Essential Psychology provides a thorough and accessible introduction to the field of psychology. Written by a team of expert authors, this book warmly welcomes you to all the areas covered on British Psychological Society accredited degree courses.

It includes chapters focused on evolution, memory, thinking and reasoning, motivation and emotion, development, and personality. New to this Fourth Edition are two chapters which focus on racism in psychology and LGBTQ+ psychology. It applies psychological theory to the real world, and includes a wealth of learning features to support your learning, including critical reflections and discussion questions that nurture creative thinking beyond the syllabus.

This is the ideal introductory textbook for undergraduate students of psychology and those undertaking a Master's conversion course in psychology.

About the Author
Dr Phil Banyard is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). In his thirty years at NTU Phil Banyard taught on a range of courses but focused on introductory modules and critical thinking. His research was concerned with the impact of digital technologies on teaching and learning, especially in schools. He was a chief examiner of A Level Psychology for many years and has written more than twenty texts. Among these is an introductory text with SAGE (now in its fourth edition) that brought in over 50 members of the department at NTU. His cultural interests are largely defined by smallpeople in the family and he is currently enjoying Captain Underpants series three which he regards as riotously creative. Gayle Dillon is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Christine Norman is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Belinda is a Reader in Forensic Psychology. She teaches primarily within forensic psychology, with specific focus on sexual crime. She has a strong background in psychometrics and individual differences, and retains her enthusiasm for quantitative research (continuing to teach multivariate statistics in what she hopes is a fun and interactive manner). Her research is leading her to incorporate qualitative research methods as she continues to develop a programme of research in collaboration with HMP Whatton (the largest sex offender prison in Europe) that makes a significant and practical contribution to our understanding of sex offenders and sexual crime. Additional areas of interest (both in terms of teaching and research) include the psychology of fraud, lying and deception.

Reviews

Praise for previous editions

"My favourite core psychology textbook is now even better. It is fresh and contemporary yet mindful of historical and critical issues that continue to shape how psychology is understood and practiced. Nobody embarking on their undergraduate psychology journey could wish for a trustier companion." - Dr Andrew Hart, University of Bradford

"Essential Psychology is the perfect companion for those wishing to develop their understanding of psychology. The material is very clearly laid out and students will find it interesting to read. Each chapter has discussion questions for students to explore and suggestions for further reading." - Frank Carter, Lecturer at South Eastern Regional College - SERC

"I particularly like the active learning approach. The exercises help students to link their own experiences to the topics, providing an excellent framework for class discussions. The definitions of technical language and chapter summaries equip students with the tools to apply theoretical knowledge to everyday situations." - Michele Ponting, Access and Accreditation Manager, Portslade Aldridge Community Academy

"As suggested by the title, this text captures the essential subject areas needed for student studies. I found it easy to read through, as it is written in plain language, without an overload of jargon. I was particularly interested in Chapter 24 on the application to mental health, as this is my specialism." - Neil Robdale, Wrexham Glyndwr University

"This is a very informative and up-to-date textbook. The authors make the complex concepts become a lot easier to digest. This book is great for those who want to grasp fundamental knowledge in the field of contemporary Psychology." - Miss Jaruwan Sakulku, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology

-- Praise for previous editions



Book Information
ISBN 9781529666564
Author Philip Banyard
Format Paperback
Page Count 792
Imprint Sage Publications Ltd
Publisher Sage Publications Ltd
Weight(grams) 1680g