Just Published

“Just Published” announces new books by APS Members. If you have published a book within the past year, e-mail a brief description of the book to [email protected].

Brain Gender

Melissa Hines
2005 Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019518836-5
307 pages

How important are biological factors, such as sex hormones, in shaping sexual destinies? Do they make men aggressive and women nurturing? Do they explain sex differences in intellectual interests or occupational choices? This book integrates biological, social developmental, and clinical perspectives to elucidate the factors that influence development as male or female, and that also can cause individuals within each sex to differ from one another in sexrelated behaviors. It traces the factors that influence sexual differentiation of the brain, beginning with the sex chromosomes and other factors that determine levels of sex hormones during prenatal development, and continuing through changing life situations and experiences that sculpt the brain and its activity, even in adulthood. Topics covered include sexual orientation, childhood play interests, general intelligence and specific cognitive abilities, nurturance, aggression, hand preferences, brain structure and gender identity.

Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Raymond F. Paloutzian (ed.) and Crystal L. Park (ed.)
2005 Guilford Press
ISBN: 1-57230-922-9
590 Pages

The psychology of religion and spirituality has emerged in the past quarter century as a vibrant and multifaceted area of scientific inquiry. From foremost authorities, this comprehensive, seamlessly edited volume presents the breadth of current knowledge in the field. Grounded in the latest empirical research, the handbook offers state-of-the-science perspectives on the psychological processes underlying spirituality, religious behavior, and religious experiences; fosters the development of integrative theory; and identifies vital directions for future investigation.

Families in Global Perspective

Jaipaul S. Roopnarine (ed.) and Uwe P. Gielen (ed.)
2005 Pearson/Allyn & Bacon
ISBN: 0-205-33574-8
388 Pages

This edited reader, with contributions from experts on families in various countries, documents and explains family life and practices throughout the world. Each chapter is organized around a set of similar themes and concerns: socio-historical and demographic information about the families being studied, religious and cultural beliefs tied to family practices, husband-wife/parent roles and responsibilities, parentchild socialization, and policy initiatives within that society. The opening chapters provide a theoretical overview and a basis for examining family changes and organization patterns from evolutionary and postmodern perspectives.