Book Description

The dean of American philosophers shares his views on methods of training students to think well. His considerations include inductive and deductive logic, interpreting facts, concrete and abstract thinking, the roles of activity, language, and observation, and many other aspects of thought training. This volume is essential reading for teachers and other education professionals.
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Reviews (2)

Better the second time around.
I had never heard of John Dewey until I took a philosophy class. When I first received the book, I read through it relatively fast. Much of the material went over my head. However, on the second reading it was as if the pages were illuminated. In this book, Mr. Dewey gives his opinion on how we humans learn. It takes every day simple actions, breakes them up into their smallest unit and discusses why we did it that way.

What have I gained from this book? Everytime I do something, I attempt to break it down into its simples being, and determining how this breakdown fosters greater intelligence within myself.

As a text book or a book one wants to learn something from, I give it five stars. For just general reading it will garner 1/2 of a star.

Basic ideas to develop your thinking skills

It is very good to see this book appearing in new editions. This is a classic book about thinking. Dewey studies thought from the psychological and philosophical points of view and derives practical ideas for education.

Reading this book, I was surprised to see the applicability of its contents to my main activity field, which is business management. Today's main effort in business research is toward innovation and learning. Thus, thinking skill is probably the most important resource of any organization.

Dewey's view of thinking is surprisingly consistent and as fresh as any of the new management theories. Just to mention one aspect, he warns about the confusion of mental analysis (looking for the general aspects of an object) with physical analysis (dissection into parts), which leads to study living objects as if they were dead. This is the essence of systems thinking, which is so fashionable today!

The ideas Dewey presents about education are very useful for today's business environment. Business leaders, consultants and scholars should look carefully at his advices! His study of work and play is a great lesson of wisdom.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone seriosly aiming at world class business performance. ... Read more

Book Description

Thisbook was written to give teachers and students a better and morecomprehensive critical thinking book; one that presents aninterdisciplinary, systematic, practical, and friendly approach tothinking—a valuable skill that can enlarge the readers/students' ability tothink through life.The Second Edition reflects theanalyses, ideas, and support of the teachers, reviewers, editors, and studentswho contributed their feedback. ... Read more

Book Description

According to Richard Shavelson, the goal of any good statistics book is for readers not only to learn the meaning of statistical concepts but also to be able to use these concepts to solve problems. This new, revised edition of Statistical Reasoning is written with a two-pronged objective: conceptual and procedural knowledge of statistics. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Different Line of Tack
I first read Rollo May's _Love and Will_ about 30 years ago and the wisdom of his writing has stayed with me since. May wrote before the time that "self help" became a heading on the shelves of a bookstore, in a time when analytical psychotherapy was still popular. Bearing that in mind, the reader will find that what May had to say then is all too true today. Whereas in the past love and will solved the problems of relationship to others, they have now become the problem. In our schizoid world real communication is rare. (The reader might think that May wrote after the advent of the personal computer.)

Now, there are a couple of reasons why I do not offer May's final analysis of the problem. One is that with the advent of "self help" we have shifted from an analytical to a behavioral form of psychotherapy. More than one writer says just do these ten things and you will be happy. The second reason is that the reader might miss May's concept of the daimonic. In it's simplest terms, it means that a person has to have something going on in his/her life.

Read the book. Learn the lesson. Set your own course of actions.

a psychological must-read
Find out here why love and will are so psychologically intertwined....and why a dearth in one means a dearth of the other. In a culture in which deterministic explanations and excuse-making have largely replaced a recognition of personal responsibility and the power of the will, it's no wonder love itself is impoverished. May also offers alternatives to this state of affairs. An excellent book.

May's magnum opus
LOVE AND WILL is probably Rollo May's best book, his magnum opus. It was published in 1969, when May--by then one of the most prominent psychologists on the American scene--was sixty-years old. And, despite its intelligence and psychological sophistication, it became a best-seller. Central to this praiseworthy work are chapters 5 & 6, in which Dr. May introduces (presaging James Hillman) his radical concept of "the daimonic." Any person concerned with the so-called senseless violence so prevalent at the close of the millennium would do well to have a look at these stunning, seminal chapters. Also of interest, especially to psychotherapists, is May's erudite discussion of "intentionality" a little later on. Though May's treatment of some subjects might be slightly dated, there is much here to be strongly recommended, especially for students and other readers who appreciate substantial books such as Ernest Becker's THE DENIAL OF DEATH.

Anyone wishing to truly comprehend love must read this book!
Simply stated, this is the most intelligent book I have ever read. Rollo May goes to extrordinary lengths to dissect the misunderstood concept of love. He traces love from the Greeks to modern day. Each page challenges the reader to rethink his/her superficial understanding of love. The author's case studies from his own psychoanalytic practice provide relevant examples of how the values of modern society have reduced love to a physical act of gratification. Anyone interested in improving themselves as a human being must read this very challenging and thought provoking book.

Not just another book trying to help us help ourselves
Rollo May merges psychology with philosophy to put contemporary views on love, sex and happiness in perspective. With insight that draws upon centuries of great thinkers, May points out some subtle paradoxes that being in love creates. He examines how our intentions often have to be redirected in order to get what we desire, and by that time, we forget what it was that we were after. Love and Will is no self-help book with fluffy answers or advice. It is an attempt to reconcile our emotions with our actions, ambitious as it is illuminating ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Oversteer
A great book; a keystone of my management science bookshelf that continues to influence my day-to-day thinking 4 years after the first read.

This book goes well beyond a mere summary of Dorner's research. His work investigates the fundamental flaw in human behavior that drives us over and over again to make the wrong decisions: oversteer.

