"There are many books written on many aspects of psychology: books on general psychology, abnormal psychology, child psychology, tests, history of psychology, experimental psychology, methods and measurements in psychology. This book is designed to treat the fundamental ideas, concepts, theories and problems which are at the center of the chief divisions of the subject. Consideration of the theoretical foundations of an experimental science, as psychology is today, cannot be divorced from concrete facts or basic procedures. There is a delicate interplay of fact and theory in the best scientific work. Empiricism guided by concepts leads to fruitful theories. Worthwhile theories lead to concrete data which attest their validity and bring to light new facts. Hence the reader will find in this book on the theoretical foundations of psychology much discussion of facts, techniques, methods, and experimental data relevant to theoretical constructs. Since facts and theories must often be seen in the light of their historical antecedents to be understood and evaluated, the reader will also find numerous references to history and schools of psychology and important contributions of workers in various fields"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)

This volume provides the first authoritative explication of metatheoretical principles in the construction and evaluation of social-psychological theories. Leading international authorities review the conceptual foundations of the field's most influential approaches, scrutinizing the range and limits of theories in various areas of inquiry. The chapters describe basic principles of logical inference, illustrate common fallacies in theoretical interpretations of empirical findings, and outline the unique contributions of different levels of analysis. An in-depth look at the philosophical foundations of theorizing in social psychology, the book will be of interest to any scholar or student interested in scientific explanations of social behavior.

This text presents a unified science-based conceptual framework for professional psychology. It provides an overview of the whole treatment process as informed by a biopsychosocial approach, from intake through outcomes assessment.