In an accessible 15-chapter format, psychological principles are used as a pedagogical system to guide and enhance the learning process, reinforced by a unique teaching theme.

Stephen Kosslyn and Robin Rosenberg introduce the field of psychology by 1) exploring how psychological principles can be applied to enhance learning and 2) integrating the field of psychology by viewing it from various perspectives (the brain, the person, the group). Offering a structured pedagogical system based on psychological research about how we best learn and remember information, students will “use psychology to learn psychology.” The unique student introduction, “Using Psychology to Learn Psychology” introduces this system and serves as a roadmap for active learning.

Through their own research and clinical work, as well as their experiences as teachers, Kosslyn and Rosenberg have found that exploring psychology from multiple perspectives further enhances learning. Examining psychological issues from the levels of the brain (physiological mechanisms), the person (beliefs, desires, and feelings) and the group (the physical and social world) and their interactions, helps students organize and integrate topics within and across chapters, and actively apply psychology to their lives.