so the book is organised as an exemplar of how to help students learn. I bought the book as an optional text for a Masters in Education, then I sat up one night to check it out. It became compulsive reading, very hard to put down. It gives a broad overview of Educational Psychology thinking over a wide period of time, and encapsulates it. It is full of useful references. Many of my colleagues have borrowed this book for various courses and for course development for educational projects.

This is a good practical reference book for teachers.
Human learning gives a good basic understanding of learning theory for teachers and others who are interested in educational psychology. There are some very good examples for all theories discussed. The book jumps around a bit and some of the explanations are too technical. ... Read more

Book Description

This brief version of Gravetter and Wallnau's proven best-seller offers the straightforward instruction, accuracy, built-in learning aids, and wealth of real-world examples that professors AND students have come to appreciate. The authors take time to explain statistical procedures so that students can go beyond memorizing formulas and gain a conceptual understanding of statistics.By integrating applications to ensure that even students with a weak background in mathematics can understand statistics, the authors skillfully demonstrate that having an understanding of statistical procedures help them comprehend published findings, and become savvy consumers of information. Known for its exceptional accuracy and examples, this text also has a complete supplements package to support instructors with class preparation and testing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the Best Intro to Stats Texts
Having taken statistics before, I know a good book when I see one. This is hands down, one of the best intro to stats book. Unlike other stats textbooks, Essentials gives you the information in a concise manner accompanied by varied step-by-step examples towards understanding all the statistical tests. Psychology students have it lucky to have a book like this.

Understandable Statistics at Last!
This is the first statistics textbook that I have actually understood and enjoyed, and I have read many of them. The authors take students through the material step by step and do not make assumptions about prior knowledge. The charts and examples are very helpful and clearly presented. As textbooks go, this is the best! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jeff Hawkins, the high-tech success story behind PalmPilots and theRedwood Neuroscience Institute, does a lot of thinking about thinking.In On Intelligence Hawkins juxtaposes his two loves--computersand brains--to examine the real future of artificial intelligence. Indoing so, he unites two fields of study that have been moving uneasilytoward one another for at least two decades. Most people think that computers are getting smarter, and that maybesomeday, they'll be as smart as we humans are. But Hawkins explains whythe way we build computers today won't take us down that path. He shows,using nicely accessible examples, that our brains are memory-drivensystems that use our five senses and our perception of time, space, andconsciousness in a way that's totally unlike the relatively simplestructures of even the most complex computer chip. Readers who gobbled up Ray Kurzweil's (The Age of Spiritual Machines and Steven Johnson's Mind Wide Open willfind more intriguing food for thought here. Hawkins does a good job ofoutlining current brain research for a general audience, and hisenthusiasm for brains is surprisingly contagious. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (20)

excellent introduction to CBT
I've used this workbook successfully as a therapist at a community mental health clinic serving poorer clients in Tucson AZ. I've used it in individual and group therapy. Frankly, I've found "Mind Over Mood" much more user-friendly than the more popular "Feeling Good Handbook" by David Burns, which contains similar cognitive therapy methods. The "thought record" chart, in particular--the heart of CBT--is more straightforward in Mind Over Mood. They've set up seven intuitive columns, from left to right. Burns's version of this chart, where each situation and emotion is listed separately at the top of the page, tends to confuse people, in my experience.

I really like the way Greenberger and Padesky put in little hint questions in small type at the bottom of the columns, to remind you what you're supposed to be doing without having to go back and read the text. And the book is full of terrific hint boxes which give you questions to ask yourself if you're having trouble understanding the exercises. I have not seen this anywhere else.

Defects? 1) This book doesn't contain the richness of material of the Burns or other CBT workbooks. The chapters on specific conditions at the end are pretty paltry. It's really just a very large book on how to do a thought record. 2) The authors limit evaluating automatic thoughts to "evidence for", "evidence against", and a "reasonable alternative". This rigid empirical model is not suited to everyone or every situation. Surprisingly, there is no discussion of or columns for "cognitive distortions" (Burns) or "disputes" (Ellis). This is a major defect, but one can work around it by expanding what is allowed in the "evidence against" columns.

