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Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 23 No. 1, 2017 85

Book reviews

Essential Biological Psychology Jim Barnes

2013; Sage Publications Ltd; London

Reviewed by Alice Blackler

ESSENTIAL BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY is written by Jim Barnes, a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Barnes has a special interest in neuroscience which is the main topic area for this text. The book is intended for student use as an ‘essen- tial guide’ or summarised version of some of the larger, more intimidating textbooks. The book provides a general introduction and overview of the nervous system, and its role in determining behaviour. Each chapter of the book is completed with a summary and many illustrations are included, corresponding to each key concept. The text also includes key definitions and key terms, whilst suggesting further reading to enrich student knowledge in preparation for exams. It is highlighted in the preface of the text that whilst biological psychology is not the only area of psychology that attempts to explain human behaviour, it is one of the ‘most stimulating and dynamic fields of psychology’.

There are 13 different chapters that create a picture to help readers understand the basics of neuroscience in psychology. Chapter one introduces nervous system structures and the communications that they make. In the next chapter the author explains how these structures are arranged (neuroanatomy) and how they are identified (brain mapping). Chapter three provides a basic understanding of DNA, protein synthesis and an introduction to genetics. Next, the text introduces some develop- mental abnormalities such as spina bifida and describes the plasticity of the brain

in chapter four. This leads onto the fasci- nating area of regeneration, and cell trans- plantations. Several systems are explained in chapters five and six, including the visual system and other sensory systems. Labelled diagrams aid the descriptions of these systems immensely. Chapter seven explains the struc- tures involved in movement, and the motor pathways that control them. The cerebellum is explained in detail in this chapter. Chap- ters eight, nine and 10 of this book include some specific areas of biological psychology that are particularly exciting to those inter- ested in this topic. These areas include; motivation, sleep, and emotions. In the text, motivational behaviours that are explored include eating, drinking and reproductive behaviours. The influence of sex differences and genetics are also explored in some of these topics. The book includes methods of measuring sleep and also different theo- ries of biological rhythm. Similarly, to other chapters in the text, after theories have been explained such as for sleep and motivation, disorders are then investigated. The chapter that evaluates emotion includes stress and the effect it has on human health. This chapter is particularly interesting as the author explores the physical aspects of the nervous system affected by psychological emotion. Chapters 11 and 12 cover memory, learning, lateralisation and language. The chapters incorporate the brain areas involved in correct functioning and the disorders that occur due to damaged brain structures or incomplete processes. The last chapter in the book analyses the biological

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Book reviews

basis of behaviour disorders; including but not limited to depression, schizophrenia, and dementia. This section also describes some of the causes and treatments of these disorders. These chapters demonstrate the excellent presentation of information in this text; the use of bullet points and insertion of research aids understanding very well. Many research articles are inserted throughout the book. They are summarised by the author, which makes them more manageable for the reader. The author also includes recom- mendations for further reading with a ‘name index’ at the end of the book to help naviga- tion. This in an invaluable resource which can enrich student learning.

After analysing and putting this textbook into use, I would highly recommend it to

my peers. It is relevant for many modules in a psychology degree such as neuroscience, and also for biological approaches to psycho- logical behaviours and disorders. It is an excellent summary of a large subject area, in a very manageable size with an entire section dedicated to definitions which is invaluable for students new to psychology degrees. A companion website is recommended in the preface of this text which provides multiple choice tests and downloadable revision mate- rials. This book is an excellent resource for students.

Alice Blackler MSc Student Psychology Department Oxford Brookes University

Brain & Behaviour: Revisiting the Classic Studies Edited by Bryan Kolb & Ian Whishaw

Sage (2017); Paperback: 276 pages; ISBN: 978-1-44629652-3

Reviewed by Catherine Wheatley

I F I HAVE SEEN FURTHER, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’ Like Sir Isaac Newton more than three centu-

ries earlier, the editors of this volume on seminal studies in the field of behavioural neuroscience understand – and seek to demonstrate – that contemporary research is built on the groundbreaking work of our scientific predecessors. Bryan Kolb and Ian Whishaw, both professors of neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Calgary, Canada, have compiled a book that considers 17 classic papers (and one book) that have changed the way we think about the big questions concerning brain and behavior. The publications are drawn from the years 1937 to 1988, although most are from the

1960s and 1970s – a clear indication that the key issues in this field are neither new nor likely to change in the near future.

The authors have divided the book into four sections: cerebral organisation, cortical functions, a shorter segment on chemicals and behaviour, and brain plasticity. Each chapter is written by a researcher active in their field, who sets out to explain how their chosen study has influenced subsequent research, and why it continues to shape current thinking. In the section on cortical functions, Richard Brown discusses Donald Hebb’s pioneering book, Organisation of Behaviour, published in 1949. The volume revolutionised the study of psychology and neuroscience by introducing Hebb’s postu-

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