LibGuides: Psychology: Getting Started

Getting Started

Encyclopedias are excellent places to start your research: they are useful for finding basic background information on a topic, and many of them provide short bibliographies in their entries, which can lead you to key readings for a particular topic.

Dictionaries give brief definitions of unfamiliar words, terms and acronyms.

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology [Online] by Oliver Braddick
Provides articles on major areas of research in the field of psychology. All articles are substantive, peer-reviewed, and regularly updated.
Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology [Online] by Thomas Teo (Editor)
Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology is a comprehensive reference work that comprehensively looks at psychological topics from critical as well as international points of view. The Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology provides commentary from expert critical psychologists from around the globe who will compose the entries. The expert contributors will summarize current critical-psychological knowledge and discuss significant topics from a global perspective.
Encyclopedia of the History of Psychological Theories [Online] by Robert W. Rieber (Editor)
Call Number: BF 38 E53 2012 (Scott Reference)
The Encyclopedia of the History of Psychological Theories surveys the entire range of thinking in psychology, from ancient times to the present, encompassing philosophies and theories of mind that pre-date our modern conception of psychology as a science, and extending to the current findings of neuroscience.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy [Online] by Edward S. Neukrug
This is a quick, one-stop resource that gives the reader the ′who, what, where, how, and why′ of contemporary counselling and psychotherapy theory.
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences [Online] by Neil J Smelser; Paul B. Baltes
Call Number: H 41 I49 2001, v.1-26 (Scott Reference)
Provides articles on topics in the social sciences. Includes coverage of cognitive science, developmental psychology, social psychology, psychiatry, health studies, gender studies, etc. Online version allows for browsing entries, classified categories, index as well as full-text searching. Includes references.
Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (2nd ed) [Online] by Ramachandran, V. S.
The Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, Second Edition is a comprehensive three-volume reference source on human action and reaction, and the thoughts, feelings, and physiological functions behind those actions.
Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience [Online] by George F. Koob; Michel Le Moal; Richard F. Thompson ; Michel Le Moal
Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience is the first and only multi-volume reference to comprehensively cover the foundation knowledge in the field. The important research in all areas of Behavioral Neuroscience is covered in a total of 210 chapters on topics ranging from neuroethology and learning and memory, to behavioral disorders and psychiatric diseases.
Encyclopedia of Psychology [Online] by Alan E. Kazdin (Editor)
Call Number: BF 31 E552 2000 (Scott Reference / Frost Reference)
A comprehensive encyclopedia of psychology in eight volumes. Entries include bibliographic references. Note that this link is to volume 1 and volumes 2-8 are available on the same site
The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences [Online] by Wilson, Robert A.; Keil, Frank C.
Organized into six domains of cognitive and brain sciences: (1) computational intelligence (2) culture, cognition, and evolution (3) linguistics and language (4) neuroscience (5) philosophy, and (6) psychology.
Oxford Reference Online by Oxford University Press
Oxford Reference Online brings together language and subject reference works from one of the world's biggest reference publishers into a single cross-searchable resource. The Core Collection contains over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press.
Oxford English Dictionary
The most comprehensive dictionary of the English language ever produced. Includes definitions, quotations, and full etymologies. All are searchable.

More psychology encyclopedias
Find more psychology encyclopedias through this link to a search in Omni!

Handbook of Psychology (Vol. 1-12) [Online] by Irving B. Weiner (Editor-In-Chief)
This award-winning twelve-volume reference covers every aspect of the ever-fascinating discipline of psychology and represents the most current knowledge in the field. This ten-year revision now covers discoveries based in neuroscience, clinical psychology's new interest in evidence-based practice and mindfulness, and new findings in social, developmental, and forensic psychology.
APA Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology (Vol. 1-3) [Online] by Harris M. Cooper; American Psychological Association Staff (Contribution by)
The three-volume APA Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology features descriptions of many techniques that psychologists and others have developed. The earliest chapters address the broadest questions related to research designs. Next, handbook chapters describe the types of data that psychologists most often collect and how to determine the best measurement techniques. Later, the chapters return to issues of research design, techniques for data analysis, and writing up research to share with the community of psychologists.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-5 [Online] by American Psychiatric Association Staff; Kernberg
Call Number: RC 455.2 C4 D536 2013 (Scott Stacks / Frost Stacks)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is the most comprehensive, current, and critical resource for clinical practice available to today's mental health clinicians and researchers of all orientations. It is used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders. The criteria are concise and explicit, intended to facilitate an objective assessment of symptom presentations in a variety of clinical settings -- inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinical, private practice, and primary care. Online access to the DSM-5 is also available in PsychiatryOnline below.

