Skip to main content

Books in Social sciences and humanities

On the Psychobiology of Personality
Essays in Honor of Marvin Zuckerman
1st Edition
Robert M Stelmack
English
Zuckerman received his Ph.D. in psychology from New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science in 1954 with a specialization in clinical psychology. After graduation, he worked for three years as a clinical psychologist in state hospitals in Norwich, Connecticut and Indianapolis, Indiana. While in the latter position the Institute for Psychiatric Research was opened in the same medical center where he was working as a clinical psychologist. He obtained a position there with a joint appointment in the department of psychiatry. This was his first interdisciplinary experience with other researchers in psychiatry, biochemistry, psychopharmacology, and psychology.His first research areas were personality assessment and the relation between parental attitudes and psychopathology. During this time, he developed the first real trait-state test for affects, starting with the Affect Adjective Check List for anxiety and then broadening it to a three-factor trait-state test including anxiety, depression, and hostility (Multiple Affect Adjective Check List). Later, positive affect scales were added.Toward the end of his years at the institute, the first reports of the effects of sensory deprivation appeared and he began his own experiments in this field. These experiments, supported by grants from NIMH, occupied him for the next 10 years during his time at Brooklyn College, Adelphi University, and the research labs at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. This last job was his second interdisciplinary experience working in close collaboration with Harold Persky who added measures of hormonal changes to the sensory deprivation experiments. He collaborated with Persky in studies of hormonal changes during experimentally (hypnotically) induced emotions.During his time at Einstein, he established relationships with other principal investigators in the area of sensory deprivation and they collaborated on the book Sensory Deprivation: 15 years of research edited by John Zubek (1969). His chapter on theoretical constructs contained the idea of using individual differences in optimal levels of stimulation and arousal as an explanation for some of the variations in response to sensory deprivation. The first sensation seeking scale (SSS) had been developed in the early 1960's based on these constructs.At the time of his move to the University of Delaware in 1969, he turned his full attention to the SSS as the operational measure of the optimal level constructs. This was the time of the drug and sexual revolutions on and off campuses and research relating experience in these areas to the basic trait paid off and is continuing to this day in many laboratories. Two books have been written on this topic: Sensation Seeking: Beyond the Optimal Level of Arousal, 1979; Behavioral Expressions and Biosocial Bases of Sensation Seeking, 1994. Research on sensation seeking in America and countries around the world continues at an unabated level of journal articles, several hundred appearing since the 1994 book on the subject.The theoretical model of sensation seeking changed as a consequence of research on the biological correlates of sensation seeking which included biochemical as well as psychophysiological variables. Genetic studies also indicated that sensation seeking was a major trait with a strong genetic/ biological basis. Zuckerman and his colleagues conducted research on the psychophysiological correlates of sensation seeking. One of these areas, augmenting/reducing of the cortical evoked potential, has provided a well replicated model of brain functioning in high and low sensation seekers, and Siegel has extended this into a model for sensation seeking in cats and rats. This animal model provides a link between sensation seeking and behavioral, genetic, physiological, and biochemical bases for the trait in other species. Investigators at other universities, Bardo at the University of Kentucky and LeMoal and Simon at the University of Bordeaux, have used the sensation seeking model to investigate the psychobiological basis of novelty seeking in rats.Zuckerman's interest in the biological basis of the trait of sensation seeking broadened into a more general interest in the biological bases of personality, culminating in his book: Psychobiology of Personality, 1991 and many book chapters and articles on the subject. His perspective in the area was broadened by sabbaticals spent with leaders in the field in England: Hans Eysenck, Jeffrey Gray, and Robert Plomin.More recent research attempted to place sensation seeking within the context of new structural models for personality traits. Factor analytic studies showed that a combined factor of impulsivity and sensation seeking formed one of five, robust and replicable factors of personality. Research on this new measure of the basic trait is ongoing.
Treatment Planning for Person-Centered Care
The Road to Mental Health and Addiction Recovery
1st Edition
Neal Adams + 1 more
English
Requirements for treatment planning in the mental health and addictions fields are long standing and embedded in the treatment system. However, most clinicians find it a challenge to develop an effective, person-centered treatment plan. Such a plan is required for reimbursement, regulatory, accreditation and managed care purposes. Without a thoughtful assessment and well-written plan, programs and private clinicians are subject to financial penalties, poor licensing/accreditat... reviews, less than stellar audits, etc. In addition, research is beginning to demonstrate that a well-developed person-centered care plan can lead to better outcomes for persons served.
Strategies for Growth in SMEs
The Role of Information and Information Sytems
1st Edition
Margi Levy + 1 more
English