Overall though, an excellent book for use in clinical settings with general mental health patients. I find myself pulling it out much more often than my other CBT books sitting next to it on my shelf. Once clients get the hang of cognitive therapy, I introduce more sophisticated material; but I haven't found a better starting point.

THE number one cognitive therapy book!
If there was ever a book that could change your life, this is one of them. It's so practical, insightful, intelligent, and useful. It has had a big influence on myself, and on my outlook on life. I love the way the authors (Dr's Greenberger and Padesky) use complete and incomplete thought records to "teach" the reader how to do it for him/herself. It has truly been of great help to me in recognizing my own patterns of distorted thinking as well as the "alternative/balanced" thinking which has helped to improve my mood on several occasions. I consider it one of those rare gems that helps the reader to "see the light" (as a true friend would) without forcing it upon him/her.

It Helped Me to Change my Life
This book helped give me exercises to learn how to deal with my depression and anxiety. It's important to slowly do the exercises and complete the entire book. I feel like a new person in control of my thoughts and feelings. I recommend it highly.

It Cured my Anxiety
If you suffer from Anxiety this is a MUST READ book! The book is simple but yet highly effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. The worksheets along with the examples are fabulous. I have been anxiety free since reading the book. I definitely give it 5 stars.

Excellent Workbook -- A supplement to cognitive self-help
In my opinion this is a truly excellent WORKBOOK. The couple of negative reviews seem to be missing the point that workbooks are, by their nature, supplements -- either supplements to therapy or to a text-rich psychology book that is not done in workbook form. OK? I think that is the key issue. I use this workbook as a supplement to working through the chapters of my favorite book on cognitive self-help psychology, which is The Positive Power of Negative Thinking by Julie Norem. For me, it is a very helpful, insightful, and practical workbook. If you are looking for a cognitive therapy supplemental workbook, I can recommend Mind Over Mood without reservation. ... Read more

Book Description

Now your students can become intelligent consumers of scientific research, without being overwhelmed by the statistics! Jaccard and Becker's text teaches students the basic skills for analyzing data and helps them become intelligent consumers of scientific information. Praised for its real-life applications, the text tells students when to use a particular statistic, why they should use it, and how the statistic should be computed and interpreted.Because many students, given a set of data, cannot determine where to begin in answering relevant research questions, the authors explicate the issues involved in selecting a statistical test. Each statistical technique is introduced by giving instances where the test is most typically applied followed by an interesting research example (each example is taken from psychology literature). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Excellent Introduction
The book is up-to-date and effectively presents the basic concepts. Deals with current power and sphericity concerns. Example SPSS-keyed analyses and APA-format results sections are especially valuable for research training. Uses post-hoc Tukey HSD test. Separate nonparametric chapters. The authors know their material (not always the case with statistics texts) and they provide a solid (higher-level) introduction. Good selection of topics and fairly thorough. Perhaps a bit wordy at times. One of the best available introductions. From a long-time teacher of statistics with no connection to authors.

The Best Introductory Text for Today's Students
Jaccard and Becker's preface says it all:

"Introductory statistics, unlike content areas in the behavioral sciences, does not become dated quickly. Many of the concepts taught ten years ago are still relevant today. So why another text?

....Most introductory statistics texts fail to integrate sufficiently the subject matter of statistics with what students will encounter in the behavioral science journals. A statistics course should not only teach students basic skills for analyzing data but also make them intelligent consumers of scientific information.

....Because of the way chapters and exercises are organized in most texts, students are essentially told which statistical procedure to use on a given set of data. This state of affairs is simply unrealistic. It is just as important to teach students when to use a particular statistic and why it should be used as it is to teach them how to compute and interpret the statistic.