If you have only 30 minutes, order this book and read just the chapter on Chernobyl-- the only intelligent analysis of the disaster I have ever encountered. Chilling.

Essential Reading for Business and Govt Leaders
Wow - a superb analysis of why we fail even when doing things right! The lessons contained herein are invaluable to every professional, and more so for those who are in critical decision making and leadership roles. The fallacy of our thinking is something we dont like to admit or understand, this book reveals the pitfalls of the same. You will need some guts to read and understand this book since it will uncover flaws that you will probably hate to admit.
In some places the translation could have been better, however that should not prevent anyone from reading this book. I suggest "Dont just read - but grasp the lessons." It may take more than one reading to get a better understanding, but that investment of time will be well worth the effort. Equally important - reflect on what you read as you try to assimilate the material discussed.

Wow! Bloody brilliant!
In clear language citing specific studies and without dogma, Dietrich Dorner, et al, shows why we make the wrong decisions and why, sometimes, we make the right ones. It does not have "An Answer" or even a simple set of rules to follow: different situations call for different responses, and The Logic of Failure clearly explains that.

What makes people poor problem solvers?
Dietrich Dörner is an authority on cognitive behavior and a psychology professor at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His research shows that our habits as problem solvers are typically counterproductive.

Probably our main shortcoming is that we like to oversimplify problems. Dörner offers a long list of self-defeating behaviors, but common to all of them is our reluctance to see any problem is part of a whole system of interacting factors. Any problem is much more complex than we like to believe. And failure doesn't have to come from incompetence. The operators of the Chernobyl reactor, as Dörner points out, were "experts." And as experts, they ignored safety standards because they "knew what they were doing."

Dörner identifies four habits of mind and characteristics of thought that account for the frequency of our failures:
1. The slowness of our thinking-We streamline the process of problem solving to save time and energy.
2. Our wish to feel confident and competent in our problem solving abilities-We try to repeat past successes.
3. Our inability to absorb quickly and retain large amounts of information-We prefer unmoving mental models, which cannot capture a dynamic, ever-changing process.
4. Our tendency to focus on immediately pressing problems-We ignore the problems our solutions will create.

Successful problem solving is so complex that there are no hard-and-fast rules that work all the time. The best take-away from the book (and this is my favorite quote): "An individual's reality model can be right or wrong, complete or incomplete. As a rule it will be both incomplete and wrong, and one would do well to keep that probability in mind." The book is 199 easy-to-read pages, and Dörner gives lots of interesting examples from lab tests illustrating people's actual behavior in problem-solving situations.

It's a thought-provoking book for anyone whose job is to tackle complex problems. In one way or another that includes anyone in just about any profession.

Perfect for managers
In the Logic of Failure, Dietrich Dorner lays out the root causes of decision-making failures in a straightforward, easy-to-read, and even entertaining manner. Dorner covers the psychological and emotional failings that occur when individuals are faced with a myriad of complex systems. Anyone who has been bitten by the law of unintended consequences will see a bit of himself in the pages as Dorner helps one envision the inherent inadequacies that prevent people from predicting and preparing for what becomes painfully obvious in hindsight. Although a bit short on what to do in order to permanently correct the problems identified, simply bringing the pitfalls to light will go a long way to alleviate the problem. This is a must read for managers and strategic planners......perhaps even on an annual basis. ... Read more

Book Description

Finally women can talk about what they used to only dream about....

Forbidden Flowers is Nancy Friday's second collection of sexual fantasies -- and it's even more explicit and outspoken than her original erotic masterpiece, My Secret Garden. The constant refrain from the legions of women across America who read My Secret Garden was, "Thank God I'm not the only one..." who had those wild, exciting erotic thoughts. With Forbidden Flowers, these women can yet again experience the exhilarating freedom that comes with the awareness and acceptance of their sexual selves. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Wonderfully Hot
Let's face it. For most of us, the intellectual aspect of this book and all of Nancy Friday's books on sexual fantasies is not why we read these books. They turn us on. If someone catches us reading them, we can use the excuse that we are interested in social scientific questions about women (and men) and how they think. I think that if not for the social scientific discussions, this book might have been banned in 1973.

The book tries to cover all areas of women's sexual fantasies, so it stands to reason that some parts will squick some readers. I think that it's best not to read it all in one sitting; it will eventually get boring and repetitive. A chapter or two at a time for the first sitting is best. Of course, one will develop a few favorites among all the fantasies, and read them over and over again. I have, but I'm not going to tell which ones. :-)

Men should read this book as well. They're bound to find it as stimulating as women, and it should help them understand women better.

Would Make A Playboy Blush
Nancy Friday asked women from around the world to send in their sexual experiences and fantasies. The result was some of the most provocative reading ever published. If you embarrass easily, this book is not for you. Just about every sexual taboo is mentioned in this book and in great detail. But beyond the fantasies and experiences of these women, are the comments and observations of Nancy Friday herself. This book can be an awakening for any man or woman. An awakening in that, if you have had a certain type of fantasy or experience and feel that you are the only person in the world who has had such, you may learn of others who have had similar ones. Or you may be awakened to fantasies you have never thought of, but after reading the book, find yourself thinking about them, or desiring to do them. I have owned a number of copies of this revealing book only to have different individuals borrow them and never return them. I recall once when I was in a snack bar reading the book, some women noticed it and inquired about its contents. I told them what the book was about and they said, it's very good on my part to be interested in what women think about. They then wanted to read a page, just to see what it was all about. But they didn't end up reading only one page. They kept on reading and reading and reading. I finally had to ask for the book in order to get it back, and half of them were blushing. This isn't a porn book by any means, then again no porn book is even in this ones league!!! For various reasons, I don't own an edition of this book now, but, one reason I don't is that if I did, I know it would only be a short time before someone would want to borrow it, and I'd never see it again. If you enjoy reading about women's real sexual fantasies and experiences, you will want this book.

