Book Description

With its strong theoretical focus, this book serves as an essential resource on the functional neuroimaging of cognitive processes and on the latest discoveries obtained through positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques. It is organized into three sections. The first covers the history and methods of PET and fMRI, as well as cognitive networks, showing how the brain regions involved in the different cognitive processes interact. The second part, the book's core, covers PET and fMRI findings in specific domains: attention, visual recognition, language, semantic memory, episodic memory, and working memory. The third part covers the effects of aging on brain activity during cognitive performance and also examines research with neuropsychologically impaired patients.

Contributors
Jeffrey Binder, Randy L. Buckner, Roberto Cabeza, Mark D'Esposito, Paul Downing, Russell Epstein, Karl J. Friston, John D. E. Gabrieli, Todd C. Handy, Joseph B. Hopfinger, Nancy Kanwisher, Zoe Kourtzi, Jessica M. Logan, George R. Mangun, Alex Martin, A. R. McIntosh, L. Nyberg, Cathy J. Price, Marcus E. Raichle. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent & comprehensive intro
This is an excellent book, focusing on fMRI and PET, that goes over in detail methodology and applications. The methodology sections includes details on the underlying physiology (it's more complicated than just blood flow and 02 extraction)and critiques the commonly used subtraction method, preferring instead event-evoked studies. Going beyond the simplistic concepts of areas "lighting up" being "for" this or that cognitive function, there is coverage of network analysis. The methodology is obviously still in an early evolutionary phase, and each chapter has closing section on controversies and future directions. The application sections cover neuroimaging of attention, visual recognition, semantic, episodic and working memory, and language. There is good critical review of the literature here, and there is no tendency towards oversimplification of conflicting results. There is also a chapter on cognitive aging that I found particularly informative, showing how the elderly utilize different neural networks than younger people to perform various cognitive tasks. The book is about 400 pages and includes 22 color plates. This is a very rich and rapidly evolving research area, and I think this is a great intro book for clinicians in neurology, psychology and psychiatry, as well as neuroradiology, to get an appreciation of what just a few years ago was a science fiction concept...taking pictures of the mind as it thinks. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

young children do learn a lot without an adult forcing them
How Children Learn
By John Holt

5 stars

Holt didn't have children of his own, and his first opinions of children and learning came from being a schoolteacher in an elite private school, where he taught math to 5th graders. He was exposed to younger children and babies who were friends and relatives, and began forming different opinions about learning, which he shares in this book. Holt is fascinated by the notion that children accomplish so much before formal schooling begins and realizes that the way school is set up goes directly in opposition to what is natural and has worked for these children up to the point they are sent off to school.

The beginning of the book covers the age ranges from birth up through age 3 to 5, that is, before children go to school. Holt talks about a certain type of important learning that takes place up until the time a child enrolls in school at which point the experience of schooling changes their personality. The book starts off with how children succeed in learning many important things and huge feats such as speaking and with proper grammar and pronunciation and walking without formal schooling and that children accomplish much learning without an adult being the facilitator of it. In general the style of writing is that Holt describes a situation and then gives his opinions of the learning experience. Sometimes Holt does little experiments such as introducing a toy or a non-toy (such as a typewriter) to young children to see how they react to it and what they do with it. Holt observes with delight and amazement, these young children who are friends and relatives (they are not his students or participants in a research projects). It is clear that Holt enjoys these young children and he respects them and relishes the time he spends with them.

This revised edition makes clear which text is original then what was added-which is new perspective as he had spent more time around children and his theories matured and changed a bit. Seeing the two perspectives clearly was very interesting and educational.

Regarding the discussions about babies and toddlers there are good observations here and I appreciate them. As a stay at home parent, I have already witnessed much of this (and more) and for some of the chapters I felt I wasn't learning anything I hadn't already witnessed with my own two eyes. However, readers who are childless will definitely learn much about how learning happens from infancy and up. I highly recommend that anyone interested in going into the profession of teaching read this book, or any current teacher who is childless. Holt gives the children much-deserved respect for their innate ability to learn and figure out the world around them.

Later chapters get more analytical as Holt integrates his own observation of schooled children (about grade 5 and below) and compares and contrasts with other educators, scientists and child psychologists. (It doesn't seem to me that Holt is analyzing preteens or teenagers.) Here is where Holt exercises his ability to write clearly and concisely drive home his point in a convincing manner.

Again and again Holt shows how a child to is forced to "learn" things (such as in public and most private schools) is actually having their personality changed in the process. The act of being forced to do things and to prove oneself over and over via testing and not being trusted by adults changes their personality. Holt feels the schooling procedures have negative consequences on all children; albeit some children are more negatively affected than others. The child can develop anxiety, mistrust, and fear of all adults not to mention self-esteem problems or just killing their curiosity or interest in learning.

