Psychological Science (Third Canadian Edition)

Book Preface

When we,Mike and Todd, began the First Edition of this book,more than a decade ago, our primary motivation was to write a textbook that presented ongoing revolutionary changes in the field. Thus we focused on cutting-edge psychological and brain sciences. Instead of an encyclopedic and homogenized textbook that dutifully covered worn themes and tired topics,we tried to create a readable book that captured the excitement of contemporary research and yet was respectful to the rich tradition of scientific scholarship accumulated by the field.We sought and received excellent advice from countless colleagues across the globe about what was most important to them in introductory psychology courses and what they believed was of greatest value to students.

The Canadian Edition is an embodiment of this endeavour and a labour of love for two Canadian authors (Todd and Steven).We sought to do much more than simply add a few references to Canadian research and pop culture. In talking with instructors we found that many were skeptical about editions that replace American
nationalism with Canadian nationalism. After all, the rich history of psychological science reflects contributions from scholars around the globe, such as Wundt’s original work in Germany. Should students not learn about the best psychological science, no matter where it originates? Our goal with the Third Canadian Edition is to present a global perspective on contemporary psychological science.The new edition fully represents the rich and exciting research being done in Canada, but each chapter also includes at least one new research example from outside North America.We also tailored the presentation for Canadian students by providing specifically Canadian examples, cultural references, current events, and demographics, all of which help show how psychology applies to everyday life. For instance, many of the On Ethics features deal with current events and ethical issues ongoing in Canada. In one feature, we discuss the case of Samuel Golubchuk, from Manitoba, and physicians’ need to decide when to end medical care for those who are in coma. In another feature, we consider the use of cochlear implants in deaf Canadian children.