Don't bother
"My Secret Garden" was far better. Some of the stories read far more like male fantasies of what "dirty girl" fantasies might be. Somehow, this book just left me cold & bored.

Very Disappointing
The basic idea of this book is a good one, that women's sexual fantasies are healthy and normal and something to enjoy. I bought this book hoping to be aroused but was mostly just bored with it. It is just a collection of letters from women who read the first book, My Secret Garden, and are sending in their fantasy for this book. That is fine but each letter is in its entirety and are all basically the same. Example: Dear Nancy, your book changed my life and was great, bla,bla,bla. Next paragraph, let me tell you about myself,(boring) bla,bla,bla. Next paragraph, let me tell you about my fantasy (finally!), then some mostly so-so fantasies (although a few were good) and then another letter--the same thing. Also commentary by Nancy Friday before each chapter and after some letters.(dull and uninteresting to me) Just write some hot fantasies or erotic stories for pure enjoyment!

What every man should know about women
This book is one of the absolute musts for anyone man interested in being a better and more in touch lover. The perspectives it provides are not only informative but stimulate and help to refine the readers sexual fantasies and sexual self concept. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique book capitalizes on a successful approach of using definitional formulas to emphasize concepts of statistics, rather than rote memorization. This conceptual approach constantly reminds readers of the logic behind what they are learning. Procedures are taught verbally, numerically, and visually, which appeals to a variety of users with different learning styles. Focusing on understanding, the book emphasizes the intuitive, de-emphasizes the mathematical, and explains everything in clear, simple language—with a large number of practice problems. For those trying to master statistics, as well as reading and understanding research articles.

Book Description

This book is about the inner sources of spontaneous creation. It is about where art in the widest sense comes from. It is about why we create and what we learn when we do. It is about the flow of unhindered creative energy: the joy of making art in all its varied forms.

Free Play is directed toward people in any field who want to contact, honor, and strengthen their own creative powers. It integrates material from a wide variety of sources among the arts, sciences, and spiritual traditions of humanity. Filled with unusual quotes, amusing and illuminating anecdotes, and original metaphors, it reveals how inspiration arises within us, how that inspiration may be blocked, derailed or obscured by certain unavoidable facts of life, and how finally it can be liberated - how we can be liberated - to speak or sing, write or paint, dance or play, with our own authentic voice.

The whole enterprise of improvisation in life and art, of recovering free play and awakening creativity, is about being true to ourselves and our visions. It brings us into direct, active contact with boundless creative energies that we may not even know we had. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

It blows my mind!
thankyou to mr. nachmanovitch. i treasure this book a great deal. it is one of those books you could read over and over, and each time learn something new or gain a new insight into "something", there are so many topics covered.
i would only read a chapter at a time of this book. i think it is very intensely packed with information, and you must let material sink inside you. to scan the book in a day or two will not do it justice. i enjoyed carrying around with me a chapter for a day, or week for that matter, before advancing to the next chapter. the best way to use this book is to take the things to heart, not just to read them, but put them into action.
i constantly would have to rest the book on my lap, gaze up through my ceiling and just kinda let my mind wander. his use of language is extremely clear and imaginative. i would even get goose bumps after certain paragraphs, especially when he talked about the audience and the performers melting into a cohesive organism.
i am still learning from this book, and i always will. i deeply recommend it to any musician, anyone who loves creativity, or anyone who would just like to know what the heck any of this stuff means. great for the professional or amatuer, musician or not.

A Book For Everyone
Excellent!! It is a book to read many times. Short but deep into what creativity and improvisation really are.

It clearly explains what Creativity is and how to unlock the inner obstructions we have to be more creative in any field we would like to perform.

Do you have a passion? forget about everything, if you can unlock your creativity you will reach a state which is unknown to many.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, no matter what they do.

Deep and satisfying
A feel for the deep insides of creativity, no matter what path you walk in life. Life can be lived as art, and this book shows you how. Every page a blessing.

Passion Unveiled
Reading Free Play is a journey; and as such, it is not an easy one. That is its most enduring reward. When a good friend gave me the book to read in 1993, I doubted what I could possibly gain from it, since I considered myself hopelessly awkward compared to her. Through such a toxic prism, I couldn't make any sense of the book, much less embrace it. It read like one big abstraction, with no relevance to me or my life. After a month of fitful starts and stops, I returned the book to my friend in frustration.

Something about it, though, made me buy my own copy in 1998. I started taking voice lessons for singing early last year, and am preparing for a major performance next week. Two weeks ago, I decided to take another stab at reading Free Play. In doing so, I found my key to appreciating the book, and relishing all it has to offer, from beginning to end. Although Nachmanovitch is a musician, he beautifully expands the idea of Improvisation to include any medium through which we express ourselves, and live.

Some friendly advice: When sitting down to read this book, get rid of all negative thoughts and judgments about yourself. While reading it, think of all the things in life you love to do, regardless of how well you or others think you do them. Whoever you are, and whatever you do, this book will help you discover what creativity is, where it comes from, how we block it, and how we can make it sizzle. If you stick with Free Play, you will get to know what's possible when you conquer fear and self-doubt just long enough to do what you love, for its own sake and on your own terms. Stephen Nachmanovitch has written a labor of love, and encourages us to see and live our lives this way. For that, Free Play is a true classic.