Great quotes from other books on education and learning are included here with Holt's reactions. A short list of books on school reform is included. The summary alone is almost worth the price of the book.

For more specific information about what goes on in school and how children learn to play the school game and how forced teaching is not always effective, read Holt's "How Children Fail".

This would make a great gift for expectant parents, I feel it would point out to them that babies deserve a lot of respect for being able to figure out the world around them. This notion of being in awe of and respectful of children starting at birth is seldom written about...so many of us were under the misguided notion that an adult must be the one to force learning onto babies and children (me included until I birthed my babies and saw firsthand how smart they are).

An eye-opening look at intellectual life in early childhood
I discovered "How Children Learn" when my own children were already on their way to their teens. I wish I'd had it when they were born, or soon after. John Holt opens our eyes to the absolutely astonishing efficiency with which pre-school children learn so many things. And he does it without any of the language of "educationese," the gobbledygook that so often clutters books about educational issues and makes them opaque and unpleasant tasks to read. Everything he says is immediate, concrete, and down to earth, drawn from specific observations of particular children, working effectively to learn whatever interests them. This is a book that I regularly now give as a gift to my friends when they become parents for the first time. I know of no other that will fill THEM with wonder over the ensuing five years or so, as their children learn to come to grips with the world.

Parents MUST read this
There must be a thousand books out in the world for parents right now. How to do this or that with your baby/toddler/child, OR How to get your baby/toddler/child to do this or that. From pregnancy through college there is a guide for every problem, or perceived problem, that you may possibly have.

How Children Learn, though, is not a guide. It is simply a demonstration, through the journal of John Holt, that children are smart and know how to learn, from the moment they are born. He shows that by giving children the space and freedom they need to explore things that interest them, we allow them to develop thinking skills. We allow them to figure the world out, learn that things work in certain ways, and that the world is generally a predictable and benevolent place. Holt shows through his experiences that not only do we not need to force children to learn, or to teach them much, but that teaching (and especially coersion) are counterproductive to learning.

It would be impossible to explain in a short space the thinking behind How Children Learn. By sharing his experiences, Holt shows us about children, not educational philosophies or theories. Get this book and read it. It will change the way that you think about children and learning forever.

Must Read For Every Parent
This book is so true. If you're looking for guidance on how to begin to teach your children this is the place to start. This will put you on the right track!!!!

A must-read for all parents and educators
Anyone who works with children or is interested in education and psychology will enjoy John's interesting ideas. Most of this book is anecdotes about John's experience with different young children and his thoughts about how children learn in different areas that are based on those experiences. ... Read more

Book Description

This introductory statistics text presents a range of topics, from simple to sophisticated, in clear, logical language with relevant research examples that motivates students so they always understand why they are learning the material and its relationship to their further work in the field. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

stats for behavioral sciences
this book is better than the previous book for the course... this one explains things in better detail as if you are just learning the stuff rather than to assume you already know what the authors are talking about ... Read more

Book Description

This unique guide provides a systematic overview of the idea of architectural space.

Bryan Lawson provides an ideal introduction to the topic, breaking down the complex and abstract terms used by many design theoreticians when writing about architectural space. Instead, our everyday knowledge is reintroduced to the language of design. Design values of 'space' are challenged and informed to stimulate a new theoretical and practical approach to design.

This book views architectural and urban spaces as psychological, social and partly cultural phenomena. They accommodate, separate, structure, facilitate, heighten and even celebrate human spatial behaviour.

* Helps to reconnect your everyday implicit knowledge with your professional conceptual knowledge
* Gain a greater understanding of clients by questioning the values you commonly hold
* Promotes easier communication by taking the abstract idea of 'space' and placing it in real terms ... Read more

Book Description

Emphasizing research findings and basic concepts rather than theories, this book surveys the major areas in the psychology of learning from a consistent behaviorist (i.e., B.F. Skinner) point of view.Explores the continuities between human learning and the learning of other animals. The book organizes the phenomena of learning in a systematic way, moving from Behavior Without Learning (evolution) to Learning Without Words (basics in nonhuman behavior and learning) to Learning With Words (human learning and memory). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Using Learning in learning courses
I have used the Learning text by Charles A. Catania for many years now inundergraduate as well as graduate Principles of Learning courses.I findthe text an excellent source for teaching students the technicalterminology and basic learning principles, and exposing them to importantstudies in the field. The text is very clearly written and absolutelyinformative. The text includes many research studies that the learningstudent must be familiar with in a clear and comprehensive fashion.Thesestudies and their context are described very clearly, providing the readerwith an excellent exposure the basic findings and principles in the field. The glossary in the back of the book is tremendously helpful in developingan understanding of the terminology.This textbook is, in my opinion, anessential must have for any student in the field of Learning. ... Read more

Book Description

When faced with an important decision, we are often on our own to think through what we might do and what the probable consequences of out behaviors are. As we make these judgments, it is important that we be able to communicate precisely and fluently with one another. In Rational Choice in an Uncertain World, renowned authors Hastie and Dawes compare the basic principles of rationality with actual behavior in making decisions. They describe theories and research finding from the field of judgment and decision making in a non-technical manner, using anecdotes as a teaching device. Intended as an introductory textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, the material not only is of scholarly interest but is practical as well.