....A common complaint among students is that statistics is irrelevant and boring. This view is fostered, in part, by the tendency of statistic texts to use examples and exercises that are irrelevant and boring. Yet, it is possible to provide interesting applications of statistics (which this text does successfully).

....In the present book, a unifying structure is provided [(1)in contrast with other texts and (2) in order to provide students with conceptual relationships among the various stastical analyses].

....The book emphasizes a conceptual understanding of statistics [rather than the chosen outdated computational emphasis of the vast majority].

....Another unique characteristic of this text is a chapter on research methods.

....Appendixes to several chapters explain in more detail certain advanced concepts referred to in the body of the text [for advanced students].

....[The material covered is systematically thorough, allowing the professor to choose a customized curriculum and providing the student with a tremendous resource for further study and reference long after the course]." (pp. xiii-xvi)

The book triumphs as the most relevant introductory text on the market today. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

This book takes the struggle out of working with BPD
This book is designed for use in skill training groups for BPD. The author offers advice on adapting it to be used in individual therapy however. Linehan is forging a place in the mental health field as the foremost clinican in dealing with BPD. The reader is immediately aware of the extensive amount of research that went into this book. The author is not writing about opinion, she is writing about the results of years of extensively scrutinzing the work of herself and others. On the downside the book has the amount and quality of information one would expect from a textbook. This is not light reading, it is however a page turner (as far as academic texts go) if you have ever felt inadequate when dealing with BPD. After applying the ideas in this book I found that BPD was not the same beast in treating than in the past.

Respectful to BPD individuals. Techniques used pragmatic
As a person with Bipolar Disorder my psychiatrist recommended this book. I devoured it. For a text the reason it was actually enjoyable was because so many of the techniques of therapy I could incorporate on my own. The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is not limited to BPD. The Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of which DBT is alongside, can be put into use immediately. Also, Linehan is respectful in her writing style toward patients/clients, with BPD. She is not quick to prescribe medications, (that being only a brief mention). Linehan's style is to focus on environmental reasons a person becomes BPD but not to the point where the client feels helpless to change. She respects people where they're at but wants to take them where they want to be-and that's by integrating positive thoughts about themselves into positive actions-skills training-to have steadier relationships in work and life. I highly recommend this book to anyone diagnosed with any mood or personality disorder.

Effective for higher functioning, motivated borderlines
I work in a residential treatment facility for SPMI (all clients also have at least one Axis I diagnosis), and most of our clients have too low of intellectual functioning to grasp many of the DBT concepts. As an intellectual and a practicising Buddhist, I enjoy Linehan's text (especially the focus on Zen aspects: primarily mindfulness). I have encountered many therapists who have succesfully utilized DBT with other client populations. Dr. Linehan has poured years of experience and research into this text. For my clients, I have to significantly alter and simplify many of the tennants of this treatment. If you are reading this, you know that Borderlines are a growing (and very timeconsuming) population of consumers and this text should be in the library of all mental health workers.

Fascinating!
I found this book to be so fascinating and eye opening. Although this book is written for those who TREAT borderline personality disorder, I think it will be very helpful to those who have the disorder. I know it has been a great learning tool for me, and I suffer from BPD. Marsha Linehan shows an amazingly compassionate understanding towards the mind of a person with this disorder. I found myself astonished at her incredible ability to understand the way I think. I think the author is nothing short of a genius. The book is great...but it is complicated and it is not a good book for those who don't enjoy intensely intellectual reading. If you are looking for a book to give you quick facts, this is not the book for you. You must enjoy reading to get into this book.

A Total Waste of Paper
At first I thought the author, Marsha Linehan, was a mental patient herself or perhaps foreign-born because this book is so badly written. It's full of new age cliches, tossed in with Eastern mysticism and the author's own ramblings. The author repeats the same words and phrases over and over again, and is fond of making vague circular statements. I'm surprised that an academic like Linehan has such poor writing skills. Maybe a good editor could make sense of Linehan's gobbledygook. I certainly can't. ... Read more

Book Description

Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently administer, score, and interpret the WISC®-IV

The WISC®-IV is one of the premier cognitive assessment instruments for children.Coauthored by Alan Kaufman, who worked closely with David Wechsler on the WISC®-R, Essentials of WISC®-IV Assessment provides beginning and seasoned clinicians comprehensive step-by-step guidelines to administering, scoring, and interpreting the latest revision of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children®.

Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, this book is designed to help busy mental health professionals quickly acquire the knowledge and skills they need to make optimal use of a major psychological assessment instrument. Each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as test questions that help you gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered.

The best source of information on the new edition of the WISC®, Essentials of WISC®-IV Assessment provides students and practitioners with an unparalleled resource for learning and application, including expert assessment of the test’s relative strengths and weaknesses, valuable advice on its clinical applications, and illuminating case reports. ... Read more

Book Description

"Why did crime in New York drop so suddenly in the mid-90s? How does an unknown novelist end up a bestselling author? Why is teenage smoking out of control,when everyone knows smoking kills? What makes TV shows like Sesame Street so good at teaching kids how to read? Why did Paul Revere succeed with his famous warning? In this brilliant and groundbreaking book, New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly.Ideas, behavior, messages, and products, he argues, often spread like outbreaks of infectious disease. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a few fare-beaters and graffiti artists fuel a subway crime wave, or a satisfiedcustomer fill the empty tables of a new restaurant. These are social epidemics, and the moment when they take off, when they reach their critical mass, is the Tipping Point.

In The Tipping Point, Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children's television, direct mail and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious, and visits a religious commune, a successful high-tech company, and one of the world's greatest salesmen to show how to start and sustain social epidemics. The Tipping Point is an intellectual adventure story written with an infectious enthusiasm for the power and joy of new ideas. Most of all, it is a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message--that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world." ... Read more

Reviews (330)

Great Insights into Mass Behaviors
Despite an earlier reviewer poo-pooing this book for shallow insights, I beg to differ. This book is a fascinating and original take on what makes people behave in a certain way en masse. Tying together Paul Revere, Hush Puppies and many other very accessible ideas makes this book, that is in some ways very academic, read like a thriller. I read it in three sittings. It has an impact on several levels. One, as a marketer, it gave me insights into how word-of-mouth really works. I'll be experimenting with these concepts for years. Second, as a member of society, I gained insight into why I am pulled this way and that by trends. If you enjoyed this, you'll also enjoy the groundbreaking book by Robert Cialdini called "Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion." It makes some of the same points. Finally, it makes me think that some savvy activists will find some ways to use these principles to start societal epidemics that will ultimately have a positive effect. I believe Gladwell has introduced a concept, "the Tipping Point," that will have a wide-ranging impact on how we view the world and human behavior.

Bowled me over.
This book is quite wonderful, and it doesn't surprise me at all that it's getting such solid reviews here. Gladwell writes wonderful pieces for the New Yorker (and elsewhere, no doubt), and the craft of the writing here combines with fascinating material to produce a book for the lively of mind.

What is a "tipping point"? Gladwell shows us how concepts and perceptions derived from epidemiology can provide unexpected, but highly plausible explanations for the transformation of a minor phenomenon into a major trend. Gladwell's examples are diverse, drawn from such apparently disparate worlds as policing, fashion, and medical research, but they work well to create a sense that there's a logic at play in the crazes and fads we see turn into cultural trends.

Obviously, this book would be a good read for anyone interested in forcasting consumer behaviour, and other business concerns. I read it, though, as a person interested in culture and the trends which form the fabric of our waking lives. I read it twice, in fact, because it's very well written, and because I used it to teach theories of information to university students, who also really "got" the book. I find that concepts drawn froom the book return to me in unlikely situations, and that's a true test of non-fiction.

My only complaint? It's not long enough!

