Psychology is designed to meet scope and sequence requirements for the single-semester introduction to psychology course. The book offers a comprehensive treatment of core concepts, grounded in both classic studies and current and emerging research. The text also includes coverage of the DSM-5 in examinations of psychological disorders. Psychology incorporates discussions that reflect the diversity within the discipline, as well as the diversity of cultures and communities across the globe.Senior Contributing AuthorsRose M. Spielman, Formerly of Quinnipiac UniversityContributing AuthorsKathryn Dumper, Bainbridge State CollegeWilliam Jenkins, Mercer UniversityArlene Lacombe, Saint Joseph's UniversityMarilyn Lovett, Livingstone CollegeMarion Perlmutter, University of Michigan

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Understand basic biological mechanisms regulating sexual behavior and motivation
Appreciate the importance of Alfred Kinsey’s research on human sexuality
Recognize the contributions that William Masters and Virginia Johnson’s research made to our understanding of the sexual response cycle
Define sexual orientation and gender identity

This course examines the social construction of gender and sexuality throughout history and across cultures as a part of the urban experience. From the historical shifts in the organization of marriage and reproduction, social mores about heteronormativity, and cross-cultural narratives of sex taboos and allowances, we will examine theories and examples to understand gender and sexuality as central aspects of city life. Our coursework will blend historical analysis, the study of current events, and discussions on topics such as non-normative sexual subjectivities, domestic violence, gender roles and parenting, the commodification of sexuality, and body autonomy.

Is marriage a patriarchal institution? Much feminist scholarship has characterized it that way, but now in the context of the recent Massachusetts Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, the meaning of marriage itself demands serious re-examination. This course will discuss history, literature, film, and legal scholarship, making use of cross-cultural, sociological, anthropological, and many other theoretical approaches to the marriage question from 1630 to the present. As it turns out, sex, marriage, and the family have never been stable institutions; to the contrary, they have continued to function as flash points for the very social and cultural questions that are central to gender studies scholarship.