The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience by Ward, Jamie;

Short description:

Reflecting recent changes in the way cognition and the brain are studied, this thoroughly updated fourth edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive and student-friendly guide to cognitive neuroscience.

Long description:

Reflecting recent changes in the way cognition and the brain are studied, this thoroughly updated fourth edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive and student-friendly guide to cognitive neuroscience. Jamie Ward provides an easy-to-follow introduction to neural structure and function, as well as all the key methods and procedures of cognitive neuroscience, with a view to helping students understand how they can be used to shed light on the neural basis of cognition.

The book presents a comprehensive overview of the latest theories and findings in all the key topics in cognitive neuroscience, including vision, hearing, attention, memory, speech and language, numeracy, executive function, social and emotional behavior and developmental neuroscience. Throughout, case studies, newspaper reports, everyday examples and studentfriendly pedagogy are used to help students understand the more challenging ideas that underpin the subject.

New to this edition:

• Increased focus on the impact of genetics on cognition


• New coverage of the cutting-edge field of connectomics


• Coverage of the latest research tools including tES and fNIRS and new methodologies such as multi-voxel pattern analysis in fMRI research


• Additional content is also included on network versus modular approaches, brain mechanisms of hand-eye coordination, neurobiological models of speech perception and production and recent models of anterior cingulate function

Written in an engaging style by a leading researcher in the field and presented in full color including numerous illustrative materials, this book will be invaluable as a core text for undergraduate modules in cognitive neuroscience. It can also be used as a key text on courses in cognition, cognitive neuropsychology, biopsychology or brain and behavior. Those embarking on research will find it an invaluable starting point and reference.

This textbook is supported by an extensive companion website for students and instructors, including lectures by leading researchers, links to key studies and interviews, interactive multiple-choice questions and flashcards of key terms.

'Jamie Ward?s The Student?s Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience is a fantastic textbook! It is engaging and accessible to students while perfectly balancing comprehensive and rigorous coverage of important topics from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive neuropsychology. I highly recommend this book.'

Jocelyn R. Folk, Associate Professor of Psychology, Kent State University, USA

'This book provides a very accessible introduction to cognitive neurosciences. Jamie Ward has a very clear and engaging way of explaining difficult concepts. I really enjoy reading this book and I am sure that many psychology students will do as well.'

Nayeli Gonzalez-Gomez, Lecturer in Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, UK

Praise for the previous edition:

'The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience is a perfect introduction to the field. I use it in my own teaching and recommend it to colleagues from other disciplines who are curious about cognitive neuroscience. Ward is discerning about where to go into detail and where to present a skillfully summarized gist, and always connects facts and findings to the larger picture of what we know and how we know it. The result is a smart, approachable introduction to the concepts and methods of cognitive neuroscience.'

Martha J. Farah, Director of the Center for Neuroscience and Society, University of Pennsylvania, USA

'In The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience, Jamie Ward provides a clear, informative, and engaging introduction to this important subject. The third edition builds on the strengths of the previous editions, which include an impressive integration of insights from cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging. The text provides a solid grounding in all of the key topic areas of cognitive neuroscience that includes both classic studies and cutting edge research. I highly recommend this excellent text.'

Daniel L. Schacter, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA

Table of Contents:

1. Introducing cognitive neuroscience  2. Introducing the brain  3. The electrophysiological brain  4. The imaged brain  5. The lesioned brain and stimulated brain  6. The developing brain  7. The seeing brain  8. The hearing brain  9. The attending brain  10. The acting brain  11. The remembering brain  12. The speaking brain  13. The literate brain  14. The numerate brain  15. The executive brain  16. The social and emotional brain