Psychology Subject Guide
Dictionaries
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Dictionaries are among the most basic and useful reference sources that exist. They provide definitions to the words and phrases associated with a field and related disciplines. Some also include brief biographical sketches and useful tables and chronologies.
APA Dictionary of Psychology
BF31 .A65 2007 (Ref)
The essential work in the field that "encompasses all areas of research and application, and includes coverage across all the major subdisciplines of psychology." Heavily cross-referenced; for all levels of research.
Concise Dictionary of Psychology
BF31 .S62 1998 (Ref)
Standard A-Z compilation of psychological terms for the novice. This 3rd edition has very succinct entries (averaging 20 to 50 words) except for an occasional term (e.g., abnormal; Freud, Sigmund) too complex to keep short. Cross references, a few illustrations--overall very introductory.
Dictionary of Behavioral Science
BF 31 .D48 1989 (Ref)
The second and most recent edition contains more than 20,000 terms in psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, social work, anthropology, human relations, education, statistics, and physiology. Straight alphabetical listing of articles prepared by specialists. Has good historical and biographical data as well as brief essays on key terms, e.g., Gestalt psychology. Excellent summaries of such things as the classification of mental disorders, but this example, as with other information is now out of date. Written for advanced students.
Dictionary of Cognitive Science: Neuroscience, Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, and Philosophy
BF311 .V56713 2004
Translated from a French work, Vocabulaire de Sciences Cognitives published in 1998, this broadly based dictionary has 60 French scholars writing about 130 terms drawn from the 5 disciplines noted in its title. Each term is "defined" with respect to neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and philosophy--all aspects of cognitive sciences. Entries include updated bibliographies; there are cross-references and a good index.
Dictionary of Psychology
BF31 .C72 1999 (Ref)
Raymond J. Corsini, well-known author and editor (see also The Encyclopedia of Psychology), has interviewed 100 psychologists as to appropriate contents. User-friendly design and very comprehensive (about three times as long as other well-known dictionaries with the exception of the Oxford Dictionary of Psychology). Includes "headwords," biographies, illustrations and useful appendices such as "Prefixes, suffixes, affixes;" DSM-IV (see Diagnostic and Statistical Manual under Handbooks below) terms, medical prescription terms, systems of treatments, etc. Standard alphabetical arrangement with synonyms, equivalent terms, and see references.
Dictionary of Psychology 2001
BF31 .C65 2001 (Ref)
A strong competitor to the previous entry, Colman's work is comprehensive and authoritative with some 10,500 entries ranging from one sentence to a half column. Covers basic psychological and psychiatric terminology as well as psychopharmacology, neurophysiology, and psychoanalysis. Etymological information for many words. One appendix covers "Phobias and Phobic Stimuli"; the second has definitions for 700 abbreviations and symbols.
Dictionary of Theories, Laws, and Concepts in Psychology
BF31 .R625 1998 (Ref)
An unusual "dictionary" that provides scholarly descriptions, alphabetically arranged, of the "observations, data, and phenomena" of psychology. Entries average 250 to 350 words (at least a page) and include significant references. Multiple cross references help to locate the alphabetical entry. Volume begins with the ABC Theory, moves through Conflict Theories to Loeb's Tropistic Theory to Zipf's Law. "Laws" in the behavioral and social sciences are more often defined as theories in other fields. This work includes tabular analysis of laws and another of theories that have been established in 112 years of psychological development. There is also a bibliography of the textbooks that were surveyed to develop the dictionary, and a subject index.
BF31 .O94 2004 (Ref)
The print copy is a second edition; the electronic book is the 1987 first edition.
Not exactly a typical dictionary although many terms are defined, and not precisely an encyclopedia although concepts are covered. This A-Z arrangement does include numerous key words and aspects of psychology and philosophy from relations between mind and matter, free will, intentionality, normal/abnormal behavior, biological origins, the structure and function of the nervous systems to biographical entries on key individuals. Longer articles have very selective citations.