Knowing Yourself Inside Out for Self-Direction

Book excerpt: Knowing Yourself Inside Out For Self-Direction offers new perspectives in psychology, encouraging students to develop a deeper understanding of basic topics, and providing a conceptual framework for learning, while developing critical thinking through an innovative multiple perspectives approach. This new edition of Knowing Yourself Inside Out connects the ideas with real-world examples for student retention, an approach advocated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in its blueprint for science and social science education.It's a unique approach for an introductory text, providing whole theories in developmental, psychoanalytical, self-actualization, learning theory, socio-cultural, and Jungian approaches. The final chapter applies six theories and the multiple perspectives approach to current sample topics: terrorism, identity and globalization.Critical thinking is encouraged within the underlying structure of scientific questioning and the alternating multiple perspectives approach. Knowing Yourself Inside Out for Self-Direction is designed to reach and motivate students while teaching the fundamental underlying principles of psychology. It provides the opportunity for the reader to combine the insights of major theories into a multiple perspectives approach to psychology for maximizing its usefulness in understanding one's own unique life situation. It is filled with real-life examples, written in a personally meaningful, motivating style. It is grounded in a strong academic approach based on thirty years of teaching psychology, making accessible aspects of psychology often omitted or deemed too difficult for the introductory student.