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Psychology in Everyday Life
Sixth Edition ©2023
Best-selling authors David Myers' and Nathan DeWall’s briefest introduction to psychology speaks to all students regardless of their background or level of preparedness, with no assumptions made in the vocabulary, examples, or presentation. Students of all kinds are comfortable with the inclusive...
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Psychological science—for every student: No assumptions. No prerequisites.
Best-selling authors David Myers' and Nathan DeWall’s briefest introduction to psychology speaks to all students regardless of their background or level of preparedness, with no assumptions made in the vocabulary, examples, or presentation. Students of all kinds are comfortable with the inclusive tone and the manageable, pedagogically-effective chapters.
Psychology in Everyday Life is a brief (less than 500 pages) but complete—and affordable—resource for students at all levels. Dave Myers and Nathan DeWall work on the text and corresponding Achieve content so there is a tight connection between all aspects of the course.
Nathan George, Adelphi University
“The opening example about the student with a physical disability [is a good example of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Motivation and Emotion chapter]. It is powerful and underscores the true range and power of motivation.”“The materials have worked well in the past. They provide a solid foundation for my organization of the course as the instructor. Students find the material accessible. Overall they are well done.”
Kristen Abraham, University of Detroit Mercy
“Well-researched, current, emphasizes a scientific perspective, uses examples relevant to today's student/pop-culture, colorful and captures students' attention. A good text that invites students to read.”“The currency of Myers & DeWall and the thoroughness of their research is one reason I select the text term after term.”
“Test bank-- this is a Godsend. Thank you! I appreciate there are LOTS of questions from which to choose. Very helpful. Also appreciate the software is easy to use.”
Andrea Brown, College of Southern Nevada
“There are several good examples [of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Historical Timeline]: Derald and Stanley Sue Judy Chu Carlyon Payton Kristina Olson Jennifer Eberhardt. They are good examples because each individual made a valuable contribution to psychological science and/or the public. Students from diverse backgrounds can "see" themselves in these individuals. Their examples provide validation for students who are members of "underrepresented" groups AND help to expand the knowledge and schemas of students who have limited exposure to DEI in the "everyday life."“[The] concepts presented in the chapter are accurate, appropriate and current! I'm confident that students will respond favorably to the "Thinking Critically" infographics about sexual aggression, gender bias in the workplace etc.) and the diversity represented in the images.”
“The book is well written. Students find the information fairly easy to comprehend. The content is current. Instructor's resources and learning tools are nicely curated and accessible. As a community college professor, I am aware of my students unique needs, challenges and promise. I do not like to "water down" material and have found that this textbook is comprehensive and not overly simplistic; but, rather-- responsive to my students needs and teaching preferences and philosophy.”
Baine Craft, Seattle Pacific University
“I think this is a great section. In general, it presents a concise overview of statistics in an extremely accessible way. In fact, it does this in many ways better than most stats textbooks.”
I was impressed by this in the appendix.”“I appreciate the breath of topics covered and trust that it is the most updated. Also, I find this text to be the most accessible in term of writing style.”
Christine Weinkauff-Duranso, University of North Georgia - Oconee
“I feel the authors did a great job of reaching a wide audience - students that are from a wide age range as well as SES and ethnic groups, and levels of preparation.”“I love these resources. I like that students must engage with the material before coming to class. Students have often reported that they appreciate being forced into that mental engagement, even though they initially found it cumbersome. I would not change anything about the content.
I find the text to be incredibly easy to read for students, it is expansive, research-focused, and provides activities that encourage critical thinking and contemplation of life application for students. This is valuable.”“The additional resources are incredibly helpful, too - the online adaptive learning program (LP), the test banks, the powerpoints and instruction manual are all helpful. Using a new textbook is a major time and energy investment on the front end, so it takes a really good resource, or set of resources, to convince some educators to switch. This text makes the transition easier, with all of the online resources. Plus, the quality of the text and resources makes it worth the effort.”