Excellent Overview of a Fascinating Subject
I am currently using sections from this book to teach a course in creativity. It is a superb overview of the subject; both motivational and rich in anecdote about the creative process of high-level artists and scientists. Great for breaking through any blocks you may have and extremely well written as well. ... Read more

Book Description

For teachers, counselors and parents, this comprehensive new resource is filled with up-to-date information and practical strategies to help kids with attention deficits learn to control and change their own behaviors and build the academic, social, and personal skills necessary for success in school and in life. The Kit first explains ADD/ADHD behavior, its biological bases and basic characteristics and describes procedures used for diagnosis and various treatment options. It then details a proven set of training exercises and programs in which teachers, counselors and parents work together to monitor and manage the child's behavior to achieve the desired results. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Practical Guide
As the wife of a husband with ADHD and mother of a son with ADHD, I have struggled for years like many other reviewers to do what is right for "my boys". I find this book to be very practical, but I think the key point that all books on ADHD need to make is that each person with ADHD is an individual with unique talents and gifts, and we need to view these in a positive light. Anyone who has struggled with this needs to read a book called GIFTED by Kirk Martin. It's actually a novel about a young man with ADD who comes to understand that the "disorder" parents and teachers had considered negative all his life actually turns out to be a gift. I think you can read a summary at kirkmartinbooks.com, it presents an entirely new way to view the ones you love.

Finally....answers to my questions!!
If you have an ADD child, order this book NOW!! How do you teach a child that cannot sit still to save her life? How do you teach a child to concentrate? How do you reach a child whose brain is so disorganized she can't remember what you've just said to her? This book actually gives you the answers. Dr. Flick actually tells us HOW TO REACH (and teach!) ADD children. The book contains surveys, checklists, charts, and worksheets to help us help ourselves. This book is the "meat in the sandwich". I highly recommend it!!

This is THE source for information on ADHD
This book has got it all. I was very impressed with the comprehensive nature of the book and in fact refer to it all the time. I like the positive behavioral supports it offers as I am often called upon to help with these students (I am a school social worker). I am considering doing a parent workshop on ADHD and will definately use this as my guide.

If you are a parent of an ADHD child I recommend this as well as any Russell A. Barkley book.

I would like to see a revised edition which includes information about the new medication, Concerta.

This is the most comprehensive ADHD resource out there! Worth every penny!

Superb, practical behavior manual for parents and teachers
This book should be extremely useful to parents and teachers who deal with children and teens with AD/HD. It gives firm but compassionate guidelines on how to help create positive behavioral change.

It gives specific, step-by-step insturctions on how to facilitate behavioral change. Although the book contains a number of useful checklists and rating scales, the author does not fall into the trap of "checklist rigidity." He uses these checklists flexibly within the context of a rich understanding of the child and his environment.

I enjoyed his sections on how to phrase commands in an assertive, not aggressive manner. The parent or teacher is invited to rewrite some of his or her commands in a different style. The author enlisted the help of child psychiatrists in writing the section on medications. Thus, the medication chapter is more accurate and comprehensive one finds in many books.

He gives lists of age-appropriate, non-food(thank goodness!)reinforcers to help reward elementary, milld and high school-aged students. The Appendix on neuropsychological reports gives an overview that would help a parent understand how testing is done and how the results might look.

I plan to use this book a lot! Carol E. Watkins, M.D.

excellent documentation and practical guide at the same time
This is a comprehensive and excellent guide on ADD/ADHD for parents, teachers and professionals. The first part presents an update of the scientific knowledge on ADHD and its neurological roots, along with a detailed review of the diagnosis methods (neuropsych testing), the other disorders that go along with ADHD, and the different treatment options including but not limited to medications. The second part is a practical guide explaining step-by-step how to deal with typical behaviors, how to reinforce good behaviors and eliminate wrong ones. Dr. Flick shares his long experience as a practicionner with ADHD children. As the parent of an ADHD child, this book really helped me understand and do the right things. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Edwin Hutchins combines his background as an anthropologist and an open ocean racing sailor and navigator in this account of how anthropological methods can be combined with cognitive theory to produce a new reading of cognitive science. His theoretical insights are grounded in an extended analysis of ship navigation - its computational basis, its historical roots, its social organization, and the details of its implementation in actual practice aboard large ships. The result is an unusual interdisciplinary approach to cognition in culturally constituted activities outside the laboratory - "in the wild." Hutchins examines a set of phenomena that have fallen in the cracks between the established disciplines of psychology and anthropology, bringing to light a new set of relationships between culture and cognition. The standard view is that culture affects the cognition of individuals. Hutchins argues instead that cultural activity systems have cognitive properties of their own that are different from the cognitive properties of the individuals who participate in them. Each action for bringing a large naval vessel into port, for example, is informed by culture: the navigation team can be seen as a cognitive and computational system. Introducing Navy life and work on the bridge, Hutchins makes a clear distinction between the cognitive properties of an individual and the cognitive properties of a system. In striking contrast to the usual laboratory tasks of research in cognitive science, he applies the principal metaphor of cognitive science - cognition as computation (adopting David Marr's paradigm) - to the navigation task. After comparing modern Western navigation with the method practiced in Micronesia, Hutchins explores the computational and cognitive properties of systems that are larger than an individual. He then turns to an analysis of learning or change in the organization of cognitive systems at several scales. Hutchins's conclusion illustrates the costs of ignoring the cultural nature of cognition, pointing to the ways in which contemporary cognitive science can be transformed by new meanings and interpretations. A Bradford Book ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fresh and valuable approach
I decided to read that book because of its frequent appearance in other highly interesting scriptures on 'situated cognition', most notably in Andy Clark's "Being There".

It's a book about the cognitive task of ship navigation, but at the same time it's a book about distributed cognition in general, including organisational learning, the question of representation, and other highly relevant topics.