Esoterica
This is a fun book to read, but the dots remain uncconected.
...
I much prefer works that are more practical, and guide you directly to where you are going, instead of this very indirect analysis.
...
Some examples of this direct approach which are exceptionally well done include the CD "Voice Lessons to go" and the DVD "New Sex Now."
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All of these are fun and enjoyable and will improve your life.

does not disappoint
I rarely pick up a book that holds my interest all the way. This book was exceptional though and I have recommended it to many of my friends. The book discusses what causes an epidemic- how one tiny product, tv show, event, etc influences so many. I was impressed by the number of case studies and research that Gladwell did to back up his point. I really enjoyed learning about the influence Sesame Street had on the literary rate of the children who watched it, while what causes problems like teen smoking and suicide. It was a very interesting read.

Tiresome and Repetitive
Tipping Point is a painful book to read, painful especially to contemplate the patchwork of fill that turns what at best is a pop magazine article into a poor excuse for a book. Gladwell stabs at any theme he can possibly use to support his by no means new theory of tipping points. He hits one, perhaps, when he covers Rudy Giuliani's results in the City of New York, buts the rest are paler attempts. His comparison of Paul Revere with Dawes is over-romantic and downright silly. There's something profoundly patronizing about his tone of writing and his lack of any kind of wit. ... Read more

Book Description

This best-selling human behavior in the social environment text was the first to offer a balanced look at human lifespan development through the lens of social work theory and practice. The authors use a systems theory framework to cover human development and behavior theories within the context of family, organizational, and community systems. Using a chronological lifespan approach, the authors present separate chapters on biological, psychological, and social impacts at the different lifespan stages. The bio-psycho-social-theoretical content is organized within the authors' Systems Impact Model, which helps students to better understand individual behavior in the various settings. ... Read more

Book Description

Since it was first published more than a decade ago, Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice has become the leading resource in the field of health promotion and education. This thoroughly revised third edition provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of health behavior theories relevant to health education and includes the most current information on developments in theory, research, and practice.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and
As I waded through this textbook I at first felt that I had selected the wrong book for my teaching needs. The book is generally a review of current literature in the field of Health that would be an excellent resource for a graduate student who is about to tackle their thesis or dissertation. Contained within the chapters of this book is an extensive overview of what already exists in the field and certainly would be useful in helping a graduate student begin his or her research. This book would also be useful in helping a student who may be searching for a topic to study and research that may have been previously studied but then was found to be needing further work or follow-up. Upon completing the book I realized that although not necessarily perfect for my current needs of working with middle and high school students, it did provide support for things I am doing with them in my classes and broadened my scope as a health educator by making me think in terms of my role in school health education as compared to the roles of other health researchers and practitioners.

Theory based research
This text is a comprehensive review of health related theories. It provides the reader with anlayses of several health behavior theories and extensive bibliographies. To the student who is interested in health behavior research, this text is an important first step because it gives many examples of how specific theories, concepts and constructs are used in research studies. ... Read more

Book Description

In this national bestseller -- Martin Seligman's most stimulating, persuasive book to date -- the acclaimed author of Learned Optimism introduces yet another revolutionary idea. Drawing on groundbreaking scientific research, Seligman shows how Positive Psychology is shifting the profession's paradigm away from its narrow-minded focus on pathology, victimology, and mental illness to positive emotion and mental health. Happiness, studies show, is not the result of good genes or luck. It can be cultivated by identifying and nurturing traits that we already possess -- including kindness, originality, humor, optimism, and generosity.