Linnea Dickson, Rutgers University New Brunswick
“I really like the Think Critically About sections - nice change from the typical linear text with their graphic representations, etc.”“I appreciate how diverse examples and information about non-majority individuals are woven in throughout the text rather than relegated to a separate section.”
Judith Wightman, Kirkwood Community College
“Yes, I have loved these features in previous semesters. They break up the text and ask students to pause and reflect…In contrast, the OpenStax textbook sometimes reads like a "wall of text", and could use some of these types of reflection opportunities.”
“David Myers manages to be less judgmental about various topics than most authors. He comes across as warm and caring, with the reader's well-being in mind…But Myers has done a good job since I first started teaching at including the perspectives of Deaf and hard of hearing people.”Yvette Saliba, Adventist University of Health Services
“As a student my textbook was written by Myers, and I enjoyed it then and continue to enjoy teaching out of his work.”“I like the material is presented, the content laid out, and the paperback version of the textbook. I appreciate the connection to the MCAT as many of my students are preparing to take the MCAT exam. I was offered a free book to test out and I liked it so much, I made the decision that this would be the textbook we would use across all other sections.”
Carol Wilkinson, Whatcom Community College
“The Myers and DeWall texts are the best for Introductory Psychology! Again, practical, interesting, outlined, accessible”“DEI is an evolving field, and I am sure Myers and DeWall's book will evolve as well. I have always appreciated the addition of the hearing impaired perspectives (Thanks David) and now we need more DEI. My hearing impaired students love it when hearing impaired examples are included as a natural part of the material.”
Jessica Fede, Johnson & Wales University
“Wow! You have done a nice job with the Historical Timeline. I like the various images you have included and will be helpful to use when teaching about the history of psychology.”“I have used Myers/DeWall course materials for the past seven years. I have always [received] positive feedback from my students regarding the book. I have taught over a 1000 students and never heard a negative comment about the book.”
“I think you have done a remarkable job on your treatment of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Your pictures and images really capture the changing world.”
Brian Cronk, Missouri Western State University
“I like the way it incorporates current information with the classic content. It is an enjoyable read.”Sherry Ash, San Jacinto Community College
“My first reaction is that the text is extremely well written and up to date, addressing current issues and concerns in the field of clinical psychology. Addressing commonly diagnosed conditions, such as ADHD will increase engagement since so many have familiarity with it. I enjoyed the organization and found the pages to be interesting to look at and yet not over crowded.”Laura Ochoa, Bergen Community College
“My favorite part of the chapter were the visual presentations. The photos were stunning, the graphics related to the brain were beautiful, the tables and graphs were instructional and easy to understand.”“I think the pictures and illustrations and case study material (examples using real-life people) included in this book are inclusive and convey the message that people should be treated equitably and in an inclusive way.”
Michael Dudley, Palomar College
“This chapter does a nice balancing act of explaining many of the core, classic concepts in the field of social psychology while still acknowledging recent findings which help to elucidate the classic results in the appropriate current context. The language of the chapter is very inviting and does not presume to know/not know what the reader is already knowledgeable of. In that way, this chapter would work well not only for a first-time student but would also be approachable by a student with considerable knowledge already of social psychology.”
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Table of Contents
Instructor Preface
Student Preface: Skills for Student Success—How to Apply Psychology to Live Your Best Life
CHAPTER 1
Psychology’s Roots, Critical Thinking, and Self-Improvement Tools
Psychology Is a Science
Critical Thinking and the Scientific Attitude
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Scientific Attitude
Psychological Science’s Birth and Development
Today’s Psychology
The Need for Psychological Science
The Limits of Common Sense
Psychological Science in a Post-Truth World
How Do Psychologists Ask and Answer Questions?
The Scientific Method
Description
Correlation
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Correlation and Causation
Experimentation
Choosing a Research Design
Predicting Everyday Behavior
Psychology’s Research Ethics
Studying and Protecting Animals
Studying and Protecting Humans
Values in Psychology
Use Psychology to Become a Stronger Person—and a Better Student
CHAPTER 2
The Biology of Behavior and Consciousness
The Power of Neuroplasticity
Neural Communication
A Neuron’s Structure
How Neurons Communicate
How Neurotransmitters Influence Us
The Nervous System
The Peripheral Nervous System
The Central Nervous System
The Endocrine System
The Brain
Tools of Discovery—Having Our Head Examined
Brain Regions and Structures
The Limbic System
The Cerebral Cortex
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Do We Use Only 10 Percent of Our Brain?
