A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, Popular Pscyhology: An Encyclopedia is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psycholgy and what is unworthy of serious attention.
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention.
A unique and especially helful feature of Popular Pscyhology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular Gurus and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles , and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory ) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry , there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
"Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation about the field and provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student should know about psychology….[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces….Recommended. General readers; undergraduates."
―
Choice
"[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation… this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking."
―
Reference Reviews
"After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format….Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended."
―
Library Media Connection
"This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments."
―
SciTech Book News
" Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study."
―
Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology."
―
MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
"[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology….Self help books, experts on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation."
―
Library Media Connection
About the Author
Luis A. Cordón is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, Popular Pscyhology: An Encyclopedia is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psycholgy and what is unworthy of serious attention.
A lot of what is marketed to the public as psychology is actually quite unscientific. Attempting to counteract the tide of misinformation about what psychology really is, this book is a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology. Self-help books; television specials; and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which the field of psychology is based. The serious work of the great psychological thinkers and schools of psychological thought is lost to the average person. High school and college students as well as the interested lay reader will want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention.
A unique and especially helful feature of Popular Pscyhology: An Encyclopedia is the Guide to Related Topics. Major topic sections list the individual entries pertinent to that idea. For example, major sections include Biological Bases of Behavior; Drugs and Chemicals; Popular Gurus and Movements; Pseudoscience; Psychological Theories and Ideas; Treatments. There are 121 entries covering such subjects as: acupuncture; alien abduction; aromatherapy; birth order; brainwashing; chemical imbalance; drpressants; Down's Syndrome; emotional intelligence; facilitated communication; Howard Gardner; gingko biloba; insanity defense; intelligence; kava; learning disability; Dr. Phil; mood disorders; Mozart Effect; nervous breakdown; parenting styles; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychiatry; seasonal affective disorder; sleep and dreaming; Tourette Syndrome. Ideas and persons familiar to the general reader or to the high school and college student are discussed in an engaging yet knowledgeable style. A general bibliography as well as further reading following each entry and a complete index make this accessible and informative work a useful addition to any library.
From Booklist
The 120 or so entries in this volume cover a wide range of topics, including, for example, Alien abduction, Birth order, Insanity defense, Mad cow disease, Multiple personality disorder, Parenting styles , and Satanic ritual abuse. Also represented are individuals such as Carl Jung and Dr. Phil. The goal is "to try to counteract the tide of misleading information about the field of psychology with a concise guide to some things that the well-informed student of psychology and the interested general public ought to know."
The length of each entry varies from just a few lines to nine or more pages (for Memory ) and there are a few black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout. Nearly all entries include a limited "Further Reading" list, generally offering both supporting and critical sources. Following the A-Z entries is an annotated bibliography that includes Web sites.
The book cover states readers will "want to consult this work to understand what is good in the popular presentation of psychology and what is unworthy of serious attention." That may well be too expansive a goal as some topics that could have been valuable for both students and lay readers appear to be missing. Two specific contemporary topics that have apparently not been included are transpersonal psychology and tissue memory. Another curiously missing topic is counseling. In the entry Psychiatry , there is a relatively straightforward discussion of the difference in practice between psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. There is, however, no mention of counseling psychologists, though this discipline is licensed by most of the individual states and is also certified nationally in the U.S.
Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"Cordon's surprising encyclopedia explains the accuracies and fallacies of contemporary popular psychology when compared to the discipline practiced by professional psychologists. Cordon attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation about the field and provide a concise guide to what the well-informed student should know about psychology….[a]ddresses controversial topics forthrightly, clearly describing proponents' viewpoints and the scientific challenges each issue faces….Recommended. General readers; undergraduates."
―
Choice
"[T]his is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation… this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking."
―
Reference Reviews
"After explaining psychology and pseudoscience, the author deftly covers a wide variety of topics including acupuncture, alien abductions, emotional intelligences, Sigmund Freud, and satanic ritual abuses in an encyclopedic format….Because psychology and self-hlep books are popular in today's society, this book will serve as a good introduction to many topics. Psychology classes would be able to use this volume for quick answers and a guide to further study. Recommended."
―
Library Media Connection
"This encyclopedia is for high school and college students and general readers. Major themes include the biological basis of behavior, drugs and chemicals, popular movements, pseudoscience, psychological theories and ideas, and treatments."
―
SciTech Book News
" Popular Psychology is easy to read, easy to browse, and would be of value in public and undergraduate libraries that have limited information on this topic. It would also be appropriate in high-school libraries, where it could be used as a basic reference for class-based study."
―
Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"Luis Cordon's reference is actually an encyclopedia, providing a basic guide for high school to college students who want to understand the foundations of serious psychology."
―
MBR Bookwatch/Donovan's Bookshelf
"[P]rovides a concise guide for anyone seeking to understand the true scientific nature of psychology….Self help books, experts on daytime television, and articles in the popular press all serve to obscure the true intellectual and scientific premises on which true psychology is based. This book attempts to counteract the tide of misinformation."
―
Library Media Connection
About the Author
Luis A. Cordón is Associate Professor and Chairperson, Psychology, Eastern Connecticut University, Willimantic. He has published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education and the Journal of Educational Psychology.