Psychology in Historical Context

Psychology in Historical Context: Theories and Debates is an engaging overview, written by renowned author Richard Gross, which gives an accessible account of the main conceptual themes and historical developments. Covering the core fields of individual differences, cognitive, social, developmental psychology, as well as evolutionary and bio-psychology, it will enable readers to understand how key ideas and theories have had impact across a range of topics. This is the only concise textbook to give students a thorough grounding in the major conceptual ideas within the field, as well as the key figures whose ideas have helped to shape it.

Richard Gross has been writing Psychology texts for both undergraduate and A-level students for 30 years. He has a particular interest in the philosophical aspects of Psychology, including the nature of the discipline, the free will/determinism debate, and the defining features of personhood.

1. Historical perspectives: Psychology as the study of...what?  2. Scientific perspectives: Psychology as the study of...how?  3. Challenging the mainstream: new paradigms for old  4. People as Psychologists: common sense Psychology  5. People as organisms: Biopsychology  6. People as environmentally controlled organisms: Behaviourism  7. People as information processors: Cognitive Psychology  8. Humans as an evolved species: Evolutionary Psychology  9. Individuals as driven by unconscious forces: Psychodynamic Psychology  10. People as self-determining organisms: Humanistic-phenomenological and Positive Psychology  11. People as diverse: group and individual differences  12. People as selves: subjectivity, individuality and social construction of identity  13. People as deviant: psychiatry and the construction of madness