Psychology influences the way we think about everything, from education and intelligence to relationships and advertising. This updated Very Short Introduction by Gillian Butler and Freda McManus provides an exploration of the leadings ideas and theories of psychology for anyone interested in understanding the human mind.

• 1: What is psychology? How do you study it?


• 2: What gets into our minds? Perception


• 3: What stays in the mind? Learning and Memory


• 4: How do we use what is in the mind? Thinking, Reasoning and Communicating


• 5: Why do we do what we do? Motivation and Emotion


• 6: Is there a set pattern? Developmental Psychology


• 7: Can we categorize people? Individual Differences


• 8: What happens when things go wrong? Abnormal Psychology


• 9: How do we influence each other? Social Psychology


• 10: What is psychology for?


• Glossary


• References


• Further Reading


• Index

Gillian Butler is a clinician, teacher, researcher, and writer at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. She is the author of the popular psychology book Manage Your Mind (2007, 2nd edition).
Freda McManus is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry. She is currently Director of the OCTC/University of Oxford's Diploma in Cognitive Therapy.