Damage Response and Brain Hemispheres
Brain States and Consciousness
Selective Attention
Sleep and Dreams
CHAPTER 3
Developing Through the Life Span
Developmental Psychology’s Major Issues
Nature and Nurture
Continuity and Stages
Stability and Change
Prenatal Development and the Newborn
Conception
Prenatal Development
The Competent Newborn
Twin and Adoption Studies
Infancy and Childhood
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Social Development
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Parenting Styles—Too Hard, Too Soft, Too Uncaring, and Just Right?
Adolescence
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Social Development
Emerging Adulthood
Adulthood
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Social Development
CHAPTER 4
Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
Gender Development
Similarities and Differences
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Gender Bias in the Workplace
The Nature of Gender
The Nurture of Gender
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Sexual Aggression
Human Sexuality
The Physiology of Sex
The Psychology of Sex
Sexual Orientation
Cultural Attitudes and Prevalence
Why Do We Differ?
An Evolutionary Explanation of Human Sexuality
Male-Female Differences in Sexuality
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences
Critiquing the Evolutionary Perspective
Sex and Human Relationships
Reflections on the Nature and Nurture of Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
CHAPTER 5
Sensation and Perception
Basic Concepts of Sensation and Perception
From Outer Energy to Inner Brain Activity
Thresholds
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Subliminal Stimulation and Subliminal Persuasion
Sensory Adaptation
Perceptual Set
Context, Motivation, and Emotion
Vision
Light Energy and Eye Structures
Information Processing in the Eye and Brain
Perceptual Organization
Perceptual Interpretation
Hearing
Sound Waves: From the Environment Into the Brain
Decoding Sound Waves
How Do We Locate Sounds?
Skin, Chemical, and Body Senses
Touch
Chemical Senses: Taste and Smell
Body Position and Movement
Sensory Interaction
Perception Without Sensation?
CHAPTER 6
Learning
How Do We Learn?
Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s Experiments
Pavlov’s Legacy
Operant Conditioning
Skinner’s Experiments
Skinner’s Legacy
Contrasting Classical and Operant Conditioning
Biology, Cognition, and Learning
Biological Limits on Conditioning
Cognitive Influences on Conditioning
Learning by Observation
Mirrors and Imitation in the Brain
Observational Learning in Everyday Life
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Effects of Viewing Media Violence
CHAPTER 7
Memory
Studying Memory
An Information-Processing Model
Building Memories: Encoding
Our Two-Track Memory System
Automatic Processing and Implicit Memories
Effortful Processing and Explicit Memories
Memory Storage
Retaining Information in the Brain
Synaptic Changes
Retrieval: Getting Information Out
Measuring Retention
Retrieval Cues
Forgetting
Forgetting and the Two-Track Mind
Encoding Failure
Storage Decay
Retrieval Failure
Memory Construction Errors
Misinformation and Imagination Effects
Source Amnesia
Recognizing False Memories
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Can Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse Be Repressed and Then Recovered?
Children’s Eyewitness Recall
Improving Memory
CHAPTER 8
Thinking, Language, and Intelligence
Thinking
Concepts
Solving Problems
Making Good (and Bad) Decisions and Judgments
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Fear Factor
Thinking Creatively
Do Other Species Share Our Cognitive Skills?
Language
Language Acquisition and Development
The Brain and Language
Thinking Without Language
Do Other Species Have Language?
Intelligence
What Is Intelligence?
