50 great myths of popular psychology : shattering widespread misconceptions about human behavior / Scott O. Lilienfeld [and others].
| Other author | Lilienfeld, Scott O., 1960-2020 |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | Malden : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. |
| Description | 1 online resource (xx, 332 pages) |
| Supplemental Content | ProQuest Ebook Central |
| Subjects |
| Variant title | Fifty great myths of popular psychology |
| Contents | 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- INTRODUCTION The Wide World of Psychomythology -- 1 BRAIN POWER Myths about the Brain and Perception -- # 1 Most People Use Only 10% of Their Brain Power -- # 2 Some People Are Left-Brained, Others Are Right-Brained -- # 3 Extrasensory Perception (ESP) Is a Well-Established Scientific Phenomenon -- # 4 Visual Perceptions Are Accompanied by Tiny Emissions from the Eyes -- # 5 Subliminal Messages Can Persuade People to Purchase Products -- 2 FROM WOMB TO TOMB Myths about Development and Aging -- # 6 Playing Mozart's Music to Infants Boosts Their Intelligence -- # 7 Adolescence Is Inevitably a Time of Psychological Turmoil -- # 8 Most People Experience a Midlife Crisis in Their 40s or Early 50s -- # 9 Old Age Is Typically Associated with Increased Dissatisfaction and Senility -- # 10 When Dying, People Pass through a Universal Series of Psychological Stages -- 3 A REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST Myths about Memory -- # 11 Human Memory Works like a Tape Recorder or Video Camera, and Accurately Records the Events We've Experienced -- # 12 Hypnosis Is Useful for Retrieving Memories of Forgotten Events -- # 13 Individuals Commonly Repress the Memories of Traumatic Experiences -- # 14 Most People with Amnesia Forget All Details of Their Earlier Lives -- 4 TEACHING OLD DOGS NEW TRICKS Myths about Intelligence and Learning -- # 15 Intelligence (IQ) Tests Are Biased against Certain Groups of People -- # 16 If You're Unsure of Your Answer When Taking a Test, It's Best to Stick with Your Initial Hunch -- # 17 The Defining Feature of Dyslexia Is Reversing Letters -- # 18 Students Learn Best When Teaching Styles Are Matched to Their Learning Styles -- 5 ALTERED STATES Myths about Consciousness -- # 19 Hypnosis Is a Unique "Trance" State that Differs in Kind from Wakefulness. |
| Contents | # 20 Researchers Have Demonstrated that Dreams Possess Symbolic Meaning -- # 21 People Can Learn Information, like New Languages, while Asleep -- # 22 During "Out-of-Body" Experiences, People's Consciousness Leaves Their Bodies -- 6 I'VE GOT A FEELING Myths about Emotion and Motivation -- # 23 The Polygraph ("Lie Detector") Test Is an Accurate Means of Detecting Dishonesty -- # 24 Happiness Is Determined Mostly by Our External Circumstances -- # 25 Ulcers Are Caused Primarily or Entirely by Stress -- # 26 A Positive Attitude Can Stave off Cancer -- 7 THE SOCIAL ANIMAL Myths about Interpersonal Behavior -- # 27 Opposites Attract: We Are Most Romantically Attracted to People Who Differ from Us -- # 28 There's Safety in Numbers: The More People Present at an Emergency, the Greater the Chance that Someone Will Intervene -- # 29 Men and Women Communicate in Completely Different Ways -- # 30 It's Better to Express Anger to Others than to Hold It in -- 8 KNOW THYSELF Myths about Personality -- # 31 Raising Children Similarly Leads to Similarities in Their Adult Personalities -- # 32 The Fact that a Trait Is Heritable Means We Can't Change It -- # 33 Low Self-Esteem Is a Major Cause of Psychological Problems -- # 34 Most People Who Were Sexually Abused in Childhood Develop Severe Personality Disturbances in Adulthood -- # 35 People's Responses to Inkblots Tell Us a Great Deal about Their Personalities -- # 36 Our Handwriting Reveals Our Personality Traits -- 9 SAD, MAD, AND BAD Myths about Mental Illness -- # 37 Psychiatric Labels Cause Harm by Stigmatizing People -- # 38 Only Deeply Depressed People Commit Suicide -- # 39 People with Schizophrenia Have Multiple Personalities -- # 40 Adult Children of Alcoholics Display a Distinctive Profile of Symptoms -- # 41 There's Recently Been a Massive Epidemic of Infantile Autism. |