PsychiatryOnline This link opens in a new window
PsychiatryOnline.org (POL) offers the most comprehensive online access to psychiatric textbooks, journals, and professional development tools. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.The DSM-5 is available on PsychiatryOnline.org. See video

The library provides increasing access to books in electronic format. Some collections available through the library can be accessed via the links below. The York Libraries search interface, OMNI, will also allow you to limit results to eBook format. Simply apply the filters "Books & eBooks" and "Available online" on the left sidebar after running your search.

PsycBOOKS
Provides searchable full-text access to over 800 psychology books, many published by APA. The 8-vol. Encyclopedia of Psychology is also available via PsycBooks. To browse this collection by title, select the Browse tab.
ProQuest Ebook Central
A searchable and growing collection of psychology books available through York Libraries.
Psychology (Springer Books)
Provides searchable full-text access to over 500 books in psychology.
MIT CogNet
An interdisciplinary online collection in cognitive and brain sciences includes 7 MIT Press e-journals, over 400 online books, the MIT Encyclopedia of Cognitive Sciences and other reference sources. Covers areas of cognitive science such as psychology, linguistics, computational intelligence, philosophy, and neuroscience.

Consult these resources for biographical information on key people in the history of psychology. Find more biographical resources at the biographies research guide.

The Library collects books of biography on many key people in the history of psychology. To see what books are available at the Library, run a search in OMNI. For example, to search for biographical information on Carl Jung, try a search for Carl Jung biography.

Biographical Dictionary of Psychology by Noel Sheehy (Editor); Antony J. Chapman (Editor); Wendy A. Conroy (Editor)
Call Number: BF 109 A1 B56 1997 (Scott Reference)
This work provides biographical and bibliographical information on over 700 psychologists, covering the entire chronology of the discipline from 1850 to the present day on an international scale. All branches of psychology and related disciplines are represented. An analysis and commentary are also included.
Portraits of Pioneers in Psychology by Gregory A. Kimble (Editor); Michael Wertheimer (Editor); Charlotte L. White (Editor)
Call Number: BF 109 A1 P67 1991 v.1-6 (Scott Stacks)
This book presents a series of informal biographies about major figures in the history of psychology.
Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology [Online] by Noel Sheehy
Call Number: BF 109 A1 S49 2004 (Scott Stacks)
Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology introduces the life, thought and work of some of the most influential figures who have shaped and developed modern psychology. It features accessibly written and fully cross-referenced entries on such figures as: Sigmund Freud, Noam Chomsky, Carl Jung, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Anne Anastasi, Konrad Lorenz, Hans Eysenck and William James.
Women in Psychology by Agnes N. O'Connell; Nancy Felipe Russo
Call Number: BF 109 A1 W65 1990 (Scott Stacks)
Women in Psychology is unique in that it is the first bio-bibliographic sourcebook on historical and contemporary women in psychology. It documents, preserves, and makes visible the diversity and excellence of women's contributions to the discipline.

Bibliographies are useful for identifying key authors/thinkers, establishing seminal works, and directing you to related readings.

Oxford Bibliographies: Psychology [Online]
Entries containing introductory information about several topics and concepts within the field of psychology. Each entry includes bibliographies of important books, articles and other resources for the particular topic or concept.

More resources

Omni All-in-One Search
Omni is both the York University Library catalogue, and a search interface shared by 14 Ontario universities. With a single search you can find a variety of resources held at York University Libraries and the other Omni Libraries.

Need help?

Can't find what you're looking for? Need help with your research? There are lots of ways to Get Help.

Resources to help you with:

Understanding Your Assignment
Time Management
Academic Integrity
Choosing a Topic
Selecting Appropriate Resources
Gathering & Noting Ideas
Research Strategies
Reading Strategies
Essay Structure
Creating Bibliographies
Writing Strategies
Revising Your Arguments
Essay Editing