In the 1950s, a group of social psychologists infiltrated a doomsday cult—a religious group that believed the world was coming to an end—and studied how its members sustained their beliefs when the prophecy failed.How are major religions different from cults? My argument is that they persist through political fiat rather than the evidence provided for their central dogma. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all quote private conversations that were never recorded until decades, someti...

SHRUNK: Crime and Disorders of the Mind is a collection of powerful stories by Canadian and international forensic psychologists and psychiatrists who write about the many complex mental health issues they face and the care involved in dealing with them.Unlike any other book within the genre of True Crime, Shrunk forms a unique bridge between mental health and law. Chapters focus on cases where judges and juries call upon the opinions of forensic experts when dealing with the menta...

Take an updated approach to treating partner violence!Intimate Violence: Contemporary Treatment Innovations examines new and innovative approaches to treating domestic violence, de-emphasizing the unilateral, psychoeducational approach in favor of treatment modalities that focus on the offenders' individual characteristics. The book presents up-to-date information on techniques for working with men and women who commit intimate partner violence, moving past a one size fits all ment...

"Is there really such a thing as giftedness? Are programs for gifted children elitist and undemocratic? Giftedness 101 addresses this extremely controversial topic with the intention of dispelling the many myths surrounding the concept of giftedness and providing a clear, cohesive conception of the psychology and development of gifted children.Seeking to reinvigorate the study of giftedness as a legitimate discipline of psychology, the book examines numerous viewpo...

" Praise for the first editionFinally, a social work practice text that makes a difference! This is the book that you have wished for but could never find. Although similar to texts that cover a range of practice theories and approaches to clinical practice, this book clearly has a social work frame of reference and a social work identity.--Gayla Rogers, Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, University of CalgaryA new...

This influential book provides an innovative framework for understanding and treating intimate partner violence. Integrating a variety of theoretical and empirical perspectives, Donald G. Dutton demonstrates that male abusiveness is more than just a learned pattern of behavior--it is the outgrowth of a particular personality configuration. He illuminates the development of the abusive personality from early childhood to adulthood and presents an evidence-based treatment approach designed t...

We are robbing young children of play time at home and school in an effort to give them a head start on academic skills like reading and mathematics. Yet the scientific evidence suggests that eliminating play from the lives of children is taking preschool education in the wrong direction. This brief but compelling book provides a strong counterargument to the rising tide of didactic instruction on preschool classrooms. The authors present scientific evidence in support of three points: 1) ...

For more than two decades, the concept of student engagement has grown from simple attention in class to a construct comprised of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components that embody and further develop motivation for learning. Similarly, the goals of student engagement have evolved from dropout prevention to improved outcomes for lifelong learning. This robust expansion has led to numerous lines of research across disciplines and are brought together clearly and comprehensively in ...

This volume is a sequel to the landmark work that established an exciting new field of study, Stress, Appraisal and Coping (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). The author now explores the newest trends in research and theory, focusing on the rationale for a cognitive-mediational approach to stress and emotions.He makes clear distinctions between social stress, physiological stress, and psychological stress. By integrating both stress and emotion into one theoretical framework, wit...

Social psychology is a flourishing discipline. It explores the most essential questions of the human psyche (e.g., Why do people help or harm others? How do influence professionals get us to do what they want, and how can we inoculate ourselves against their sometimes-insidious persuasion tactics? Why do social relationships exert such powerful effects on people's physical health?), and it does so with clever, ingenuitive research methods. This edited volume is a textbook for advanced soci...

"What is personality? How do we measure it? This unique text presents the most current scientific findings about personality in a friendly, jargon-free format. It addresses historical views of personality and compares the reigning Five Factor Model with the most current competing models of personality. The authors discuss techniques of assessing personality and provide information on its role in life outcomes ranging from career choice to interpersonal relationships. The text also ...

What is parental control? Is it positive or negative for children? What makes parents controlling with their children, even when they value supporting children's autonomy? Are there alternatives to control and how might we apply them in important domains of children's lives, such as school and sports? This book addresses these and other questions about the meaning and predictors of parental control, as well as its consequences for children's adjustment and well-being. While the topic of pa...