The field of cognitive science is still a place of almost religious debate about turing machines, problem solvers, representation, intelligence and other theoretical concepts that have in common that they can be discussed, but usually not observed directly. One could easily gain the impression that there was some kind of uncertainty principle special to cognitive science that prevented us from watching "the mind".

It's the biggest strength and achievement of Hutchins' book that he came up with the elegant solution to watch "the mind" by observing humans deal with problems using the cognitive tools (systems of representation and 'real' tools as well) that have developed over the centuries. It's almost ironic to see how well this works. By providing further evidence that cognition is generally a distributed task that is done by interacting with cognitive tools, Hutchins proves to be a philosopher in the Wittgensteinian sense who "shows the fly the way from the fly bottle (of mentalism)."

Mindblowing!
In early 1997, this book helped change the course of my career.

I study software engineering processes, especially software quality assurance techniques. I'd been troubled by the linear, cartesian reasoning we use in our field to justify some practices and deprecate others. What Hutchins did for me is open the door to a whole different way of thinking about cognitive processes in relation to technology. Up to the moment I was drawn to the interesting title on the shelf of a Barnes and Noble bookstore, I had only a vague idea that there are people who study how other people think and make decisions. Since then, I've discovered interesting ideas about how to organize and train software testers from lots of different fields. But it all started with Cognition in the Wild.

What's so special about Cognition in the Wild? I think there are a few factors at work:

- Hutchins style of writing is personable and readable.

- His conclusions are supported by vivid and detailed accounts from the bridge of a warship. I felt like I was there, with him.

- His ideas about naturally situated cognition are so immediately applicable to any system where a group of people are producing an intellectual product.

- His description of the paradigmatic differences between Western and Micronesian navigation practice helped me make sense of similar fundamental differences among factions in my own field.

Since I discovered this stuff, I've oriented my SQA process work squarely toward helping people think better in groups-- a social cognition focus. ... Read more

Book Description

How do the arts stack up as a major discipline? What is their effect on the brain, learning, and human development? How might schools best implement and assess an arts program?? Eric Jensen answers these questions C and more C in this book. To push for higher standards of learning, many policymakers are eliminating arts programs. To Jensen, that's a mistake.

This book presents the definitive case, based on what we know about the brain and learning, for making arts a core part of the basic curriculum and thoughtfully integrating them into every subject. Separate chapters address musical, visual, and kinesthetic arts in ways that reveal their influence on learning.

What are the effects of a fully implemented arts program? The evidence points to the following:

$ Fewer dropouts $ Higher attendance$ Better team players$ An increased love of learning $ Greater student dignity $ Enhanced creativity $ A more prepared citizen for the workplace of tomorrow $ Greater cultural awareness as a bonus

To Jensen, it's not a matter of choosing, say, the musical arts over the kinesthetic. Rather, ask what kind of art makes sense for what purposes. How much time per day? What kind of music? Should the arts be required? How do we assess arts programs? In answering these real-world questions, Jensen provides dozens of practical, detailed suggestions for incorporating the arts into every classroom. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Quite valuable despite a bit of tilting at windmills
Smith, a cognitive psychologist, presents an informal interpretation of two disparate perspectives on human learning. On one extreme he presents the "classical view" in which learning is the natural, implicit, and unconscious byproduct of social contexts. On the other extreme he presents the "official theory" of learning that assumes learning is the result of effort, structure, repetition, and discipline.

This type of dichotomizing, while quite useful in highlighting the distinctions Smith is making, does tend to oversimplify the issues. In this case, he demonizes the official theory while divinizing the classical view. As a result, his tone of voice is a bit extreme, his conclusions faulty, and his suggestions for educational reform unrealistic.

Then why give this slim volume a four star rating? Educators need to be continually reminded, as they are here, that learning is not about recall of facts, but about the restructuring of the students' long-term memory. Long-term memory is arranged semantically. This means that new concepts must build on old ones in some kind of meaningful way. The catch for the educator is that the student is the one who gets to decide what is meaningful.

Education is not about recitation of facts, completion of tests, or skill development. Education is about connecting the student to meaningful content in a way that builds on the innate capacity to learn. It is not taught until the student owns it. Because Smith will settle for nothing less than this, I recommend the book.

Short, concise book on the right and wrong of learning
This excellent book on learning reemphasizes the mistakes that are being made as far as teaching children (and actually adults). In educational departments in universities, too often more importance is placed on rote learning and not on helping learning to be an enjoyable experience. I am afraid too many teachers are being churned out that feel the pressure to produce for standardized testing, without realizing that learning this same information can happen in such a way as to make it enjoyable, make sense, and be remembered for a lifetime. At this time, too many times students remember for only short-term recall, and then promptly lose the knowledge after the test. Learning is a continual and lifetime process, and Frank Smith reiterates the mistakes that teaching in the U.S. is making in emphasizing the wrong way to learn.

The information Smith gives is vitally important, and he makes several very quotable statements concerning learning and memory which I have used (citing him) in papers. The book is almost too short, and not as readable as I would have liked it. Nevertheless this is an absolute must read for educators, and for would-be teachers prior to entering their teaching jobs. It is also important for those going into educational research and educational testing to be aware of. We can and should expect children to learn, but we definitely are not approaching it the right way. This book can provide plenty of topics for discussions in education departments across the country. Testing should not be the ends, but rather the ability to learn over a lifetime and the ability to continue this process from indirect sources once out of the school system. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Ammunition for the battle to restructure education
Frank Smith has given educators substantial arguments for resurrecting the need for change debate. Smith goes underneath the surface and exposes the governing ideas that shaped western learning environments. He nicely explains how the influence of the triple whammy of military, behaviorism, and testing all contributed to making the monolithic educational machine more blind and resistant to natural learning. I love the way he ties the forgetting into the equation, and forces us to reflect on our methodologies and goals. In essence, learning according to the "official" system simply is a matter of compliance for the students, and control for the teachers. This is good material for those teaching overseas.