Assessing Intelligence
The Nature and Nurture of Intelligence
Intelligence Across the Life Span
Group Differences in Intelligence Test Scores
CHAPTER 9
Motivation and Emotion
Motivational Concepts
Drives and Incentives
Arousal Theory
A Hierarchy of Needs
Hunger
The Physiology of Hunger
The Psychology of Hunger
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Challenges of Obesity and Weight Control
The Need to Belong
The Benefits of Belonging
The Pain of Being Shut Out
Connecting and Social Networking
Achievement Motivation
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Goal Setting
Emotion: Arousal, Behavior, and Cognition
James-Lange Theory: Arousal Comes Before Emotion
Cannon-Bard Theory: Arousal and Emotion Happen at the Same Time
Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory: Arousal + Label = Emotion
Zajonc, LeDoux, and Lazarus: Emotion and the Two-Track Brain
Embodied Emotion
The Basic Emotions
Emotions and the Autonomic Nervous System
The Physiology of Emotions
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Lie Detection
Expressed and Experienced Emotion
Detecting Emotion in Others
Culture and Emotion
The Effects of Facial Expressions
CHAPTER 10
Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing
Stress: Some Basic Concepts
Stressors—Things That Push Our Buttons
Stress Reactions—From Alarm to Exhaustion
Stress Effects and Health
Stress and Heart Disease
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Stress and Health
Coping With Stress
Coping Strategies
Personal Control
Optimism and Pessimism
Emotion Regulation
Social Support
Finding Meaning
Managing Stress Effects
Aerobic Exercise
Relaxation and Meditation
Faith Communities and Health
Happiness and Well-Being
When Are We Happiest?
What Makes Us Happy?
Evidence-Based Suggestions for a Happy Life
Questioning Some Myths About Happiness
CHAPTER 11
Social Psychology
What Is Social Psychology’s Focus?
Social Thinking
The Fundamental Attribution Error
Attitudes and Actions
Persuasion
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: How to Be Persuasive
Social Influence
Cultural Influences
Conformity and Obedience
Group Influence
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Internet as Social Amplifier
Social Relations
Prejudice
Aggression
Attraction
Altruism
From Conflict to Peace
CHAPTER 12
Personality
What Is Personality?
Psychodynamic Theories
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Perspective: Exploring the Unconscious
The Neo-Freudian and Later Psychodynamic Theorists
Assessing Unconscious Processes
Evaluating Freud’s Psychoanalytic Perspective and Modern Views of the Unconscious
Humanistic Theories
Abraham Maslow’s Self-Actualizing Person
Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Perspective
Assessing the Self
Evaluating Humanistic Theories
Trait Theories
Exploring Traits
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: The Stigma of Introversion
Assessing Traits
The Big Five Factors
Evaluating Trait Theories
Social-Cognitive Theories
Reciprocal Influences
Assessing Behavior in Situations
Evaluating Social-Cognitive Theories
Exploring the Self
The Benefits and Costs of Self-Esteem
Self-Serving Bias
Culture and the Self
CHAPTER 13
Psychological Disorders
What Is a Psychological Disorder?
Defining Psychological Disorders
Understanding Psychological Disorders
Classifying Disorders—and Labeling People
Anxiety-Related Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Understanding Anxiety-Related Disorders
Substance Use Disorders
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Tolerance and Addiction
Types of Psychoactive Drugs
Understanding Substance Use Disorders
Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders
Depressive Disorders
Bipolar Disorders
Understanding Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders
Schizophrenia
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Onset and Development of Schizophrenia
Understanding Schizophrenia
Dissociative, Personality, and Eating Disorders
Dissociative Disorders
Personality Disorders
Eating Disorders
Risk of Harm to Self and Others
Understanding Suicide
Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
Does Disorder Equal Danger?
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Intellectual Disability
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: ADHD—Normal High Energy or Disordered Behavior?
CHAPTER 14
Therapy
Treating Psychological Disorders
The Psychological Therapies
Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Therapies
Humanistic Therapies
Behavior Therapies
Cognitive Therapies
Group, Couple, and Family Therapies
Evaluating Psychotherapies
Is Psychotherapy Effective?
Which Psychotherapies Work Best?
How Do Psychotherapies Help People?
