To keep abreast of theory and research in psychology, as well as related disciplines, the authors have relied more heavily on the experience and consultation with experts, students and teachers who used earlier editions and who reported on the strengths and weak- nesses of those editions. Each chapter was reviewed thoroughly by specialists, all outstanding in their areas. By such extensive reviewing it was sought to ensure that the material presented in this book represents accurately the current state of knowledge in psychology.
The section on motivation and emotion has been entirely rewritten. Chapter 11 is concerned with physiological motives. It presents the latest research on mechanism of hunger and thirst as well as interesting new material on sex and obesity. Chapter 12 now combines socially based motives with material on emotion, it devotes considerables pace to aggression, considering aggressive behavior from several viewpoints and focusing on both innate and learned aspects. Social psychology is another section that has been completely rewritten. Chapter on “Social Psychology", and "Psychology and Society" provide an engaging and thought- provoking finale to the book. These include lively discussions of such topics as interpersonal attraction, bystander apathy, and attribution processes. These give some intriguing examples of the way psychological facts and theories influence public policy, and conversely, the way societal prejudices influence the objectivity of behavioral science. A recurrent theme introduced throughout this edition is that psychological problems can be studied from different viewpoint. Chapter 1 introduces five approaches to the study of psychology-neurobiological, behavioristic, cognitive, psychoanalytic and humanistic. These approaches are reintroduced in later chapters wherever a particular topic (i.e. personality, motivation or perception) has been studied from several viewpoints.
E.R. Hilgard
