A Companion to Introductory Psychology

Frank M. Ferraro III earned a Ph.D. in psychology (behavioral neuroscience) from Kansas State University, USA, and is now Adjunct Professor teaching psychology at Midland University, USA. He has published scientific articles in the areas of alcohol/drug addiction and the benefits of wilderness experiences on human creativity. Much of his career has been spent at liberal arts teaching institutions, where he has taught introductory psychology, research methods, psychopharmacology, behavioral neuroscience, and upper-level research capstones. He is an award-winning teacher, having been honored by both Nebraska Wesleyan University and Midland University for excellence in teaching. This companion book is an accumulation of engaging essays he has written for his undergraduate psychology students. They are published here now, in the hopes that they enhance classroom discussions. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

1. Foundational Theme (Research): Understanding the Replication Crisis in Psychology Section 1: Biological Essays 2. Return to the Right Hemisphere 3. The Real Story of Phineas Gage 4. Moving Machines with the Mind 5. Do Plants Control Humans? 6. Fear Is Not a Factor: What Nightmare Research Tells Us Section 2: Cognition Essays 7. The World We Miss 8. Feeling What Other People Feel 9. Fascinating Case Studies in Memory Research 10. Intelligence: Measuring Mental Ability 11. The Psychology of Human Expertise Section 3: Developmental Essays 12. The Brain’s Long-term Construction Project 13. Are We Too Safe in Our Thinking? 14. Rerouting: Language Plasticity in the Human Brain Section 4: Social and Personality Essays 15. All Evil Begins with 15 Volts 16. The Best Time to be Alive? 17. Too Many Options 18. Psychological Paths into Conspiratorial Thinking Section 5: Mental and Physical Health Essays 19. Happy Pills: Do Antidepressants Work? 20. The Place as the Cure: History of Mental Asylums 21. Sports Psychology: Historical and Modern Contributions Appendix A: Mind Crime: The Role of Forensic Psychology (Applied Psychology) Appendix B: Unconventional: The Psychological Contributions of Henry Murray (History of Psychology) Appendix C: Five “Hidden Figures” of Psychology (History of Psychology) Conclusion