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Most psychology textbooks provide the following units, usually more than can be covered in a typical 16 week semester. One professor explained, "I want to 'uncover' the material, not 'cover' it."

So...the uncovering of the following topics are customary in most psychology textbooks:

Emotions, Stress, and Health

How Learning Occurs

Personality

Biology and Behavior

Human Development: physical, emotional, mental

Perception

Psychological Disorders

Motivation

One text I find particularly applicable to adult learning classrooms is Exploring Psychology by David G. Myers. His method of presenting material includes critical thinking exercises, tips for studying, and rehearsals for potential test questions.

For example, in the unit on "Our Divided Brains" he adds a section related to critically examining the evidence on "left brain, right brain" functions. He shows how brain research has been oversimplified and embellished by popular news articles. "Rumors grow, accumulate, and
evolve into scientific myths that become 'accepted truth'."

In addition, sections called "Close-Up" offer detailed sidebar stories that relate to the chapter titles, as shown in the chapter on Psychological Disorders: the sidebar details data related to suicide in terms of race, nationality, gender, age, and other group differences.

Figures and graphs aptly illustrate (as they do in every chapter) varying data; specifically in this chapter...data on suicide rates by gender and age, and increasing rates of teen suicide. Myers even includes literary allusions, such as in this chapter, one attributed to Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar, saying, "But life, being weary of these worldly bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself."

Also, the sections of each chapter called "Rehearse it" help the adult learner relax and understand that teachers might use similar essay or multiple choice questions on unit tests, enabling the student to practice testing themselves without the nervous adrenaline fear response that often accompanies TEST DAY.

A valuable and extensive glossary is found at the end of the textbook, along with a detailed reference section for the student who wants to check something out or find an idea for a research paper.

Learn more about this author, Mary Winter.
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