PSYCHOLOGY
F R KIDS
The Science of the Mind and Behavior
by Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD, and Claire A. B. Freeland, PhD
PSYCHOLOGY
F R KIDS
The Science of the Mind and Behavior
Text copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline B. Toner and Claire A. B. Freeland. Illustrations copyright © 2021 Magination
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Toner, Jacqueline B., author. | Freeland, Claire A. B., author.
Title: Psychology for kids : the science of the mind and behavior
by Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD and Claire A. B. Freeland, PhD.
Description: [Washington] : Magination Press, [2021] | Includes index. |
Summary: “This introduction to the science of psychology for young readers features chapters on the brain,
personality, intelligence, emotions, social relationships, and more”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020044360 (print) | LCCN 2020044361 (ebook) |: ISBN 9781433832109 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781433836923 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Psychology—Juvenile literature.
Classification: LCC BF149.5 .T66 2021 (print) | LCC BF149.5 (ebook) | DDC 155.4—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020044360
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020044361
PSYCHOLOGY
F R KIDS
The Science of the Mind and Behavior
by Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD, and Claire A. B. Freeland, PhD
Magination Press ● Washington, DC
American Psychological Association
To Kaitlin Toner Raimi,
PhD, with love and
thanks for her support
in this endeavor—JBT
To my parents, Lawrence and
Devora Bennett, who nurtured
my love of learning and
science—CABF
Part 1: Exploring Psychology
Contents Chapter 1
Chapter 2
What Is Psychology?
Where’s the Proof ?
8
16
Part 2: Mind and Body Working Together
Chapter 3 Is Putting On Your Socks a Superpower? 26
Chapter 4 How Does the Brain Work? 36
Part 3: The One and Only Me
Chapter 5 What Makes Me “Me”? 50
Chapter 6 What Does It Mean to Be a Boy or a Girl? 62
Part 4: Learning and Growing
Chapter 7 How Did You Learn That? 74
Chapter 8 What Does It Mean to Be Smart? 84
Chapter 9 How Do You Remember? 96
Chapter 10 How Do We Think? 106
Chapter 11 How Do You Change As You Grow? 116
Part 5: Understanding Feelings
Chapter 12 How Do You Feel? 128
Chapter 13 What Motivates You? 138
Part 6: Caring for Yourself
Chapter 14 What Is Stress? 150
Chapter 15 Why Do You Spend So Much Time Sleeping? 160
Part 7: Taming Emotions
Chapter 16 What Helps People Do Well? 170
Chapter 17 What About When It All Feels Like Too Much? 180
Part 8: Living With Others
Chapter 18 Why Are Other People So Important? 192
Chapter 19 How Can You Understand Other People’s Experiences? 202
Chapter 20 Is Conflict Part of Being Human? 212
Part 9: Planning for a Better World
Chapter 21 Can Psychology Help Save Planet Earth? 224
Glossary 234
Index 248
About the Authors 256
Part 1
EXPLORING
PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 1
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?
Why do optical illusions trick us? Do other people feel and
think the same way you do? Can animals be taught language?
Why do you sleep? You can explore these questions (and many
others) through the fascinating science of psychology.
What exactly is psychology? One common definition describes
psychology as “the science of the mind and behavior.” In your
mind, you experience emotions, thoughts, and the reasons
for doing what you do—these are actions that other people
can’t see. Behavior is how a person (or animal) acts. Behaviors
are actions that other people can see, such as recycling,
doing homework, exercising, talking, and making faces..
Psychologists are interested in how the mind powers behaviors
and how behaviors relate to the world around you.
8 Exploring Psychology
WHAT DO PSYCHOLOGISTS DO?
You might already know what some psychologists do. School psychologists,
for example, evaluate students who are having any sort of difficulty at school,
such as problems with learning or behavior. But there are lots of other kinds of
psychologists, some who do research, and some who apply research findings in
different settings. Let’s learn about the work of a few real-life psychologists.
Dr. Tim Nichols studied how people use
video games. For example, when you fail at
a video game, what makes you try again?
“I am passionate about understanding
technology’s role in satisfying fundamental
human needs like connecting with others, FAIL
personal growth, escapism, and showing
off pictures of their dogs. I like figuring
out why people do what they do, and I love
building great teams of smart researchers
who are passionate about the same. When I
tell people I work in video games and that
I have a doctorate in research psychology,
they usually wait for the punch line.”
Dr. Johan Lundström’s research
looked at how people responded
to smells. Is that smelly cheese
or vomit? If you are blindfolded
when you take a sniff, your
answer will depend on what
you’re told. Your sense of smell
depends on what you know and
what you think!
What Is Psychology? 9