I like the way he addressed how teachers may focus on measuring what is not learned and may fail to see what is actually learned. Instead of finding fault with the student, he comments on the deficiency of the institutionalized "official" policy that goes unquestioned. Simply marvelous. Smith includes objections to his ideas and answers them in a fair manner. The book is easy to read, nicely dotted with interesting educational insights, and does a superb job in contrasting the official view with the classical view of learning. His ideas are no nonsense and resonate with any teacher and student. While his analysis is quite helpful, his simple three step solution was too simple for me. Smith proposes we be more understanding, honest, and I wish he would have given more examples or data that demonstrate how the changes have affected other teachers and systems. I also wish he would have said more about rewarding the self-directed learner.

I found chapter 10 on online education to be a bit alarmist as he portrays the popular notion that technology may end up replacing teachers. I believe, however, that good teachers will always be needed and that good teachers know how to incorporate technology into their learning plans and not be threatened by it. Still, he has a valid point about cognitive science or educational programmers being the new gatekeepers of information. Definitely worth the money. I am recommending it to all of my colleagues as a professional reading group discussion book. Thank you, Dr. Smith.

Excellent read for students, parents, teachers and coaches.
I read this book as part of a graduate teaching class assignment. It was my first introduction to the works of Frank Smith and I must admit it is quite stimulating and thought-provoking. For those of us who have been trained that "memorization" is the key to academic success, this book will open your eyes to a different world of learning power. I would highly recommend it to all students, teachers, parents and coaches...anyone who wants to understand how they can improve their learning skills and teach others to do the same.

Engaging content -- helps you rethink your teaching methods
This book is an easy read -- but filled with engaging content that helps you rethink your teaching methodology. Frank Smith stresses that students learn what is modeled, not just content. He occasionally reassures us not to memorize the book's content, but to read with interest. Do we take away that interest from our students by making them memorize information?

Frank Smith talks about how we build up our own identity by "interacting with the significant people in our lives." He talks about the "clubs" we belong to -- those communities of influential people (both formal and informal).

"Work experience and learning," should be recognized as a significant educational experience. Many times the greatest learning experiences do not come from classroom "sit time." What can we do as educators to effectively link our classrooms to the world of work?

You'll be so glad to read about correct and incorrect spellings of words stored in our memory -- sometimes we aren't able to sort them out. I thought it was just me -- I was glad to know I wasn't the only one!

I have always heard that once something is placed in long-term memory, it's always there. It's also nice to know that just because it's securely stored away, it's not always easy to access it. Frank Smith talks about creating a trail to that stored information. One thought triggers another and so on. That's why brainstorming is such an effective way of pulling together all those concepts so safely packed away in our heads.

Frank Smith goes into the militaristic history of the educational system, and explains why we do certain things -- and challenges educators to understand and change some of that tradition. The language includes "drills" and "batteries of tests," which "perfectly illustrates the insidious infiltration of militaristic thinking in education." Kind of scary, but very interesting and sad as well.

Frank Smith doesn't just point out frailties in o! ur educational system, he offers possible solutions. This book should be read with an open mind -- it is very stimulating indeed. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a lively, engaging style with many examples to illustrate complex concepts, this text helps readers to understand the influence of intercultural interactions in their own lives. It introduces students to disciplines, including cross-cultural psychology, intercultural communication, and international organizational behavior, that study culture's influence on human behavior. It covers a wide range of topics, such as schooling, work, gender, socialization of children, and health. This solid treatment of basic concepts applicable in the study of all behavior and social sciences lets students see that the study of culture and cultural differences is inherently connected to the other courses they will take throughout their college careers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brislin makes it easy
Understanding Culture's Influence (2nd edition) has been my "foundation" book for a college course entitled Diversity In the Workplace.

Dr. Brislin uses an easy to follow format which is loaded with excellent analogies, making complex topics understandable.

My only negative comment would be for the publisher.As this book is used as a text, the selection of print paper was poor.Highlighters bleed through from one page to the next which makes spotting important information difficult on review.

Excelent! Academic but Readable. Suitable as textbook.
Of the many good books on the subject of intercultural communication and psychology, this hits a good balance of readability and academic soundness.Lots of good illustrations.Great text for college interculturalcommunication courses. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An accessible introduction to the science of evolutionary psychology and how it explains many aspects of human nature. Unlike many books on the topic,which focus on abstractions like kin selection, this book focuses on Darwinian explanations of why we are the way we are--emotionally and morally. Wright deals particularly well with explaining the reasons for the stereotypical dynamics of the three big "S's:" sex, siblings, and society. ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Fascinating.
This is a fascinating discussion of evolutionary psychology: its concepts; its basis in both human experiments and animal research; and its implications. It is extremely well written: very readable, yet challenging. While the logical basis of evolutionary psychology seems compelling, the human experimental basis is not all that weighty, and I suspect some of the concepts may be dropped or modified. For example, it is hypothesized that self deception grew out of its value in making people more convincing liars; even if true, I doubt this is its only function. Wright distinguishes between the origin of an element of our psychology, and its current role, but is perhaps not sufficiently sensitive to this distinction. Wright devotes several chapters to Darwin's biography, using it to illustrate many of the concepts presented, and thereby annoying many readers. I found these chapters useful, but they are definitely not at the level of the rest of the book, probably oversimplify, and possibly are unfair in some instances. Finally, Wright's concept of determinism is very convincing - unless you have read Evolving the Mind: On the Nature of Matter and the Origin of Consciousness by Cairns-Smith, a very respected scientist, and one I can confidently bet Wright has not read.

