Essentials of Psychology

Saul Kassin · Gregory J. Privitera · Krisstal D. Clayton

Jan 2022 · SAGE Publications

About this ebook

Psychology exists all around us. It influences politics, policy, social interactions, teaching and learning science, and even workplace practices. In Essentials of Psychology, authors Saul Kassin, Gregory J. Privitera, and Krisstal D. Clayton propel students into a clear, vibrant understanding of psychological science with an integrative, learn-by-doing approach. Students assume the role of a psychologist, carrying out experiments; and making predictions. Compelling storytelling, real-life examples, and the authors’ active practice approach encourages critical thinking and engagement.

This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package, including:
Digital Option / Courseware
SAGE Vantage is an intuitive digital platform that delivers this text’s content and course materials in a learning experience that offers auto-graded assignments and interactive multimedia tools, all carefully designed to ignite student engagement and drive critical thinking. Built with you and your students in mind, it offers simple course set-up and enables students to better prepare for class.

About the author

Saul Kassin is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Massachusetts Professor Emeritus at Williams College. Born and raised in New York City, he graduated from Brooklyn College in 1974. After receiving his PhD from the University of Connecticut in 1978, he spent time at the University of Kansas, Purdue University, the Federal Judicial Center, and Stanford University. He is an author or editor of several books—including Psychology, Developmental Social Psychology, The American Jury on Trial, Duped: Why Innocent People Confess – and Why We Believe Their Confessions, and most recently, The Pillars of Social Psychology. Interested in the psychology of wrongful convictions, Kassin pioneered the scientific study of false confessions for which he has received several awards—including the APA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Research on Public Policy and the APS James McKeen Cattell Lifetime Achievement Award for Applied Research. He has consulted on many high-profile cases, served as an analyst on all major news networks, and appeared in several podcasts and documentaries—including Ken Burns’s 2012 film, The Central Park Five.

Gregory J. Privitera is a professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure University where he is a recipient of its highest teaching honor, The Award for Professional Excellence in Teaching, and its highest honor for scholarship, The Award for Professional Excellence in Research and Publication. Dr. Privitera received his PhD in behavioral neuroscience in the field of psychology at the State University of New York at Buffalo and continued with his postdoctoral research at Arizona State University. He is a national award-winning author and research scholar. His textbooks span across diverse topics in psychology and the behavioral sciences, including two introductory psychology texts (one upcoming), four statistics texts, two research methods texts, and multiple other texts bridging knowledge creation across health, health care, and well-being. In addition, Dr. Privitera has authored more than three dozen peer-reviewed papers aimed at advancing our understanding of health and well-being. He research has earned recognition by the American Psychological Association, and in media and press to include Oprah’s Magazine, Time Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. In addition to his teaching, research, and advisement, Dr. Privitera is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, is an identical twin, and is married with three children: a daughter, Grace Ann, and two sons, Aiden Andrew and Luca James.