'The distinctive contribution of this text is to provide a far-reaching and up-to-date analysis of key issues in psychology in a highly accessible format. This reflects the authors' considerable skills as scholars who are highly attuned to the needs of both students and teachers. Their text succeeds admirably in bringing psychology to life and life to psychology' - S. Alexander Haslam, Professor of Psychology, University of Exeter. For students studying psychology for the first time, ''Essential Psychology: A Concise Introduction'' represents a fresh alternative to the range of expensive, US-oriented titles on the market that are full of topics you need but also many you don't need on your course. This UK team-authored textbook is written by psychologists who specialize in each of the subject areas covered in their research and teaching.Spanning 18 chapters, but concentrating on the six fundamental topic areas taught at introductory level - Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Biological Psychology Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology and The Psychology of Individual Differences - this textbook has everything students need to know inside, is stylish and colourful, and has an abundance of learning features to make the start of the student journey an enjoyable and successful one too. It includes a range of reflective devices that encourage critical thinking about these topics to provide a handy companion as students progress.