One of the best introductions to Evolutionary Psychology
Though a few other books related to Evolutionary Psychology have been written since this, it is still one of the best introductions to the field. It is intelligently written, but not pendantic. Wright discusses many aspects of evolutionary psych. using many examples from the life of Charles Darwin.

Many have criticized this work as a justifying gender inequality, usually as related to male oppression and abuse of females. Wright openly states that he is attempting to explain human behavior from a Darwinian perspective. He argues that this perspective sheds much light on the subject, though he admits is isn't perfect or all inclusive. Wright closes with several behaviors that Evolutionary Psychology can not adequetly explain (most glaringly, homosexuality).

Though many women have been outraged by this work, this book has much to offer for both females and males who read it from a non-ideological perspective. I've read several interviews with Wright and other Evolutionary Psychologists who have stated that by understanding why we (all people) are naturally inclined to behave in certain ways are we better able to control behavioral tendencies that may be detrimental to ourselves and others. When read from this perspective, this book can only help men and women better undertand each other and improve relations between the sexes.

nasty and nice finally explained
For most of my life, I've been trying to understand the reasons behind why we animials behave the way we do.
This book has changed my life. After an extensive and enjoyable study of the text my new understanding on Evolutionary Psychology allows me to accurately conclude scientific explainions for my own emotions, including observed emotions of other animals.
Powerful, confronting and liberating.
Please read.

Mostly highs
Robert Wright is an exponent of the "evolutionary psychology" movement - that is, the notion that our civilization and its institutions, manners, laws, customs and religions are all a part of the evolutionary process. We are the sum of our genes but we are much more than that - the moral animal. We worry about what others think about us, about what we do, about right and wrong and evil and love and good and bad.

Wilson has made similar arguments in his excellent works and this book is a supporting cast member in the long drama of evolutionary science. The book is not technical but it is extremely interesting - discussing such concepts as male, female, sex, family, groups, altruism - all with a focused eye and calm, measured vocabulary. He looks at our reasons for doing what we do, why we like certain people and more importantly, why we dislike others and live life as we do.

One problem common to many books of this type is the almost worshipful homage to Darwin. His thoughts on many subjects are treated as Scripture at times and his life is studied for what he offers in other realms besides natural selection. While Darwin may have brought about a synthesis of scientific thought at the time, it is fair to say that technically he was surpassed long ago. In the end, this is a book about the qualities that make us human and different than other animals on Earth.

Fresh perspective on the complex origins of human nature
The author chooses Darwin to serve as an illustration of the principles of evolutionary psychology, developing a compelling biographical narrative and thereby broadening the appeal of his book. My only quibble is that the final chapters seemed unnecessarily defensive, as if the author imagined that the only readers that would hang on that long would be hecklers. ... Read more

Book Description

This text has been the market leader for more than 40 years. It continues its popularity due to its thorough updating of data, facts, and figures while retaining the basic focus on solid research findings through a sociological point of view. Designed to appeal to today's students, the 12th edition examines topics with relevance for today - cultural and social reactions to deviance; the growing interest in white-collar and corporate crime; and the importance of the Internet and computer communications in changing views on deviance in modern life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent for boards study
I used this book for my clinical neuro class and it was excellent! It even has some epidemiology and statistics. It's all I used to study for this subject on step 1!

Excellent book nothing could be better!
You really need this book for Usmle as well as med school.Indispensable A book you will refer to over and over again

Behavioral Science book you gotta have
Well, behavioral science is the most important yet difficult part to masterize in the USMLE step 1. That's why a great teacher ( at least they say so ) like B. Fadem thinking of all the world's students, wrote this book.
You cannot ask for more. Written in an enjoyable manner, with high yield facts, review questions on Each Chapter, and a final review exam, concepts definitely get into your hard disk ( or you will have to see your neurologist ). It's a masterpiece worth a place in your shelf, and of course, it's price is insignificant for what you will get.

A++ Great review the potpourri of Behavioral Science!
Great outline review of all the parts that fit under the rubric of 'Behavioral Science' according to the NBME. Prepared me well for the NBME exam, and was a good review tool for class exams in Psychiatry. Highly recommended! Fadem is a great teacher too! ... Read more

Book Description

Ideas about heredity and evolution are undergoing a revolutionary change. New findings in molecular biology challenge the gene-centered version of Darwinian theory according to which adaptation occurs only through natural selection of chance DNA variations. In Evolution in Four Dimensions, Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb argue that there is more to heredity than genes. They trace four "dimensions" in evolution -- four inheritance systems that play a role in evolution: genetic, epigenetic (or non-DNA cellular transmission of traits), behavioral, and symbolic (transmission through language and other forms of symbolic communication). These systems, they argue, can all provide variations on which natural selection can act. Evolution in Four Dimensions offers a richer, more complex view of evolution than the gene-based, one-dimensional view held by many today. The new synthesis advanced by Jablonka and Lamb makes clear that induced and acquired changes also play a role in evolution.

