Book categories

Evolution, Information and Personality

Toward A Unified Theory of the Psyche

by Robert DePaolo

09/15/2007

If writing a multidisciplinary treatise is difficult (and this endeavor wasn't exactly a walk in the park) then I had to imagine how difficult it might be for the reader to assimilate the cross references to evolution, information dynamics and clinical psychology that characterize this book. Moreover, I had to consider that reading a book written in language derived from quantum physics, psychology and anthropology might prove to be a bit dreary, even for seasoned clinicians. So to preclude possible confusion this book was written with Information Theory in mind. That's why, for the sake of clarity, certain themes are repeated in successive chapters to serve as an anchor point for the diverse ideas that revolve around them. As to the book itself, it is offered as an integrative...

Grounded Theory

The Philosophy, Method, and Work of Barney Glaser

by Vivian B. Martin and Astrid Gynnild (editors)

12/28/2011

This anthology provides a unique collection of articles on classic grounded theory, as developed by sociologist Dr. Barney G. Glaser. Organized in four sections, teaching grounded theory, techniques, history and philosophy, and advanced approaches, the 19 chapters fill gaps and correct misunderstandings about the method. Chapters on the merits of classic grounded theory over other versions, the historical and philosophical influences on the method, and advice for Ph.D. students doing classic grounded theory dissertations will be useful to novice and experienced researchers. How-to chapters on the use of focus groups, online interviews, and video for data collection expand data possibilities, while articles on formal theory, software, and testing concepts with structural equation modeling w...

Psychology Led Astray

Cargo Cult in Science and Therapy

by Tomasz Witkowski

08/01/2016

This book shows how scientific and psychotherapeutic practices change into worthless rituals called by the famous physicist, Richard Feynman, "cargo cult." It is a must-read for everybody who is interested in psychology, who is studying or intends to study it, but also for present and potential clients of psychotherapists and parents of mentally-disabled children. Readers will learn which parts of psychology and therapy are cargo-cult-like and which are reliable. This book is the second part of trilogy devoted to the dark side of psychology. The first volume was published under the title Psychology Gone Wrong: The Dark Sides of Science and Therapy, also released by BrownWalker Press. IN THE NEWS See Chronicle of Higher Education (20 Mar 2017) BOOK REVIEWS Psychologist Witkowski f...

Experiencing Grounded Theory

A Comprehensive Guide to Learning, Doing, Mentoring, Teaching, and Applying Grounded Theory

by Odis E. Simmons

07/01/2022

This book is a comprehensive, intelligible guide to grounded theory with a focus on classic grounded theory. It will be useful for graduate students, experienced researchers, and practicing professionals who want to use the method for practical purposes. It will also be useful for mentors and teachers of grounded theory. A glossary is included in the preface so readers can familiarize themselves with grounded theory terminology before beginning the chapters. Its seven chapters provide a comprehensive guide to grounded theory. Chapter one covers how the author’s familiarity with the symbolic interactionist perspective gained from his undergraduate sociology professors enabled him to readily discern how and why Glaser and Strauss had different understandings about grounded theory and what th...

Geoparks and Geotourism

New Approaches to Sustainability for the 21st Century

by Neda Torabi Farsani, Celeste Coelho, Carlos Costa, & Carlos Neto de Carvalho (editors)

12/28/2011

This book aims to identify geotourism and geoparks as gateways to socio-cultural, socio-environmental, and socio-economic sustainability in rural areas. At present, geotourism is a new movement helping travelers to increase their knowledge about natural resources, the cultural identities of host communities, and ways of preserving them. The ‘emerging tourism’ niche of geotourism is still at an early stage of commercial development in most countries, and geoparks as a sustainable development model for protected areas are pioneers in the development of geotourism marketing. The establishment of the European Geoparks Network and the Global Geoparks Network are positive steps toward the preservation and presentation of geo-heritage as a new tourist attraction. Geoparks and Geotourism provides...

Against the Tide

A Critical Review by Scientists of How Physics and Astronomy Get Done

by Martín López Corredoira & Carlos Castro Perelman (Editors)

04/01/2008

Nobody should have a monopoly of the truth in this universe. The censorship and suppression of challenging ideas against the tide of mainstream research, the blacklisting of scientists, for instance, is neither the best way to do and filter science, nor to promote progress in the human knowledge. The removal of good and novel ideas from the scientific stage is very detrimental to the pursuit of the truth. There are instances in which a mere unqualified belief can occasionally be converted into a generally accepted scientific theory through the screening action of refereed literature and meetings planned by the scientific organizing committees and through the distribution of funds controlled by "club opinions". It leads to unitary paradigms and unitary thinking not necessarily associated to...

Fundamental Concepts of Physics

by Michael J. Cardamone

12/15/2007

Fundamental Concepts of Physics introduces students with little scientific background to college physics. Dr. Michael J. Cardamone presents the science of physics in a nonthreatening, non-mathematical conceptual format, with emphasis on its historical and cultural foundations. While directed at non-science undergraduate college students, the text is accessible to anyone with a curiosity concerning how we arrived at our current understanding of our physical world and its place in the universe. The goal is to allow the reader to come to an understanding of what we now know and how we came to know it. The emphasis is on the large concepts rather than the mathematical details involved with attaining this understanding. After completing the study of this text, the reader should have a greater a...

A Beginner's Course in Boundary Element Methods

by Whye-Teong Ang

08/31/2007

This is a course in boundary element methods for the absolute beginners. Basic concepts are carefully explained through the use of progressively more complicated boundary value problems in engineering and physical sciences. The readers are assumed to have prior basic knowledge of vector calculus (covering topics such as line, surface and volume integrals and the various integral theorems), ordinary and partial differential equations, complex variables, and computer programming.

The End of the Rod

A History of the Abolition of Corporal Punishment in the Courts of England and Wales

by Raymond L. Gard

12/09/2009

<i>The End of the Rod</i> describes the tortuous steps that led to the abolition of corporal punishment as a sentence of the courts in England and Wales in 1948. It seeks to give voice to the key actors in the process: civil servants and politicians, along with those actually inflicting and experiencing that corporal punishment. It uses a variety of archival material and original sources to achieve this. The account begins in the late nineteenth century and traces debates, negotiations, and manoeuvring from then to the legislation of 1948. The work then looks at the consequences of that abolition and offers an explanation as to why the changes it describes may have occurred.

Banished

A Comprehensive Look into the Mind and Soul of the Sex Offender with Sex Offender Case Studies and the Recidivism Challenge

by G. Cledwyn Jenkins, PhD, D.Min

08/01/2020

Banished presents a detailed review of the sex offender; the pedophile and the child molester, and directly explores his thinking processes, reasoning and related issues that offer a clear and concise exposé in these most hated people. In addition to covering the adult offender, this work also exemplifies the thought processes of child and adolescent offenders in order to offer cues for parents and educators of possible abuse or illicit behavior. Through direct examples of client art, case histories and offender testimonies, the book’s purpose will surely educate, as well as in purposing methods for positive change in the process. The research and findings are based on a journalistic foundation, as well as from an experiential point-of-view, where the author had worked with and had interv...