In this volume, you’ll find:

• New, student-friendly chapter introductions and conclusions
• Practical, everyday examples from the fields of finance, medicine, law and engineering
• Comprehensive, up-to-date information keeping pace with changing ideas within the field

Additional discussion of the descriptive, psychological models of decision making to expand upon the original emphasis on normative, rational, expected utility models 

Reviews (4)

An interesting read
I read this book as part of a college course on cognition. It was defintely the most interesting of the 3 books we read in this class.

The book effectively teaches you how to go about making well-thought-out decisions. The text in itself is easy to read and comprehend. There are also many apt examples, both abstract and from everyday life. This combination ensures a successful reading of this book.

While I would have probably never read this book if not for the class I took, I'm glad I did and would recommend this people from all walks of life. Being able to make a good, well-thought-out, rational decision is the best skill one can have.

Helps you understand decisions -- and life, too
The authors emphasize that decision-making is a skill that can be learned and improved. As I work with career changers, I have become convinced that most of us have not learned this skill, and most of us could benefit from a careful reading of this book.

Hastie and Dawes present results of scientific psychological research, using language that is easy for the ordinary person to understand. Their examples come from everyday life and news stories: Chernobyl, the "hot hand" theory of basketball, mammography.

I would also recommend this book to any students of psychology, including those entering graduate school in social psychology, marketing or management. Hastie and Dawes demonstrate that academic studies needn't be dry, but in fact yield fascinating conclusions that are widely relevant. At the same time, they show the way researchers think and introduce the notion of probability in a way that makes readers want to learn more.

A great update to a classic
The addition of Reid Hastie as an author to Robyn Dawes' classic text on judgment and decision making was superb choice. This edition appears to be written very much in Hastie's voice, from the perspective of a cognitive psychologist. Moreover, we find additional attention paid to algebraic models, which was something that was missing from previous editions. Hastie and Dawes ranks as one of the essential readings for the judgment and decision-making field.

A must for all Decision Analysis Consultants
As a management consultant working with clients to make higher quality decisions, I have made many observations of how people (especially executives and groups) make business decisions. But observing how they make decisions is different than "why" they decide what they decide. This book provides so much insight into the "why" it is definitely worth the reading. While the book is very valuable on the "why" it is a little dated on state of the art analytic decision techniques. But with that said, I would highly recommend this book to any consultant (OE, OD, DA, etc.) working with individuals or groups where decisions are being made. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of the original text reveals how Nathaniel Branden's landmark book broke the rules of conventional behavioral theory and promulgated his revolutionary ideas on the critical role that self-esteem plays in living a healthy, fulfilling life. The book offers an in-depth exploration of the need for self-esteem, the nature of that need, the conditions of fulfillment, and how self-esteem (or lack of it) affects our values, responses, and goals. Branden also debunks the misguided notion that self-esteem is a "feel-good phenomenon" and shows instead how self-esteem, rationality, perseverance, self-responsibility, and personal integrity are all intimately related. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Really Enjoyed It
I don't know what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed this book. I was listening to the book on tape and tried to take notes while driving (bad idea). I thought comments such as "Self Esteem is your reputation with yourself," "A productive life is a psychological neeed," and his example of 3 men and their opinions, all valid of the same "cad" were, well, helpful to me. I recommend it to anyone who, regardless of their own self esteem issues, knows anyone dealing with anxiety or constant doubts. As I say, I enjoyed it.

a reality based approached to understanding human behavior
If you love Branden's books, this one will not disappoint you. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand themselves better and live life to the fullest. This book is at it's heart, a practical look at human psychology, a field in which ideas that work are often undervalued. The chapters on emotions, pathological anxiety, and social metaphysics were fascinating and somewhat opinionated while providing some amazing insights into the human condition. Like all of Branden's books, it is clearly written and the author anticipates beautifully the readers questions and addresses concepts in a very understandable manner. Anytime I read a book that really teaches me something valuable, I feel compelled to recommend it.

A Classic
Part I consists of the philosophical concepts relevant to psychology. The central ideas, presented in their essentials, lay the foundation of Branden's approach, illustrated in Part II and all of his future work. Part II deals with the central theme of Branden's life work: self-esteem. His radical approach is in stark contrast the ideas of the time and to the self-proclaimed self-esteem proponents in recent years.