After discussing each of the four inheritance systems in detail, Jablonka and Lamb "put Humpty Dumpty together again" by showing how all of these systems interact. They consider how each may have originated and guided evolutionary history and they discuss the social and philosophical implications of the four-dimensional view of evolution. Each chapter ends with a dialogue in which the authors engage the contrarieties of the fictional (and skeptical) "I.M.," or Ifcha Mistabra -- Aramaic for "the opposite conjecture" -- refining their arguments against I.M.'s vigorous counterarguments. The lucid and accessible text is accompanied by artist-physician Anna Zeligowski's lively drawings, which humorously and effectively illustrate the authors' points. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

From the authors of Driven to Distraction--their bestselling study of Attention Deficit Disorder--here is a new book that answers the most frequently asked questions about ADD. The result is a "user's guide to the disorder presented in a question-and-answer format. Accessible, concise, and leavened with humor, Answers to Distraction is an indispensable volume for the estimated 15 million Americans with ADD, and for their families, friends, teachers, psychologists, and counselors. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The first book to be included in your ADHD library
Dr. Hallowell & Dr. Ratey have written two books that are considered the gold standard of material on the subject of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This book, and its predescessor Driven To Distraction, share equally in providing the basics about the disorder in children, and adults. The format is easy to read and gives people who are new to understanding the disorder an overview of what it feels like to be ADHD. The chapter on Anger, "The gemlike flame", will take you step by step on how the ADD mind processes an incident that results in frustration and temper outbursts. Only from working with hundreds of people could Hallowell & Ratey detail this information in such an understandable format. In fact, this is the book that allowed me to be diagnosed with ADHD as a 36 year old adult, even though I had been diagnosed "hyperactive" as a young child back in the seventies when it was assumed the disorder went away with the onset of puberty!

A Step in the Right Direction
This tape along with it's predecessor Driven To Distraction are must "reads". Like many others that are faced with the fact that they have ADHD or ADD, I too have difficulty getting through an entire book that is so full of information. But this audio version was a savior for me. I am a firm believer in books on tape and these ones helped me learn about myself so fully that it brought tears to my eyes (thankfully I wasn't driving at the time). I have two sons that have been diagnosed with ADD and have made marked improvement in school since we found out and started treating them. But these tapes helped me focus on the fact that I too suffer from the disorder and how it has channelled my life through the years. I would whole heartedly reccommend these tapes for anyone that has an interest in these disorders, from teachers to parents to sufferers like myself. Also the books by Russell A Barkley, he is a VERY thoughtful man that also has tapes available.

Great AD/HD Resource
This a great AD/HD resource. The book is written in a very ADD friendly Q & A format. This book will anser many commonly asked AD/HD related questions. Many of the questioned answered are ones that you may have always wanted to know but were afried to ask.

This a great book to add your AD/HD Library.

I'll show you my disease if you show me yours! Respond
That made me laugh. I have to ask do you believe in AIDS? Do you believe in cancer? Do you think people in wheel chairs can walk? If so way? Have you had any of them? Do you really know what they are like? How do you know they are real? How because science tells you and that same science also has done brain scans on people with AD/HD and has proven that it is real.

So I know people without ADD can have some traits of ADD like forgetting things, sure some people can be just like that but when you forget your own birthday, always lose your keys etc, never organised, can't concentrate for more then about 2 minutes, never on time for anything, poor sleeping habits, trouble learning what others find easy etc would you like me to go on?

If they sound like normal people to me god help us all.

Answers to Review
Please disregard the top statement about ADHD being a medical fad. Obviously, he/she has never gone through a day of having ADHD. If this ADHD thing is such a fad, as he/she claims, then explain why studies have shown that well over 50% of those diagnosed with ADHD report major improvements after medication. ADHD research is not perfect, but it has benefited way too many people in this world to pass it off as just an excuse to sell pills.

I guarantee that the reviewer would not be diagnosed with ADHD, as he/she suggests. Doctors go through a series of questioning, and you will only be diagnosed unless your symptoms go over a certain threshold. You don't just get labeled with ADHD because you're forgetful or sometimes hyper; you have to display a certain level of symptoms. In extreme cases, it's almost impossible to deny: blurting out comments for no apparent reason, complete inability to sit still, etc....

ADHD research is not perfect. But just because it doesn't work for you or your family does not mean it applies to everyone. I'm sorry that your child was misdiagnosed, but a lot of people are diagnosed and helped. But for those who want to find information, I have (and most psychologists I know) recommended "Driven to Distraction". It's pretty much the most basic book you can find on the subject. If you are one of the fairly small percentage of adults who are constantly frustrated by a brain malfunction that makes you feel stupid (even though you know you're not), then please at least do the research. It couldn't hurt you to arm yourself with more information. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Arguing them out of it.
Many depressed people have a negative self-image and are always expecting something bad to happen. Beck's theory is that this is the cause, rather than a result, of depression. The depressed make "depressogenic assumptions" and have to be shown that these are false. It sounds as if zealous Beckian therapists must spend a lot of time arguing with their patients.
"Cognitive Therapy of Depression" is an excellent book, obviouly written by a wise and experienced clinician. It reads as if directed at other professionals, and is full of sound advice to them.
Like other neo-Freudians (and I would classify him as a neo-Freudian) Beck recommends ignoring the patient's childhood memories. I suspect this is an effort to distinguish them from the orthodox Freudians. Sometimes it makes sense but in cases it is like "apart from that Mrs. Lincoln how did you enjoy the play?" (For example childhood bereavement is well-documented as associated with depression).
I thought Chapter 10 "Specific Techniques for Dealing with the Suicidal Patient" could have been improved or else the reader referred to a general psychiatry text. The authors seem undecided as to whether they are writing a comprehensive review of how to handle the suicidal or merely giving advice about the content of therapy sessions. Suicidal risk factors are covered in an incomplete way. Suicide hotlines are not mentioned.
Chapter 14 on "Technical Problems" could be read with profit by anyone who works with the depressed.
Chapter 17 "Cognitive Therapy and Anti-depressant Medications contains a wonderfully succinct and clear summary of the taxonomy and natural history of depression. (My copy want printed in 1979 but I did not think the information was outdated). It contains a frank and full list of the kind of patient who does NOT respond to cognitive therapy, which is basically the kind of patient psychotherapists avoid. (Alt