Seligman provides the tools you need in order to ascertain your most positive traits or strengths. Then he explains how, by frequently calling upon these "signature strengths" in all the crucial realms of life -- health, relationships, career -- you will not only develop natural buffers against misfortune and negative emotion, but also achieve new and sustainable levels of authentic contentment, gratification, and meaning. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Psychology is taking a positive turn
= POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY =
Until recently psychology has mainly been working within a disease model: a strong emphasis has been placed on discovering deficits in human behavior and finding ways to repair this damage. Psychologist hardly focused on in doing studies acquiring knowledge about healthy functioning and building strengths. In other words: they have focused solely on taking away something negative (the disfunctioning) instead of adding something positive (increasing mental and behavioral health). The result: psychologist know little about healthy and happy functioning. This situation has been changing now since the rise of positive psychology a few years ago. What is Positive Psychology? It is a new movement in psychology, originated by Martin Seligman and a few other prominent psychologists among whom Mihali Csikszentmihalyi (author of FLOW). It aims to be a psychological science about the best things in life. Main topics of study are: positive emotions, positive traits and positive institutions. This book, Authentic Happiness, is the first book on positive psychology. Seligman is its main spokesperson.

= HAPPINESS =
This book mainly deals with the phenomenon of happiness. According to Seligman your enduring level op happiness results from three factors: 1) your SET RANGE ( the basic biologically determined range within which your happiness normally will be), 2) the CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR LIFE (some conditions - like being married and living in a democratic country- somehow seem to contribute to happiness, and 3) your VOLUNTARY CONTROL ( the things you can do to get your happiness to the upper part of your set range. Ok, then how to get this done? Before answering this question Seligman explains that happiness/positive emotion can refer to three domains: the PAST (satisfaction, contentment, fulfilment, pride and serenity), the PRESENT (joy, ecstasy, calm, zest, ebullience, pleasure and flow) and the FUTURE (optimism, hope faith, trust). Then the author comes up with suggestions to improve your happiness:

= HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HAPPINESS =
1) to be happier about your past, you need to: 1) let go of the false belief that your past negative experiences determine your present and future, 2) increase your gratitude about the good things in your past and 3) learn how to forgive past wrongs.

2) to be happier in your present, you need to distinguish between PLEASURES and GRATIFICATIONS. Pleasures are delights that have clear sensory and strong emotional components that require little if any thinking. Gratifications are flow-experiences. They are activities we very much like doing but that are not necessarily accompanied by any raw feelings at all. The gratifications last longer than the pleasures and they are undergirded by our strengths and virtues. The key to happiness in past and future lies in enhancing gratifications.

3) to be happier about your future, you need to change your explanatory style in order to become more optimistic and hopeful (for an explanation read my review of Seligman's book LEARNED OPTIMISM).

= AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS BY USING YOUR STRENGTHS =
These explanations imply what Seligman means by AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS. He says we should not rely on shortcuts like television watching, chocolate eating, loveless sex, and buying things to feel happy. He explains that positive emotion alienated from the exercise of character leads to emptiness, to inauthenticity, and to depression. So we want to feel like we deserved our positive feelings. That's why Seligman says UTHENTIC HAPPINESS comes from identifying and cultivating your most fundamental strengths (so-called SIGNATURE STRENGTHS) and using them everyday in work, love, play, and parenting. This message reminds of the one in Csikszentmihalyi's FINDING FLOW (see my review).

= CORE VIRTUES AND STRENGTHS =
Psychology has devised a classification system (language) for describing abnormal behavior and mental diseases. But it lacked a language describing human effectiveness and sanity. That is why Seligman and a team of scholars researched sources from all kinds of cultures and times in history and found that there is a strong convergence in what these traditions consider to be virtues and strengths. This led to the formulation of a classification system of virtues and strengths. SIX CORE VIRTUES: 1) Wisdom and knowledge, 2) courage, 3) Love and humanity, 4) Justice, 5) Temperance, 6) Spirituality and transcendence. Further they identified 24 strengths corresponding to these virtues. This book contains definitions of this taxonomy and some questionnaires for the reader to complete (the questionnaires can be found on the web too, by the way).

= CONCLUSION =
Some words about the form and style of the book. It is pleasantly written. Seligman writes in a rather personal and honest style which makes the book lively (for instance he exclaims on page 24: "I am a hideous example of my own theory.") I recommend this book to anyone interested in psychology and in happiness (although it is not a self-help book in the first place, I think). The book ends reflectively dealing with the relationship between positive emotions and win-win situations, and speculating that we may be on the threshold of an era of win-win games and good-felling. I enjoyed reading the book and I like positive psychology. It is in many ways reminiscent of humanistic psychology (which I always liked) but has a more scientific approach. I have a good hope it will be a success.