His approach is reality oriented: Branden outlines the inescapable need for self-esteem, its source in reality and the consequence of the failure to live in accord with this need. The contrast between legitimate self-esteem and counterfeit self-esteem help to clarify and define this crucial concept.

The book is, one the whole, theoretical and condensed. I am always amazed to find it shelved in the self-help section. This book should be read in conjunction with his latter works: The Disowned Self, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem and The Art of Living Consciously. The journey will be rewarding. ... Read more

Book Description

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends--and their amazing links to recent discoveries.
"A history of the human brain from the big bang, fifteen billion years ago, to the day before yesterday...It's a delight."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
... Read more

Reviews (47)

Engrossing
I've always considered Sagan my favorite story teller. He tells both wonderful fictional tales (like Contact), and tales that while certainly grand enough to be fiction, are actually tales of nature and science.

The Dragons of Eden is one such book. So large in its scope that one might think it would be disconnected and hard to follow, it in fact is the perfect balance of big picture and fascinating detail.

If you're even mildly interested in evolution, biology, zoology, neuroscience, or the nature of what really makes us who we are, this book is a must read.

Turn your Thinking about Thinking Upsidedown.
I had certainly heard of Carl Sagan, but only in terms of cosmology. I had no idea that he wrote extensively on the field of evolutionary biology-stimulated by his wife, the biologist Ann Druyan. My field is not science, so The Dragon's of Eden was my first encounter with the idea of the tripartite brain. The idea does not originate with Sagan, as he himself points out, but this slender volume makes the idea quite assessable for the lay person and, more importantly, it creatively explores the idea's possible implications. Although I read this book years ago, I have thought of it several times a week since then, as I speculate upon some of the biological causes of human behavior. Newer models of the brain have already proved some of the basic ideas in this book as a bit oversimplified, but if you are looking for an introduction to speculating about how the brain's evolution may shape human behaviors, this is great place to start. I found the book a "mind blower"-and I always pick it up used when I see it to give to friends. Prepare to have your perception of perception itself turned upside down.

The "OH SO FABULOUS" Book
Oh my gosh. everyone should TOTALLY read this book. it will give you informative info on all your life questions. i read this book in less than 24 hours and SO CAN YOU! wanna know about dinosaurs and cool aliens? well then DEFINITELY read this book. instead of going to the beach, i stayed in and read this truly intriguing book. oh wow. im such a good student! YOU can be just like me if you read this Carl Sagan dragon junk book. At first you might be discouraged because its REALLY BORING, but if you're into all that space stuff then you'll really like it. my friend OLGA recommended it to me and we just love sharing our thoughts over a nice hot cup of coffee, while checking out the other book worms. anyways be RAD like me and read some carl sagan today!

In a league of his own
Carl Sagan is one of the select few prolific non-fiction writers who can manage to create a masterpiece each time. While much of _Dragons of Eden_ is dated, the book was way ahead of its time and probably remains on the cutting edge of theory in the evolution of human intellegence (at least in the popular realm).

Those areas in which the book is clearly a generation old (Sagan predicts that someday computers will have television like interfaces, that regular people may have access to them and that they someday may exist in peoples' homes), are endearing, yet they also exemplify Sagan's foresight and wisdom. Predictions like these, and others (such as the then-absurd notion that genetic engineering may someday become science fact), are what sets him apart. As a scientist, he is a skeptic in the purest sense, but that doesn't mean he lost his imagination and ambition. He was not a cynic.

I recommend this book to just about anyone who is a Sagan fan. However, it isn't his best work. I would certainly place either _The Demon Haunted World_ and _Billions and Billions_ above this.

Sagan's Best
This was the first book I read by Cark Sagan while in college. As a layman, I found it to be completely accessible and absolutely fascinating. Among the most memorable of his well-thought out and original theories are: his belief that man's inherent fears of snakes and heights can be traced back to his days as a tree-dwelling primate during which the snake constituted his only natural enemy; his idea that the ogres, elves, goblins, and "little people" that pop up in every culture's myths and fairy tales are genetic memories of a time when man's ancestors shared the earth with other intelligent humanoids; and his speculation that perhaps man is the only primate capable of verbal speech (chimpanzees and other primates are right on the brink, so to speak, as evidenced by their quick grasp of sign language) because his ancestors engaged in genocide against other linguistic humanoids- their primary competition. Sagan is best known as the man who popularized astronomy. But this book, one of his best, shows that he was just as interesting when he focused on man's origins, as opposed to his destination. ... Read more

