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Books in Social sciences and humanities

  • The Grasping Hand

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 104
    • C.L. MacKenzie + 1 more
    • English
    The simple task of grasping objects has been studied for centuries by scientists, therapists and engineers who have tried to understand and duplicate the versatility of the human hand. Using an interdisciplinary approach and new framework for looking at prehension, the authors uncover the subleties of the amazing interaction between the hand and the brain. They draw from such diverse fields as experimental psychology, kinesiology, robotics, neural networks, artificial intelligence, neuropsychology and rehabilitation. A triangle strategy is presented, starting from conceptual models that suggest both experimental and computational models. Chapters describe the multiple postures established by the hand, phases in the dynamic process of reaching for, grasping and manipulating various objects, and the constraints acting on such activity.Appendices provide the complete anatomy of the upper limb, the basics of computational modelling, and the fundamentals of prosthetic and dextrous robot hands. The ultimate goal of this book is to develop a common vocabularly for multidisciplinary researchers who strive to understand a system as complex as the hand under the control of the human brain.

  • Security: A Guide to Security System Design and Equipment Selection and Installation

    • 2nd Edition
    • Neil Cumming
    • English
    Security: A Guide to Security System Design and Equipment Selection and Installation, second edition is the first comprehensive reference for electronic security systems. In eight chapters, it guides the reader through selection, installation, testing, and maintenance of security equipment in 35 categories, from interior and exterior sensors to security systems, The uninformed purchaser, the security-conscious manager, and the novice security practitioner will find that this book demystifies the "black art" of security systems design via clear descriptions of operation principles and extensive practical advice. The more knowledgeable reader will find a unique reference and compendium of information usually found in many separate sources. Each device explained in this book is broken down into sections covering its principles of operation, uses, applications, equipment types, and advantages and disadvantages. This important reference outlines the data objectively, enabling the reader to independently make informed judgments about competing bids or proposals, compile a brief, and design or maintain a security system. Neil Cumming is a partner at Dodd, Cumming, and Love, Consulting Engineers in Plymouth, England. As Projects Manager for all security projects, he is directly responsible for the design of all security systems from inception to completion for a variety of clients. In this role, Mr. Cumming has designed and supervised the installation of security systems on private and military sites throughout Britain and the Middle East. Starting working life as an apprentice electrician, Mr. Cumming later studies at the City University, London, earning a degree in Building Services and Environmental Engineering.

  • Dynamical Systems in Social Psychology

    • 1st Edition
    • Robin R. Vallacher + 1 more
    • English
    A dynamical system refers to a set of elements that interact in complex, often nonlinear ways to form coherent patterns. Because of the complexity of these interactions, the system as a whole may evolve over time in seemingly unpredictable ways as new patterns of behavior emerge. This metatheory has proven useful in understanding diverse phenomena in meteorology, population biology, statistical mechanics, economics, and cosmology. The book demonstrates how the dynamical systems perspective can be applied to theory construction and research in social psychology, and in doing so, provides fresh insight into such complex phenomena as interpersonal behavior, social relations, attitudes, and social cognition.

  • The ACT Guide to Ethical Conflicts in Finance

    • 1st Edition
    • Andreas Prindl + 1 more
    • English
    This book provides, for the first time, a broad analysis of the whole range of potential conflicts in finance, based on both academic research and the views of professionals on how these issues are faced in practice. It will be essential reading for students of finance and banking, as well as for finance professionals.

  • Marketing

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • English
    Leading marketing scientists, with an MS/OR orientation, present in this book a state-of-the-art review of their area of expertise. The wide range of material spans the marketing discipline and represents coverage of both what is known and what problem areas present themselves as ripe for further development. The articles are written with a technically sophisticated reader in mind, but not necessarily an expert in marketing. The authors provide a discussion of the motivation - the behavioural foundations or key assumptions - leading to the development of the important models or methods in each area. While not primarily a text, the book provides a foundation for advanced students in marketing. MS/OR professionals, both academic and practitioner alike, will appreciate the impact that the MS/OR approach has had in the marketing area. Finally, the book provides useful reading for marketing scientists, academics and practitioners who want access to integrated treatments of the most important topics in their field.

  • Psychology of Learning and Motivation

    Advances in Research and Theory
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 30
    • English
    With a long-standing tradition for excellence, this series is a collection of quality papers that are widely read by researchers in cognitive and experimental psychology. Each chapter thoughtfully integrates the writings of leading contributors, who present and discuss significant bodies of research relevant to their discipline.

  • Understanding Aphasia

    • 1st Edition
    • Harold Goodglass
    • English
    This is a comprehensive, interpretive account of aphasia written to appeal to a broad audience. It combines historical, anatomic, and psychological approaches toward understanding the nature of aphasia. Included is a discussion of the brain-language relationship, the symptoms and syndromes common to aphasia, and alternative approaches to classification.

  • Cognitive Issues in Motor Expertise

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 102
    • J. Starkes + 1 more
    • English
    The intent of this book is to describe those perceptual and cognitive components which contribute to skilled motor performance in a wide variety of disciplines, including sports, microsurgery, video games, and speech. Also considered are issues in the measurement of motor skill, the development of motor skill across the life span, and the importance of individual differences in the development of motor skill. Many chapters contain studies employing the expertise approach used so successfully to study cognitive skills in psychology. Using this approach, expert performers are compared to novices on domain relevant laboratory tasks in order to determine whether specific cognitive or perceptual processes are related to performance differences.This volume will be of value to kinesiologists, sport psychologists, physical educators, and cognitive psychologists who are interested in a new perspective on the nature of motor skills. The majority of the chapters include reviews of the literature necessary to understand the case being made. Thus, the book may be understood by any reader with a basic course in psychology or motor behavior.

  • Memory in Everyday Life

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 100
    • G.M. Davies + 1 more
    • English
    The last decade has seen a major growth in research on how memory is used in everyday life. This volume represents a reaction to traditional laboratory-bound studies of the first half of the century which sought to identify the fundamental principles of learning and memory through the use of materials and methods totally divorced from the real world. The new wave of memory research has had considerable success in charting how memory develops, the role it plays in educational and social skills and the impact of memory impairment on mental life. The current volume consists of authoritative reviews of this emerging area linked to comment and criticism from major researchers in the field.Contrasted, probably for the first time, are two major styles of research in applied memory research: The naturalistic approach, which has sought to study memory in everyday environments, using actual experiences from people's lives as the raw data from which to derive more general principles, and the applied cognitive approach, whereby theories and methods are developed using orthodox laboratory techniques which are then validated by applying them directly to real phenomena. This is one of the few books to bring together evidence across the very wide spectrum of humdrum activity that constitutes the everyday uses of memory.

  • Foundations of Perceptual Theory

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 99
    • S.C. Masin
    • English
    Historical analysis reveals that perceptual theories and models are doomed to relatively short lives. The most popular contemporary theories in perceptual science do not have as wide an acceptance among researchers as do some of those in other sciences. To understand these difficulties, the authors of the present volume explore the conceptual and philosophical foundations of perceptual science. Based on logical analyses of various problems, theories, and models, they offer a number of reasons for the current weakness of perceptual explanations. New theoretical approaches are also proposed. At the end of each chapter, dicussants contribute to the conclusions by critically examining the authors' ideas and analyses.

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