Coert Visser, www.m-cc.nl

Happiness & Optimism -- can Pessimism be Constructive ?
The author, Dr. Seligman, is famous for his book Learned Optimism. And his new book, Authentic Happiness, is a useful addition with an especially good web site. Not all psychologists have agreed with, or found research support for, Dr. Seligman's theory of optimism. Some parts of Positive Psychology have been found to be too one-sided and unrealistic about optimism. The academic book about that research and theory is Optimism and Pessimism edited by Dr. Chang. That book has a chapter about constructive pessimism by Dr. Norem, the author of the Positive Power of Negative Thinking. Some psychologists say Dr. Seligman's theory of Positive Psychology is too much a 'one size fits all' model of healthy personality. Individual and cultural differences seem to be more important than Dr. Seligman says. So some people may want to compare his theory to the psychology of constructive pessimism. The surge of research on Resiliency in psychology indicates that individual differences in personality are fundamental -- what helps me won't necessarily help you. Keeping an open mind while exploring psychological health seems to be the key. In any case, Dr. Seligman does present some of the answers for some of the people, and that is worthwhile.

I agree 100% with the review by Mr. Coffee
A gentleman named Mr. Coffee wrote an excellent review here citing information by the great Dr. Denis Waitley and discusing why optimism is a tonic while pessimism is a poisin.

He also cited a review posted here by someone who said that pessimism can be good and that review actually got 34 votes. Mr. Coffee goes on to state that no doubt all 34 votes where from the reviewer who srote it. I couldn't agree more! Who could possibly think that pessimism is anything more than a illness that must be cured.

Great book by Dr. Seligman. I also recommend Dr. Waitley. And whoever wrote that review about pessimism being good for you, I submit that you need these books more than anybody!

Optimism is the real tonic
The great Dr. Denis Waitley conducting one of his outstanding "Seeds of Greatness" speeches asked; "Are you happy because you sing or are you singing because you are happy?" What Dr. Waitley was referring to was that our actions can and usually do lead to the way we feel. In this case, singing makes you happy and by being happy you sing even more.

Dr. Waitley also went on to say that motion is created by emotion. How we feel can lead to actions that are productive.

In this great book by Martin Seligman, you can learn how your feelings can help you succeed. Seligman is no doubt best known for his groundbreaking book Learned Optimism. RE: Optimism is the real tonic.

I foundit amusing that one reviewer wrote a review here asking if pessimism can be a tonic and actually got 34 helpful votes (no doubt placed by the reviewer) How in the world can pessimism be a tonic? Unless you enjoy being sad and unhappy, pessimism is a poisin.

I really enjoyed Dr. Selligmans newest book. In addition, I recommend Millionaire Habits by Brian Tracy and any book by Dr. Denis Waitley that you can get your hands on.

Went from sad and negative to happy & positive!
Over the last few years, like many others, the Clinton recession and bear market has played it's toll on me. I lost a small fortune in the markets and found gaining employment difficult. To make matters worse, several close family members passed away unexpectedly (9 in one month) so I have been tested.

A good friend recommended this book to me. Feeling that it was just another "feel good book" loaded with polyanna type nonsense, I resisted.

Finally, I borrowed the book from my friend and read it. I have to admit, I felt better, but then again I had proved to myself that this was just a "feel good book."

More to the point, I started to apply someof what I had read. I read more and more every day and continued to apply Dr. Seligmans advice. When I called my friend and told him what was happening, he just laughed and siad I told you so.

When I returned the book to my friend, he asked me if I was open to more information. "There's more I thought."

He gave me a copy of Learned Optimism also by Seligman and The 7 Habits of Highloy Effective People by Dr. Covey.

