Complete Psychology

"Complete Psychology is one of the best introductory textbooks into the subject. The criticism of it being overly simplistic isn't far off the mark, but fails to realise that Complete Psychology is intended to be accessible, not overly challenging or confusing - and in this light it serves its purpose well.

I'd particularly recommend it to any undergraduate students who perhaps are studying psychology having never studied it before for two reasons:
1) It follows BPS (British Psychological Society) guidelines
2) It assumes no prior knowledge and thus is a fantastic reader to get to grips with the basics."
~ Written on 2007-11-07

"I purchased this book prior to undertaking an 'Introduction to Psychology' course with the Open University with the intention of simply getting a 'heads up' before the course began. Like other commenters have mentioned, it does appear to utilise quite simple language at times and I must admit that whilst reading it for the first time I did feel that my intelligence was being insulted.

Having said that however, I found this book to be worth it's weight in gold! Why? For the many, many times during the course where I felt I wasn't quite 'getting it' only to turn to this book and have the exact concepts and ideas explained in simple, easy to understand terms. As a textbook in it's own right it may be lacking but as a reference guide (OK, idiots guide if you like!) I found it invaluable. It certainly helped me pass the course, and I would recommend it to anyone undertaking OU or any other 'distance-learning' type Psychology studies."
~ Written on 2007-10-12

"I agree with one of the above two readers. If you do not know which one I am referring, please feel free to read Complete Psychology. I think you'll enjoy it. If however, you are above the intelligence of an average person at GCSE, please avoid it.

To be serious, it is overly simplistic and below the quality of A-level textbooks I have possessed. I indeed was "mildly insulted as a first year undergraduate" and wish it would be abolished from academia."
~ Written on 2007-10-04

"This text book does indeed have it all for the BPS accreditation seeking student, but is it just me or is it a little patronising? At times I feel like I'm reading a GCSE textbook. Admittedly I am taking a postgraduate conversion psychology course, but I can imagine that I still would have felt mildly insulted as a first year undergraduate."
~ Written on 2005-02-19

"This book is essential for first year undergrads studying any kind of psychology course. The easy to understand text and diagrams are fun and informative, and at a level that requires no prior knowledge of psychology. Each chapter also gives a list of further suggested reading at the end, which is helpful when undertaking research. Must read!"
~ Written on 2004-11-03