Material Detail

Comprehensiveness This textbook includes 16 chapters that cover the broad spectrum of psychological areas. Topics include historical and contemporary psychology, research methods and statistics, biopsychology such as brain regions and the nervous system, consciousness and sleep, sensation and perception, learning, cognition and intelligence, memory, lifespan development, emotion and motivation, personality and social psychology, stress and health, psychological disorders, therapy and treatment, and industrial and organizational psychology. Each of these topics are covered adequately and there is an index that provides topics and corresponding page numbers. Throughout the text, the important terms are bolded as well as relisted at the end of each chapter with accompanying definitions. I like the ease of locating these important terms, but would also like a call-out bubble within the text that provides a separate, isolated definition of each term. There are plenty of graphical examples (e.g., pictures, figures) to illustrate key concepts. Additionally, I like the embedded links within "Link to Learning" boxes that offer quick access to relevant videos. Content Accuracy I found the content to be accurate, error-free and unbiased. Relevance/Longevity The current PDF version of Psychology 2e was published in 2020. In light of the recent pandemic, I was surprised to see only one mention of COVID-19. Although that doesn't affect the basic principles in any way, the circumstances are relevant to many topics. Outside of COVID-19, the content is up-to-date, but discusses concepts and examples that avoid making the text obsolete within a short period of time. Also, the writing and subsection provide for easy modifications if updates become necessary. Clarity The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology. In general, the authors use easily understood language that flows through ideas smoothly, and provides non-technical explanations, often accompanied by an example. Consistency I did not notice any issues of changing or inconsistent terminology, the framework throughout the text seems consistent, and despite multiple authors, the style of writing remains consistent across chapters. Modularity Each chapter is subdivided into several sections that could be assigned individually. I enjoyed the fact that each section embedded in each chapter contained its own set of learning objectives. These were fairly specific, which allow for a directed teaching focus. Additionally, each chapter summary provided a separate summary for each section. Furthermore, each section contained sufficient information and avoided any references to previous or forthcoming information. Although not self-referential, some chapters assume reading previous chapters. For example, the section on substance use and abuse (Section 4.5) assumes previous knowledge on neural functioning. However, the explanations are detailed enough that previous understanding is unnecessary to understand basic principles in each chapter. Organization/Structure/Flow Overall, the topics in the text are ordered logically. The early chapters align with traditional textbooks by introducing history and research methods. Some of the later chapters, such as emotion and motivation (Chapter 10) and stress, lifestyle, and health (Chapter 14), could be reordered. However, each chapter is self-contained, which enables the order to be easily modified. Within chapters, ideas and concepts are ordered logically, such that basic concepts are introduced first followed by more complex concepts. Moreover, this textbook is easily customized as instructors can request a version of the textbook that can be edited. Interface The text is available in many formats. As a PDF, which maintains the intended presentation, students/instructors can easily transport, copy, and share the textbook. Even in a PDF, I especially liked that each chapter and subsection was indexed. That way, navigation to specific areas was easily accomplished. Alternatively, students can view online using OpenStax’s online viewer. This option offers an easy option to navigate the textbook sections. Lastly, the text can be purchased as a hard copy. Consistent across options, the images, text, and added features are displayed appropriately. Grammatical Errors I did not notice any outstanding issues with grammar or other writing errors. Cultural Relevance The text seemed culturally neutral and avoided offensive language. There are a lot of examples to supplement the basic principles. These examples made use of culturally, racially, and gender diverse names and situations. Although inoffensive and commonly experienced, some examples may not be relatable. For example, a picture of fishing for stingray off the coast of Florida or getting ice cream from an ice cream truck may not be an experience every culture shares. But overall, this text is culturally inclusive.