| Contents | # 42 Psychiatric Hospital Admissions and Crimes Increase during Full Moons -- 10 DISORDER IN THE COURT Myths about Psychology and the Law -- # 43 Most Mentally Ill People Are Violent -- # 44 Criminal Profiling Is Helpful in Solving Cases -- # 45 A Large Proportion of Criminals Successfully Use the Insanity Defense -- # 46 Virtually All People Who Confess to a Crime Are Guilty of It -- 11 SKILLS AND PILLS Myths about Psychological Treatment -- # 47 Expert Judgment and Intuition Are the Best Means of Making Clinical Decisions -- # 48 Abstinence Is the Only Realistic Treatment Goal for Alcoholics -- # 49 All Effective Psychotherapies Force People to Confront the "Root" Causes of Their Problems in Childhood -- # 50 Electroconvulsive ("Shock") Therapy Is a Physically Dangerous and Brutal Treatment -- POSTSCRIPT Truth is Stranger than Fiction -- APPENDIX Recommended Websites for Exploring Psychomythology -- REFERENCES -- INDEX. |
| Abstract | "True knowledge is hard won, and this timely and remarkable book shows us that stamping out falsehoods is no easy task either. The book does it all: it debunks all-too-common beliefs from the pseudoscientific fringe; it presents evidence against a variety of myths that seem like they ought to be true; it explains why people fall prey to such falsehoods; and it ends with some tantalizing facts about mind and behavior that make it clear that the truth can be every bit as amazing as fiction. These 50 myths won't disappear with the publication of this book, but those who read it will enjoy being able to set others-many others-straight."--Thomas Gilovich, Cornell University "We have needed this compendium for some time. These factoids and popular (but fallacious) memes about psychology have been exposed in single publications, but critiques of all of them have never been brought together in one place before. The myths chosen by these authors are indeed popular ones-the very ones that psychology instructors encounter every day. The book is an incredible resource for both student and instructor. The critiques are accurate and well written. I'm sure my copy will be dog-eared within six months." -Keith E. Stanovich, author or How To Think Straight About Psychology and What Intelligence Tests Miss "A much-needed mythbuster for consumers and students of psychology. This engaging book reminds us that applying science to everyday psychology is not only enormously worthwhile, but fun." -Carol Tavris, Ph. D., coauthor of Mistakes were made (but not by me) "Because I only use 10% of my brain, I had to play Mozart music while reading this book, and then be hypnotized to recover the memory of it because of early childhood traumas that were repressed but occasionally leaked through out-of-body experiences and ESP. And if you believe any of the above you need. |
| Summary | To read this book ... twice if its mythbusting revelations cause you to repress the memory of it."--Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist for Scientific American, and author of Why People Believe Weird Things "Is it true that psychology is mostly common sense? For anyone who wonders, this amazing book-which effectively discounts 50 pop psychology myths and briefly dismisses 250 more-provides convincing answers. And it does more: it offers fascinating examples of how science works and supports critical thinking. For teachers, students, writers, and anyone who wants to think smarter, this classic-to-be will be a valuable resource and a great read." -David G. Myers, Hope College, author, Intuition: Its Powers and Perils "I find each and every chapter excellent and from a teaching point of view, brilliant. The way in which the history of the myths is presented up to the critical but balanced discussion of each myth, is a great achievement. Scott Lilienfeld is well-known for his user-friendly writing style, but in this text he and his co-authors reach a new level. This led to a book which will not only be easily understandable by undergraduate and especially first year students, but also by the general population." -Dap Louw, Head, Centre for Psychology and the Law, University of the Free State. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Source of description | Print version record. |
| Issued in other form | Print version: 50 great myths of popular psychology. Malden : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009 |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| Genre/form | Popular works. |
| LCCN | 2009020179 |
| ISBN | (hardcover ; alk. paper) |
| ISBN | (pbk. ; alk. paper) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |