Title and Series Context

This is a title in the modular "Principles in Psychology Series", designed for A-level and other introductory courses, aiming to provide students embarking on psychology courses with the necessary background and context.

Contemporary Psychology and Historical Development

One aspect of this is to consider contemporary psychology in the light of its historical development. Another aspect is to examine some of the major controversies which have dominated psychology over the centuries.

Major Areas of Psychology

Yet another aspect is to consider some of the major areas of psychology, e.g., social, developmental, cognitive, in terms of what they have to offer in the quest for an understanding of human behaviour.

Key Issues in the Maturation of Psychology

The book also addresses key issues which need to be considered as psychology matures into a fully fledged experimental and scientific discipline. For example, how much do laboratory experiments tell us about how people behave in the real world? And how far is it ethically permissible for psychologists to go in their pursuit of knowledge?