Strategies for Growth in SMEs explores for the first time the role of information and information systems (IS) concepts in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Most IS research focuses on large firms, yet the majority of firms in most economies are SMEs. The book considers the applicability of IS theory and practice to SMEs and develops new theories that are relevant to these firms.Composed of 6 sections, it covers, amongst other things; the nature of SMEs, the background to IS, and SMEs' use of IS, issues of IS strategy and planning in SMEs, the way that firms can transform through use of IS, evaluation, IS flexibility, business process re-engineering, resource-based strategy and knowledge management, the appropriateness of existing theories and the development of new models to address SME-specific issues. The final section of the book reviews the learning in the previous chapters and poses future agendas for research.Written by two of the leading figures in the field, this book will be essential reading for researchers in IS and SMEs, students on entrepreneurship or IS courses, and others that focus on SMEs.
Physical Security for IT
1st Edition
Michael Erbschloe
English
The physical security of IT, network, and telecommunications assets is equally as important as cyber security. We justifiably fear the hacker, the virus writer and the cyber terrorist. But the disgruntled employee, the thief, the vandal, the corporate foe, and yes, the terrorist can easily cripple an organization by doing physical damage to IT assets. In many cases such damage can be far more difficult to recover from than a hack attack or malicious code incident. It does little good to have great computer security if wiring closets are easily accessible or individuals can readily walk into an office and sit down at a computer and gain access to systems and applications. Even though the skill level required to hack systems and write viruses is becoming widespread, the skill required to wield an ax, hammer, or fire hose and do thousands of dollars in damage is even more common. Although many books cover computer security from one perspective or another, they do not thoroughly address physical security. This book shows organizations how to design and implement physical security plans. It provides practical, easy-to-understand and readily usable advice to help organizations to improve physical security for IT, network, and telecommunications assets.
Windows to Linux Migration Toolkit
Your Windows to Linux Extreme Makeover
1st Edition
David Allen
English
This book will teach people how to migrate systems from Windows to Linux. It provides migration process planning, automated migration scripts, anti-virus / anti-spam solutions, and specific migration and deployment details for all relevant technologies. IT professionals who wish to maximize the value of their Windows to Linux migration services will find this book valuable. The book will help them fine-tune their migration services to make them more efficient, thorough, feature-enhanced, and cost-effective by utilizing migration scripts and best practices gleaned from the author's many years of real-world migrations in large and small companies.
Freedom of Information
Working Towards Compliance
1st Edition
Liz Taylor
English
As from 1 January 2005, Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation will come fully into force throughout the UK and could potentially change the way in which the public sector manages information. This report provides practical advice on how to achieve compliance with the Acts; the report helps to ensure successful management of the key risks that the Acts may pose to organisations across the UK. The report also introduces some of the change management issues that will need to be addressed within organisations to facilitate the transition to a more open culture of FOI.
Electronic Resources in the Virtual Learning Environment
A Guide for Librarians
1st Edition
Jane Secker
English
This book covers the key current topic of electronic library resources and learning in the digital age. The book begins by outlining the changing ‘information environment’ in which librarians now work. It then goes on to discuss: the development of e-learning as a concept and the impact this is having on the further and higher education sector; the changing role of the librarian in supporting online learning; the technical problems associated with connecting up library systems; the copyright and licensing of electronic resources in a digital environment; and, finally the book offers tips for librarians when becoming involved in such initiatives.
Biotechnology Annual Review
1st Edition
Volume 10
M. Raafat El-Gewely
English
Pricing and Hedging Interest and Credit Risk Sensitive Instruments
1st Edition
Frank Skinner
English
This book is tightly focused on the pricing and hedging of fixed income securities and their derivatives. It is targeted at those who are interested in trading these instruments in an investment bank, but is also useful for those responsible for monitoring compliance of the traders such as regulators, back office staff, middle and senior lever managers. To broaden its appeal, this book lowers the barriers to learning by keeping math to a minimum and by illustrating concepts through detailed numerical examples using Excel workbooks/spreadshee... on a CD with the book. On the accompanying CD with the book, three interest rate models are illustrated: Ho and Lee, constant volatility and Black Derman and Toy, along with two evolutionary models, Vasicek and CIR and two credit risk models, Jarrow and Turnbull and Duffie and Singleton. These are implemented via spreadsheets on the CD.
International Funds
A Practical Guide
1st Edition
Catherine Turner
English
International Funds will provide readers with:*A greater understanding of the benefits and limitations of funds to both retail and institutional investors*An easy-to-read, yet technically comprehensive, insight into fund structures *An overview of the variety of legal structures, regulatory categories and investment profiles available*A detailed understanding of the practical aspects of fund valuation and administration, and the role of the various practitioners*A view of the future of the international funds industry in the light of changing markets, regulation and investor appetite

Related subjects