Book Description

Models Of The Self introduces recent developments in a growing field of research the embodiment of the self. Self- consciousness is probably the most fascinating aspect of this problem. The multidisciplinary approach to self-consciousness, from its development in infancy, to its disorders in neurological as well as psychiatric conditions, offers a real challenge to philosophers who are interested in such broad issues as the foundations of agency or the unity of the self. The book is fully edited, which is a rare feature in multi-authored works. The philosophical thread runs through the chapters, even those which deal with psychological or biological questions. Contributors include:PHILOSOPHICAL CONTROVERSIES: Galen Strawson (keynote paper), Kathy Wilkes, Andrew Brook, Eric Olson and John Pickering.COGNITIVE AND NEUROSCIENTIFIC MODELS: V.S. Ramachandran & W.Hirstein, Jaak Panksepp, Donald Perlis, Jun Tani and James BlachowiczDEVELOPMENTAL AND PHENOMENOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS: George Butterworth, Maria Legerstee, Maxine Sheets-Johnstone, Dan Zahavi & Josef Parnas.PATHOLOGIES OF THE SELF: Shaun Gallagher & Anthony J. Marcel, Jonathan Cole, Louis A. Sass, Jennifer Radden.MEDITATION-BASED APPROACHES: Robert Forman, Jeremy Hayward, Steven W. Laycock, Jonathan Shear and Arthur Deikman.FURTHER METHODOLOGICAL QUESTIONS: Jose Louis Bermudez, Mait Edey, Tamar Szabo Gendler, Mary Midgley. ... Read more

Book Description

The author seeks to understand deviance from the major sociological perspectives and theories of deviance by providing a comprehensive, balanced examination of the conceptual foundation of the sociology of deviance. An honest and direct approach is constant throughout the text and imparts a practical knowledge towards real world matters that enables the reader to think clearly about them.The book gives the reader interesting material about real life experiences of deviance from which they can learn and understand the different types of deviant individuals that exist in our society. Helps the reader understand the full range of deviance and emphasizes deviance is not always a motivated behavior whose occurrence needs to be explained.For anyone interested in understanding deviant behavior. ... Read more

Book Description

Meaning in everyday thought and language is constructed at lightning speed.We are not conscious of the staggering complexity of the cognitive operations that drive our simplest behavior.This book reveals the creativity that underlies our effortless use of language in everyday life, when we engage in conversation, understand humor, or solve puzzles.The capacities and principles that we develop from infancy for ordinary thinking and talking are also the ones that drive scientific and artistic thought, high-level reasoning, and conceptual change.Researchers and graduate students in linguistics, cognitive science, and philosophy of language will find this text to be a fascinating addition to their collections. ... Read more

Book Description

"The soul never thinks without an image," claimed Aristotle. Indeed, as Angeles Arrien displays in this reissued edition of Signs of Life, shapes have significant psychological and mythological meanings embedded in our minds. Understanding the messages they convey and our attraction to them opens up a door to the secret workings of our inner selves and to a fuller appreciation of the art itself.As in her widely popular The Tarot Handbook, Arrien applies her background as a cultural anthropologist to the import human beings attribute to shapes. Examining her results, she has developed an effective tool to determine the connection between a person's preferences for certain shapes and the same person's inner, subjective states. In the course of using Arrien's book, individuals, parents, teachers, and therapists will experience the universal processes of growth embodied in images and myths.

Life, we discover, is art, and through Arrien's fascinating journey in Signs of Life, we gain a new perception of the omnipresent patterns and symbols that surround us.

Illustrated throughout with drawings and photographs ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Practical Uses for the Five Universal Shapes
I recommend this book to artists who are interested in finding out ways to express their personal vision. Expanding on Arien's initial exercise of arranging the five shapes, one can develop images that come from the center of one's life rather than from outside influences. It goes without saying that a person feels better when he/she understands why he/she feel more comfortable (or uneasy)with certain aspects of their lives. This simple book can help a person to know and understand where they are in life and how they might have gotten there. I go back to it every few months and use it in teaching art classes and in art retreats.

Angeles Arrien is a gifted teacher.
Once again Angeles inspires and soothes my soul with her beautiful and powerful writing. This book is a treasure and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the language of the Universe.

A very thought provoking book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is in process of self examination. The simplicity of the use belies the depth of the information that can be extracted from Ms Arrein's analysis. Her use of "universal" symbols clears away much of the overburden of intellectual understanding and cultural training that colors our perceptions of the world. The work in this book cuts through to base emotions and drives. This book will improve your understanding of your motivations in all aspects of your life.

A book you'll come back to again and again
This was one of the books that picked me instead of me picking it. I feel like it was my fate to posess this book. It helps me view my soul as if I was looking through spiritual glasses. And of course being creatures of change, what we see is different from time, even within ourselves. This book remarkably brings to the reader knowledge or information that is not commonly found in this society. Very reflective and definately a great tool when on path to personal enlightment.

Excellent starting point for making art from the inside.
As an art teacher, I encourage adult students to read this book so as to begin to understand how to express through art what is inside them. This is in contrast to making art by looking at something in the outside world and duplicating it in some way. I have found that most students respond favorably to the shapes assay. They are intigued by how close the shape preferences do actually mirror where they are in their lives. A great book! I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Book Description

Can evolutionary theory really help us to understand human behaviour? 'Sense and nonsense' provides an exciting, readable introduction to the science behind the works of Dawkins, Dennett, Wilson and Pinker. Including profiles of the major protagonists, the book provides the first balanced account of evolutionary theory, and all its faults. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

God sense, not nonsense
The final chapter of E O Wilson's Sociobiology was a bombshell whose shockwaves reverberate today. Kevin Laland and Gillian Brown set out to sift through the morass of evolutionary approaches to human nature that is has spawned.

This is a useful review of the various schools of research, although I would have liked a firmer conclusion than 'a pluralistic approach is best'. Sometimes the authors could be a little less polite and have a little more bite.

Good stuff overall though, probably most helpful for those new to the area, or for students looking for an introduction. The book is a little light in content, concentrating on methodology, but the emphasis on cultural processes, absent from many evolutionary discussions, is most refreshing.

Do Laland and Brown successfully separate the sense from the nonsense? No. But they do equip the reader with some of the tools to do it for herself.

A breath of fresh air
This book is both a great read, and an informative one, for anyone interested in human behavior, evolutionary theory, and the links between the two. The area of potential evolutionary bases to human behavior has traditionally been filled with much controversy, some fighting, scattered irresponsible speculations and pronouncements that at times have produced tragic effects, and quite often, more heat than light. Laland and Brown have produced a book that is truly a breath of fresh air. One of the things I liked most about Sense and Nonsense is that Laland and Brown had actually sat down to talk with--and listen to--many of the leading proponents of different "schools" of thought. They work hard in Sense and Nonsense to give a fair presentation of each different approach, before moving on in each chapter to provide their own analysis of the approach presented from their own perspective as working scientists. In the midst of an area in which some researchers have been prone to simply shout louder--often literally--at those they disagree with, Laland and Brown have truly taken the time to listen, reflect, and form considered and thoughtful judgements. This is a service to all of us: After reading their book, I know that I will always look reflect differently on researchers' claims of evolutionary bases of human behavior, whether that's hearing them at a conference, or reading a journal article, or the latest best-selling book or TV interview. If you want to improve your understanding of evolution and human behavior, get a guided tour through the area and its controversies by two thoughtful experts, and come out with a changed perspective that will likely always stay with you, then read Sense and Nonsense. Great book. ... Read more

Book Description

In Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot, eminent neuropsychiatrist and bestselling author Richard Restak, M.D., combines the latest research in neurology and psychology to show us how to get our brain up to speed for managing every aspect of our busy lives.

Everything we think and everything we choose to do alters our brain and fundamentally changes who we are, a process that continues until the end of our lives. Few people think of the brain as being susceptible to change in its actual structure, but in fact we can preselect the kind of brain we will have by continually exposing ourselves to rich and varied life experiences. Unlike other organs that eventually wear out with repeated and sustained use, the brain actually improves the more we challenge it.

Most of us incorporate some kind of physical exercise into our daily lives. We do this to improve our bodies and health and generally make us feel better. Why not do the same for the brain?The more we exercise it, the better it performs and the better we feel. Think of Restak as a personal trainer for your brain—he will help you assess your mental strengths and weaknesses, and his entertaining book will set you to thinking about the world and the people around you in a new light, providing you with improved and varied skills and capabilities. From interacting with colleagues to recognizing your own psychological makeup, from understanding the way you see something to why you’re looking at it in the first place, from explaining the cause of panic attacks to warding off performance anxiety, this book will tell you the whys and hows of the brain’s workings.

Packed with practical advice and fascinating examples drawn from history, literature, and science, Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot provides twenty-eight informative and realistic steps that we can all take to improve our brainpower. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Not for Beginners or Neurosurgeons, Good Intermediate Read.
Among the books about improving your thinking, this book takes you one step further. This is not just an explanation of thinking skills but an overview of the interactions among the various parts of the brain. It includes suggestions for general brain health as well as activities that involve multiple areas of the brain, which in turn form new neuro connections.The second half of the title "Unleashing Your Brain's Potential" is more appropriate for the content of this book.
N. Illing, author of SPARKS Ignite Imagination, an informational activity book for stretching the imagination.

Plausible Ideas
"I need a change of pace." (We all probably say that from time to time.)

This book offers an interesting explanation as to why we might feel that way: one functional part of our brain is tired and another part could use some exercise.

