Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

The accessible, hands-on statistics textbook that behavioral science students and instructors trust

Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences is a respected, practical textbook that offers carefully crafted exercises to support the teaching and learning of statistics. This revised eighth edition presents all the topics students in the behavioral sciences need in a uniquely accessible format, making statistics feel relevant and approachable. With fictitious yet realistic examples that reappear throughout the chapter, students can follow a continuous narrative that helps them engage with and internalize the content.

User-friendly integration with SPSS software enables readers to gain hands-on experience with the application of theoretical concepts. Exercises at the end of each chapter, with additional practice in the online study guide, give students the repetition they need to fully comprehend the material. After working through this textbook, students will understand, not only the what, but also the why of statistical analysis.

• Get plain-English explanations of statistical concepts and procedures important in behavioral sciences research
• Learn from relatable examples and exercises focused on psychology, sociology, and other behavioral science
• Work through well-crafted exercises designed to enhance your understanding of the material
• Get clear instructions on how to perform statistical procedures with the industry-standard SPSS software

Online resources for instructors include a test bank, chapter quizzes, and PowerPoint slides. Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences also includes a student website containing additional basic math coverage, math review exercises, a study guide, a set of additional SPSS exercises, and downloadable data sets.

R. BROOKE LEA, PhD, is DeWitt Wallace Professor of Psychology and Director of Cognitive Science at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, where he has taught psychological statistics for more than 25 years. He is a cognitive psychologist who studies reasoning and language processing, with a special interest in the role that poetic devices—such as rhyme, alliteration, and meter—play in the comprehension of poetry.

BARRY H. COHEN, Ph.D. earned a B.S. in Physics and a Ph.D in experimental psychology. Until his retirement, he was the director of the MA program in psychology at NYU, and taught statistics and research design at the graduate level there for more than 30 years. He is now spending his active retirement by collaborating on meditation research.