Chapter 4 What's New in Version 8

The eighth edition is structurally unchanged, as previous editions have been reorganized.The content and order of the chapters also remain the same.At the request of reviewers and readers, this edition is the same length as the seventh edition.Neither the reader nor the user expects an increase in the length of this book, and in fact, it does not.The 8th and 7th editions are the same length, about 15% shorter than the 6th edition, but the best examples (based on feedback from reviewers and readers) have been retained.Most importantly, I have continued to update and revise many of the examples in the book, replacing outdated examples with the latest research and topics.My main effort has been to cite recent research on the various concepts and experimental results presented in this book.As a result, 135 new citations have appeared in the book, allowing readers to get the most up-to-date references for examples and concepts.

The purpose of this book is as always—to provide a brief introduction to critical thinking skills and to help students better understand the topic of psychology.In the 1990s, there was a growing emphasis on critical thinking skills in universities (Halpem, 1998).Indeed, some state university systems have undertaken curriculum reforms aimed at enhancing critical thinking education.At the same time, there are other pedagogical scholars who believe that critical thinking skills should not be separated from specific subject content.And it is precisely these two perspectives that are integrated to help teachers teach the skills of critical thinking while teaching a wealth of modern psychology knowledge.

Readers are welcome to send their comments on this book to the following address: Keith E. Stanovich, Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor St.W., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1 V6. E -mail: [email protected].