The author elaborates on the idea: engaging in a variety of physical and mental activities is healthy for our brains and, therefore, healthy for us, overall.

This seems pretty plausible to me.

Easy to read and filled with interesting ideas.

I Wanted to be Wowed......
and in this case, I wasn't. The material wasn't bad... but it was missing
that "edge" that sets apart exceptional books from unexceptional
books.

What was the largest weakness for me was an inconsistency between
the chapters: some were filled to the brim with useful, workable
suggestions and ideas and others left me wondering, "Wait, what
was the intended suggestion for that chapter?"

Perhaps the confusion was part of Restak's intent... to get the
reader really applying our newly-stretched brainpower?

*Shrug* Just not sure.... there is some decent information here
which I will more than likely use and reuse, which is why the
ranking is 4 stars rather than 3.

Audio Version not the Correct Format
I found this book difficult to absorb because I had the audio version. An audio book is a disadvantage to a reader trying to participate in the brain exercises while on the daily commute. The book format would have allowed a sedentary reader to take advantage of the information provided. I was not able to flip back and forth easily or mark pages to return to. I thought the book (tape) would be more about brain architecture and how Mozart's brain actually would differ from a fighter pilot's brain. There is a little speculation about how the brains of the MTV generation cope with image overload versus the previous generation's method of acquiring information. The title is a little misleading. It really is a book about brain exercises, because the author believes these exercises help keep the brain young and healthy. It is the old theory of "use it or lose it" adapted to the brain. I do not know if I totally subscribe to this theory, avid readers seem to be the first to wear glasses, hockey and football players retire with injured knees. The book on the whole is interesting. Definitely worth it. It presents some unique ideas and it's a noble goal to keep your brain active even if the exercises were to have no effect.

Use it or Lose it
In his 15th book, renowned brain expert Richard Restak offers up twenty-eight tips on how to improve the function of our brains and possibly help stave off senility, Alzheimer's, and other mental impairments. At the heart of his message is the fact that, unlike our body's other organs, the brain doesn't age, but will suffer atrophy with disuse. Luckily, with constant stimulation of the proper kind, the brain can stay sharp and actually improve to the end of our years.

The list of beneficial brain activities includes listening to or--better yet--learning music (this is where Mozart comes in), playing challenging games, reading advanced books, meditating, solving puzzles, playing certain sports, and even watching thought-provoking television programs. Restak also offers a number of brain "exercises." These are essentially new ways to think of stuff. While some of these seem a bit boring and time consuming, with results that aren't quite clear, there is something for everyone in the book.

Despite an intriguing title, the book is a bit dry. His detailed explanation of the inner workings of the brain isn't going to be for everyone. But since we all seem to be living longer lives, and nobody wants to spend them in a nursing home, it makes a lot of sense to follow Restak's twenty-eight easy steps to life-long lucidity. Definitely a worthwhile read. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of BIG ICE and WAKE UP DEAD ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It's just my imagination, running away with me
Great book, great techniques. Imagine yourself buying this book and do it!
I thought I was happy but after reading this book I guess I was mistaken. I never imagined a better life. Such as more money, bigger TV, DVD player, bigger house, nicer clothes, etc. You get the idea, the important things in life. Well not any more, not after reading this book and doing the exercises. Now my imagination knows no bounds. Why it's like an imagination with...um...er...it's like an imagination with out any bounds. Now I see my self at work and instead of my same old outlook I now look at things differently. It's like um...er...well kind of like looking at things with more imagination and stuff. It's GREAT, no really, I really mean it. Everything is just GREAT. REALLY I keep telling myself things are great so they must be.

You must buy this book
If you ever wondered about life, If you ever wanted help but did not know where to begin, then begin with this book. It will open opportunities and heal wounds you never knew you had.

Reflected Enlightenment
A truly enlightening book that gave me a feeling of being.

I found that what I was reading was slowly changing me into a better person. With each day passing I felt more rewarded and comfortable with what ever direction my life was heading, simply because 'CV' gives you satisfaction, desire, acceptance and a balance to know who u are and be exactly what u want! As I read through the book and did the meditations not only was my life changing for the better but everyone's around me has become a balance of happiness and success. I

My intuition is growing stronger with each day and i love and appreciate everything and everyone life has to offer. Learning the art of using your imagination to get what you want in life has shown me that what I desire and want out of life is not going to happen one day but an actual fact already manifested in my wonderful life!

I encourage everyone to read this book

A Step in the Right Direction
This book gave me a step-by-step process to make positive changes in my life. I worked the lessons and followed Shakti's methods for visualizing my future. Years later I found the workbook and reread my own words. I was surprised to see how accurately I had depicted my future! I used this in conjunction with Louise Haye's You Can Heal Your Life. Both helped me to understand how I could take control of my life and direct my future. Shakti's book is a great how-to for those that have never done much meditation or visualization.