Human Diversity and Psychotherapy
Seeking Psychotherapy
Ethical Principles in Psychotherapy
The Biomedical Therapies
THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT: Therapeutic Lifestyle Change
Drug Therapies
Brain Stimulation
Psychosurgery
Preventing Psychological Disorders and Building Resilience
Preventive Mental Health
Building Resilience
APPENDIXES
A Statistical Reasoning in Everyday Life
B Psychology at Work
C The Story of Psychology: A Timeline
D Career Fields in Psychology
E Complete Chapter Reviews
F Answers to the Retrieve & Remember and Chapter Test Questions
Glossary
Glosario
References
Name Index
Subject Index
Authors
David G. Myers
David G. Myers
David Myers received his B.A. in chemistry from Whitworth University, and his psychology Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He has spent his career at Hope College, Michigan, where he has taught dozens of introductory psychology sections. Hope College students have invited him to be their commencement speaker and voted him “outstanding professor.” His research and writings have been recognized by the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize, an Honored Scientist award from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences, an award for Distinguished Service on Behalf of Social-Personality Psychology , a Presidential Citation from APA Division 2, election as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, and three honorary doctorates.
With support from National Science Foundation grants, Myers' scientific articles have appeared in three dozen scientific periodicals, including Science, American Scientist, Psychological Science, and the American Psychologist. In addition to his scholarly writing and his textbooks for introductory and social psychology, he also digests psychological science for the general public. His writings have appeared in four dozen magazines, from Today's Education to Scientific American. He has authored five general audience books, including The Pursuit of Happiness and Intuition: Its Powers and Perils. And he blogs about psychology and life at TalkPsych.com.
David Myers has chaired his city’s Human Relations Commission, helped found a thriving assistance center for families in poverty, and spoken to hundreds of college, community, and professional groups worldwide.
Drawing on his experience, he also has written articles and a book (A Quiet World) about hearing loss, and he is advocating a transformation in American assistive listening technology (see HearingLoop.org). For his leadership, he has received awards from the American Academy of Audiology, the hearing industry, and the Hearing Loss Association of America.
David and Carol Myers met and married while undergraduates, and have raised sons Peter and Andrew, and a daughter, Laura. They have one grandchild, Allie.
C. Nathan DeWall
C. Nathan DeWall
Nathan DeWall is professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. He received his bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College, a master’s degree in social science from the University of Chicago, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social psychology from Florida State University. DeWall received the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award, which recognizes excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching. The Association for Psychological Science identified DeWall as a “Rising Star” early in his career for “making significant contributions to the field of psychological science.” He is in the top 1 percent of all cited scientists in psychology and psychiatry on the Institute for Scientific Information list, according to the Web of Science.
DeWall conducts research on close relationships, self-control, and aggression. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the John Templeton Foundation, he has published over 200 scientific articles and chapters. DeWall’s research awards include the SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology, the Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Research on Aggression, and the Early Career Award from the International Society for Self and Identity. His research has been covered by numerous media outlets, including Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Harvard Business Review, USA Today, National Public Radio, the BBC, and The Guardian. He has lectured nationally and internationally, including in Hong Kong, China, the Netherlands, England, Greece, Hungary, Sweden, Australia, and France.
Nathan is happily married to Alice DeWall and is the proud father of Beverly “Bevy” and Ellis. He enjoys playing with his golden retriever, Finnegan. As an ultramarathon runner, he completed numerous races, including the Badwater 135 in 2017 (dubbed “the World’s toughest foot race”). In his spare time now, he writes novels, watches sports, and plays guitar and sings in local rock bands.
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David G. Myers; C. Nathan DeWall | Sixth Edition | ©2023 | ISBN:9781319447311
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APA Correlation to Quality Principles (.docx)
Instructor's Resource Manual for Psychology in Everyday Life (Online Only)
David G. Myers; C. Nathan DeWall | Sixth Edition | ©2023 | ISBN:9781319447199
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David G. Myers; C. Nathan DeWall | Sixth Edition | ©2023 | ISBN:9781319447205
MCAT Correlation Guide (.docx)
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