The Principles of Psychology

by Shona Saul

Unlock the mysteries of the human mind with this accessible and highly-visual hardback guide to the principles of psychology, featuring useful diagrams, text boxes and full-color images.

Chartered psychologist Dr. Shona Saul presents an engaging and comprehensible guide that delves into the essential principles of psychology. With this book, you can explore a myriad of captivating topics including personality psychology, attachment theory and criminal profiling, and the role each of these play in understanding human behavior as a whole.

In this book you will learn
• The different approaches to psychology which have held sway over the years
• The most influential psychologists, including Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Ivan Pavlov and more.
• The key concepts in every area, including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, behavioral psychology and social psychology.

This fascinating introduction to the world of psychology is replete with full-color diagrams and illustrations to help make even the most complex ideas accessible to everyone.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 28, 2023

Reviews

[Rory Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wondered what Psychology is, or what might be involved in studying one of its sub-disciplines, then this is the book for you.

Working its way through the major sub-divisions of the subject, each chapter provides a brief historical overview of an area and then an account of where the subject is at, today. One of the strengths of the book is its ability to simplify and summarize, what would otherwise be a vast amount of detail.

To some extent, everything can be depicted as involving Psychology, and so there can be a risk of over-reach in some Psychology books. This book largely avoided that problem, although Chapter 7’s ‘Health Psychology’ arguably strayed a little. Did we really need to know about diets and causes of diabetes in a book on Psychology? Although the different ways that people respond to illness definitely raise Psychological issues. For example, it has been noted in many different contexts that even when patients are told that they will die unless they change a behavior, they can still struggle to do so. It would have been good to learn a little more about those kinds of issues.

One of the problems in trying to write a general overview, is that it means raising a lot of issues and then truncating discussions to move onto the next point. Generally the book did that well, weaving different topics together so that there was a progression for readers. However there were a few places where things could have been more detailed. For example we heard about Shell Shock as a condition that affected first World War soldiers. But we heard little about its modern manifestation as PTSD, and how soldiers from different armies show different rates of incidence, even when their battlefield contexts seem similar. It raises some interesting questions about the diagnosis, classifications, and treatments, which it would have been good to learn more about.

The book ended with a chapter on workplace psychology, picking up some of the issues usually covered in Management and Leadership books. To some extent this could be viewed as Psychology straying into over-reach again, but it was done well and it became a welcome demystifying of some of the practices of the Business community. It showed that there isn’t a separate set of ‘business skills’ which it is necessary to learn to run a workplace or an organisation. People just need to understand and apply some basic principles of psychology, so that they can organize and motivate people effectively.

Overall this was an easy to read book which avoided unnecessary jargon and complexity, so that it was accessible to readers from any background.

(These are honest comments based on a free ARC version of the text).

[J Kromrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Dr. Shona Saul’s “The Principles of Psychology” is an engaging and accessible guide that delves into the essential principles of psychology. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, this book offers a captivating exploration of the human mind.

Highlights:

Comprehensibility: Saul’s writing style simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible to a broad audience. She weaves together historical context, contemporary insights, and practical applications seamlessly.

Visual Appeal: The book is replete with full-color diagrams and illustrations. These visual aids enhance understanding, especially when grappling with intricate ideas.

Sub-Disciplines: Saul covers a range of foundational areas, including personality psychology, attachment theory, and criminal profiling. Each chapter provides a brief historical overview followed by a snapshot of the current state of the field.

Key Figures: From Sigmund Freud to Carl Jung and Ivan Pavlov, Saul introduces influential psychologists who have shaped the discipline.

Approaches: The book explores various psychological approaches, including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, behavioral psychology, and social psychology.

Room for Improvement:

While Saul adeptly avoids overreaching, some chapters could benefit from deeper exploration. For instance, the discussion on “Health Psychology” touches on diets and diabetes causes, but a more nuanced exploration of patient behavior and coping mechanisms would enrich the content.

In Summary:

“The Principles of Psychology” provides a solid foundation for anyone intrigued by the workings of the human mind. Saul’s concise yet informative approach ensures that readers gain valuable insights without feeling overwhelmed.

📚 Recommendation: If you’re curious about psychology or seek a concise overview, this book is a worthy addition to your reading list.

Remember, understanding the mind is an ongoing journey—one that Saul invites us to embark upon with curiosity and clarity.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first: this did not work as an audiobook. There were of course no diagrams, the tables were just read out loud, and it was aching for a conclusion at the end to round off the listening experience. I thought the same about the previous book in this series that I reviewed, and I thought this one might be different (given how keen they are to push these audiobooks) but I was wrong.

That aside! This was a very interesting and accessible introduction to psychology. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on developmental psychology, and I feel like I learned a lot about the way our brains develop. I was coming out with developmental psychology facts for days, it was so interesting!

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I also thought the author did a really good job of presenting difficult subjects, such as some of Freud’s theory. She didn’t shy away from the less savoury aspects of them, but did give sufficient context, including examining how these theories were and are still received.

I did feel that the chapters on applied psychology were dragged out, with extensive tangents into other topics that felt unnecessary. Again, this is where the audiobook format wasn’t great; some of this could have been an appendix that could be referred to on the readers terms, but for the audiobook I had to sit through a lot of being told how and why people applied to jobs, for example.

I’m sure this would be a great reference book, and I did learn a lot, but I think that if this series is going to continue then the audiobook format needs to change.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

[Joanne Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Principles Of Psychology provides a broad yet detailed insight into key concepts and approaches in psychology. It would be of interest to people who are curious to learn more about the discipline. Importantly, it also highlights the wide range of professions underpinned by psychology and I would have valued listening to this earlier in my career, perhaps as an undergraduate student. Educational Psychology recieved a brief mention, but I would have appreciated a bit more discussion around this career option.

I enjoyed the audiobook format, but I think that the book having full colour illustrations and diagrams is beneficial.

Thank you to Dr Shona Saul, NetGalley and the publishers for providing and audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Charlie Medcalf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Principles of Psychology by Shona Saul is an introductory book into the topic of psychology covering a range of basic foundational areas of the discipline such as social psychology, Memory, approaches in psychology and Biopsychology. Furthermore, the book also looks at some specialist areas in Psychology, such as sports psychology, occupational psychology and forensic psychology, to name just a few.

For my full review please visit: https://cembookportal.blogspot.com/20...

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting psychology book on the basics broken down into ten chapters. Great for those wanting to get an insight into behaviour, causes, outcomes and more.

Chapters come with a look at the history of the subject, the main theorists and their findings.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Joe Born · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad intro book, seemingly no editing, many painfull obvious sentences. I bailed when they got to the Stanford prison experiment with really acknowledging what a massively flawed study it is.

[Jennifer Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting introduction to many ideas and theories about psychology. This is a great book for someone new to the subject.