Synopsis

The most ?important and greatest puzzle? we face as humans is ourselves (Boring, 1950, p. 56). Humans are a puzzle ? one that is complex, subtle and multi-layered, and it gets even more complicated as we evolve over time and change in different contexts. When answering the question ?What makes us who we are??, psychologists put forward a range of explanations about why people feel, think and behave the way they do. Just when psychologists seem to understand one bit of ?who we are?, up pops some new evidence to show a different side! It is not easy to pin down all the many influences.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Learning outcomes
1 Studying people
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The story of the split brain patients
3.1 Organisation and improved recall
3.2 Using mental images
3.4 Forming concepts
3.5 Schemas
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Attraction
4.3 Proximity and familiarity
4.4 Similarity
4.5 Physical appearance
4.6 Staying together or falling apart
5.1 Introduction
5.2 ‘In-groups’ and ‘out-groups’
5.3 Groups and conformity
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Multiple influences
6.3 The Zidane head-butt
6.4 Zidane's background
Glossary
Next steps
References
Acknowledgements

 

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