A New Unified Theory Of Psychology

Concern about psychology’s fragmentation is not new, but there has for the past decade been increasing calls for psychologists to acknowledge to the costs associated with fragmentation and to search for ways to unify the discipline. A New Unified Theory of Psychology introduces a new system that addresses psychology’s current theoretical and philosophical difficulties. The new theory consists of four interlocking pieces that together provide—for the first time—a macro-level view that clarifies the nature of psychology’s problems and offers a clear way to unify the various elements of the field. The unified theory provides the field of psychology with a well-defined subject matter, allowing both academic and professional psychologists will be able to develop a shared language and conceptual foundation.

Newell introduces Soar, an architecture for general cognition. A pioneer system in AI, Soar is the first problem-solver to create its own subgoals and learn continuously from its own experience. Its ability to operate within the real-time constraints of intelligent behavior illustrates important characteristics of human cognition.

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 theory. For those who favor linear determinism and the narrow treatment of variables one at a time, this might seem speculative. Others, with an interest not just in understanding who we are, but how we fit into a vast cosmos might find it intriguing. My only hope is that it fosters debate. Praise for Evolution, Information, & Personality"Not since Julian Jaynes' The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind has there been such a thought provoking account of human personality. Robert DePaolo's description how the mind evolved and its implications for psychiatry are ahead of our time - a must read for any student or professional in the fields of philosophy and psychology." David Kamen, PhD. Clinical Psychologist, Nashua Counseling Center -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A revolutionary treatise that includes an invigorating and thought provoking new therapeutic approach." Deborah Whitaker-Duncklee, Transpersonal Therapist, Author of Looking Glass Sky, The Widow's Walk and Screenplays: Coconut Grove and We are Stardust.

*VERSION 2.1* A short work detailing what the author believes is the primary purpose of the brain. In under 10,000 words, this book makes a convincing, yet simple case for the theory. If accurate, it could have significant implications in several scientific fields and could potentially inform future understanding of psychology as we know it.

Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychotherapy provides a bionetwork theory unifying empirical evidence in cognitive neuroscience and psychopathology to explain how emotion, learning, and reinforcement affect personality and its extremes. The book uses the theory to explain research results in both disciplines and to predict future findings, as well as to suggest what the theory and evidence say about how we should be treating disorders for maximum effectiveness. While theoretical in nature, the book has practical applications, and takes a mathematical approach to proving its own theorems. The book is unapologetically physical in nature, describing everything we think and feel by way of physical mechanisms and reactions in the brain. This unique marrying of cognitive neuroscience and clinical psychology provides an opportunity to better understand both. Unifying theory for cognitive neuroscience and clinical psychology Describes the brain in physical terms via mechanistic processes Systematically uses the theory to explain empirical evidence in both disciplines Theory has practical applications for psychotherapy Ancillary material may be found at: http://booksite.elsevier.com/9780124200715 including an additional chapter and supplements

I have been involved in constructing a unified theory for many years, in considering the state of psychology's unity-disunity, and in generally attempt ing to persuade our profession to work on its unification. In this work I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with the works of a number of other psychologists whose statements indicated that they had something to say on these topics. I saw also that it would be very productive for psychology to have these individuals address themselves to psychology's disunity-unity, consid ered as a problem that should be confronted and addressed. In 1983 I began to indicate that it was my intention to devote a book to the topic, as seen through the eyes of a group of prominent psychologists concerned with related issues. It was very fortunate from my standpoint that Joseph Royce and later Leendert Mos, who were editing this series, were interested in this book. I accepted the former's invitation to do within the present series the book I had planned. Although I must assume responsibility for selection of the contributors, for the book's organization, and for the first editing of their papers for substance, Pro fessor Mos offered to help in an editorial capacity and I am most grateful for his contributions to the formal editing. The volume is much improved as a result of his careful efforts, which in one case involved rewriting material.

It is argued in this book that there are three major approaches to anxiety. First, there is anxiety as an emotional state. Second, there is trait anxiety as a dimension of personality. Third, there is anxiety as a set of anxiety disorders. What is attempted is to produce a unified theory of anxiety which integrates all these major approaches. According to this unified theory, there are four sources of information which influence the level of experienced anxiety: (1) experimental stimulation; (2) internal physiological activity; (3) internal cognitions, (e.g., worries); and (4) one's own behaviour. The unified theory is essentially based on a cognitive approach. More specifically, it is assumed that individual differences in experienced anxiety between those high and low in trait anxiety depend largely on cognitive biases. It is also assumed that the various anxiety disorders depend on cognitive biases, and that the main anxiety disorders differ in terms of the source of information most affected by such biases (e.g., social phobics have biased interpretation of their own behaviour). In sum, this book presents a general theory of anxiety from the cognitive perspective. It is intended that this theory will influence theory and research on emotion, personality, and the anxiety disorders. Correction notice: Christos Halkiopoulos should have been credited for his role as the inventor of the Dot Probe Paradigm and for the design and execution of the experiment discussed in C. D. Spielberger, I. G. Sarason, Z. Kulczar, and J. Van Heck (Eds.), Stress and Emotion, Vol. 14. London: Hemisphere.