A great book for positve change and focusing on goals
i found this book to be very helpful in teaching you how to focus on personal goals and making positive changes in your life. It offered credible how to steps that showed you how to understand your needs, affirm yourself and your possibilities and then gave you the instructions that you needed to move you on to achieve your goals. It really gave me some tools to work with and it is a book that I will use over and over again. ... Read more

Book Description

Through its succinct yet thorough overviews of current behavioral, cognitive and developmental theories, this book explores the many ways in which learning principles can be applied in a variety of educational settings, with a diverse population of learners. It features down-to-earth language, clear explanations, and specific examples of abstract concepts.The author examines the relationship between learning and other topics of importance to educators-development, motivation, instruction, and self-regulation. A detailed glossary of more than 300 technical terms facilitates understanding, and a bibliography with more than 1,100 references encourages self-study.For future and in-service teachers with a minimal psychology background. ... Read more

Book Description

This lauded bestseller, now available in paperback, takes an uncompromising look at how we define psychopathology and makes the argument that criminal behavior can and perhaps should be considered a disorder. Presenting sociological, genetic, neurochemical, brain-imaging, and psychophysiological evidence, it discusses the basis for criminal behavior and suggests, contrary to popular belief, that such behavior may be more biologically determined than previously thought.

Key Features
* Presents a new conceptual approach to understanding crime as a disorder
* Provides the most extensive review of biological predispositions to criminal behavior to date
* Presents the practical implications of viewing crime as a psychopathology in the contexts of free will, punishment, treatment, and future biosocial research
* Includes numerous tables and figures throughout
* Contains an extensive reference list
* Analyzes the familial and extra-familial causes of crime
* Reviews the predispositions to crime including evolution and genetics, and the neuropsychological, psychophysiological, brain-imaging, neurochemical, and cognitive factors ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Extremely Astute and Excellent Book
This book serves two purposes.It is an excellent literature review of research into the biological, neurochemical, genetic, and behavioral roots of violence andcriminality.It also advances a provocative hypothesis --that criminality itself may meet the definition of apsychopathology.

Even if you regard the latter as completely bunk (whichI don't), the book is invaluable as a literature review.Not only is itexhaustive, but Raine also comments on the literature with a keen logicalmind, i.e. "Hungadunga and McCormick found effect X and attributed itto factor Y, but an alternative explanation is provided by factorZ."

I am a science writer, and my main field of expertise is themedical aspects substance abuse treatment.I learned plenty of new stuffabout the connections between alcoholism and criminal behavior in this bookand will consult it repeatedly the next time my partner and I sit down towrite/revise.

Quibbles?Well, to some degree, the literature reviewworks at cross-purposes with his central hypothesis, since most of theresarch he reviews was not undertaken with such a hypothesis in mind anddoesn't necessarily apply to it.Also, you do have to pay close attentionre: whether Raine is, at any given point, talking about criminality ingeneral, violent criminality in particular, or ASP (antisocial personality)specifically.Structurally, it might have made more sense to write twobooks: a critical review of the literature, and a second one advancing thethesis that criminality is a psychopathogy.I've faced similar dilemmas inmy own writing, and I probably would have made the same decision Raine did-- cram it all in one book!

Bottom line: if you're interested enough inthis subject to have read to the bottom of this review, you need to buythis book. ... Read more

Book Description

Reporting research that provides an invaluable tool forutilizing individual capability, it makes it possible for talent pooldevelopment programs to effectively meet the organization's future humanresource requirements. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Outstanding, intuitive, and well worth reading
Dr. Jaques is re-writing our understanding of the human mind and how to use it best. Forget IQ, Meyers-Briggs, and the other flim-flam out there. This book offers us the hope that we can work to our potential without overload, balance our task output and spiritual needs at work, and organize our companies as effectively as possible, without sacrificing our humanity. So far every criticism I've seen leveled at Jaques has proven baseless. High level writing may put off some, but this is great research work.

Ideal for those concerned with developing human capital.
This book presents the results of a three year study by Jaques and Cason, providing a major breakthrough in understanding human capability, intelligence, and development. An outcome of this study is further development of managerial practices to match people with roles and develop training and development programs. This is a highly interesting and informative volume that will be of significant value to all HR professionals whose agenda includes HRD and the cultivation of an organization's human capital. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates and HRconsultant.com InfoCenter.

A Must For Managers and Educators.
The Fundation for understand Mental Processing Capability and Handling Complexity. Very simple and powerfull application in everyday situations. Like 'THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE' [Peter M. Senge] this is a great book about HUMAN PRESENT AND FUTURE possibilities ... JUST READ THIS! ... Read more