When I finished those he loaned me a few more. My whole attitude had changed from negative to positive. In fact, I no longer refer to positive mind books as "feel good books" in a negative way anymore. Of course they are "feel good books." And when are we at out best, when we feel good or when we feel lousy?

Having been sad and negative for a long time and gone to happy and positive, I can tell you that lif is a lot better when you feel good, happy and positive then by being negative, sad and feeling lousy.

I highly recommend this great book by Dr. Seligman. Perhaps like me, you will find this the first of many books and also find you whole life changed for the better as a result.

Thank you Dr. Seligman! ... Read more

Book Description

Bullying at School is the definitive book on bully/victim problems in school and on effective ways of counteracting and preventing such problems. On the basis of the author's large-scale studies and other research, it is known that bullying is a serious problem in all societies that have been studied so far, and that more than 15 percent of the school population in primary and secondary/junior high schools are involved, either as bullies or victims.The facts about bullying, its causes and consequences, are presented in clear and straightforward language. The book is a milestone in the study of bullying at school in that it offers a scientifically evaluated intervention program. The results of this extensive research are remarkable:a reduction of bully/victim problems by 50 percent or morea considerable drop in antisocial behavior such as vandalism, theft, drunkenness, and truancyclear improvements in the "social climate" of the classroom and student satisfaction with school life.The book gives practical advice to school principals, teachers, and parents on how to implement a "whole school approach to bullying," and contains a valuable guide to help teachers and parents recognize if a child is being victimized or bullies others. Bullying at School is essential reading for all who are involved with children and young people. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good data but needs more specific examples
I was elected to my local board of education and we recently received a credible complaint from a parent that harassment of her son was being overlooked by school administrators. Accordingly, I felt obliged to read up on the issue of bullying. This book sets forth both the problem and the recommended solutions. Prof. Olweus is Norwegian and his studies primarily involve Scandinavian schools. Accordingly, questions came to my mind such as "Is Norway a more homogenious society than the United States? If so, are there any differences in both the problem and the solutions in a more ethnically heterogeneous society?" I don't know the answers but, the reader should keep these issues in mind when reading this book.

Prof. Olweus describes the problem and he sets forth well organized solutions to the problem which require involvement of teachers, administrators and parents, and further require communication with all students, even those who are neither bullies nor victims. The one problem I have with the book is that there are very few case histories and specific examples given. The book proposes solutions but does not provide a case history in which the specific solution was successfully applied to the problem at hand. Reliable data and sound recommendations are important but a few specific examples of how these recommendations worked would be helpful. For example, Olweus recommends that parents of a bully apply sanctions if the bullying behavior does not improve. He states, "The consequence should be associated with some degree of discomfort or unpleasantness, but corporal punishment must not be used." OK, fine; but what are specific examples of "discomfor or unpleasantness?" Where are the case histories giving examples? Without these, the book does not provide as fulfilling reading as it otherwise might. This book is well worth reading and I recommend it with the reservations expressed above.

This book is the foundation of modern bullying prevention!
This clear, brief, and practical book is based on extensive research and outlines an intervention to prevent bullying. Dr. Olweus's work has become the standard approach to bullying prevention, reflected in such programs as the University of Colorado "Blueprints for Violence Prevention" project ... As a counselor and trainer specializing in bullying prevention, I find this book indispensable, and recommend it highly. ... Read more

Book Description

Clearly written and user-friendly, this comprehensive book defines learning and shows how the learning process is studied. It places learning in an historical perspective, and provides appreciation for the figures and theories that have shaped 100 years of learning theory research.It presents essential features of the major theories of learning in the words of the theorists, introducing readers to the pioneering work of E.L. Thorndike, Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, Clark Hull, Edwin Guthrie, William Estes, the Gestalt psychologists, Jean Piaget, E.C. Tolman, Albert Bandura, Donald Hebb, and Robert Bolles; and examines some of the relationships between learning theory and educational practices.An excellent reference work for those involved in education and learning. ... Read more