Magill's Encyclopedia of Social Science : Psychology

The standard reference source for the fundamentals of psychology study - the 1993 Survey of Social Science: Psychology - is now massively revised, redesigned, and updated. Magill's Encyclopedia of Social Science: Psychology covers not only the history of the field and the core aspects of behaviorism, cognitive psychology, and psychoanalytic psychology but also diagnoses, disorders, treatments, tests, people, and issues. This new encyclopedia streamlines many of the older topics by replacing them with helpful overviews, and it provides a more comprehensive view of the field. Of the 452 entries, 177 are completely new; 103 are substantially revised, often the result of advances in diagnosis and treatment or changes in standards from the revised third edition (1987, DSM-III-R) to the text revision of the fourth edition (2000, DSM-IV-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; the remaining entries are re-edited and reformatted for easier use. The annotated ""Sources for Further Study"" for all entries are also updated with the most recent scholarship. Entries in Psychology range from one to eight pages. Every entry begins with standard information: title, date (where relevant), type of psychology, fields of study, a statement of significance, and a list of key concepts. The date is provided when theories were first presented, organizations were founded, and tests were designed. Biographies also include an ""Identity"" heading indicating nationality and discipline or specially, as well as birth/death date and place information. The abstract briefly defines the topic and summarizes its importance to psychology. ""Key concepts"" lists five to ten of the most important and topic-specific concepts discussed. The text of each article offers a clear and concise discussion of the topic. An entry on a mental illness addresses its cause, diagnosis, treatment, and impact. An entry on a theory or school examines its origin, history, and current status. An entry on an organization covers its history and functions. An entry on a psychological test discusses its development and applications. A biographical entry addresses the life, career, and contributions of the individual. All terminology is explained, and context is provided to make the information accessible to general readers. The solid annotated ""Sources for Further Study"" sections offer citations to secondary sources for additional information on the topics. All essays are signed and conclude with a list of cross-references to related articles within Psychology.