The Marvelous Learning Animal—What Makes Human Behavior Unique

Writing in accessible language for general readers, Staats (emeritus, psychology, University of Hawaii-Manoa) seeks to change the paradigm of scientific theory on the evolution of human behavior, human nature, and human evolution. He exposes the fallacies of the old paradigms, beginning with Darwin's fallacy that behavioral traits are inherited just like physical traits, and argues instead that human behavior and human nature have developed primarily through learning. The discussion encompasses areas including racism, abnormal psychology, applied behaviorism, developmental psychology, and results from modern brain imaging. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Arthur W. Staats is professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Internationally known as an innovator, he is the inventor of the "time-out" concept that so many parents have used with their children as well as the creator of the token-reward system (token economy) to modify behavior patterns. In 2006, Child magazine recognized him as one of "20 People Who Changed Childhood." He is the author of six books, more than fifty chapters, and over eighty journal articles, among other publications.