LibGuides: Psychology: Books & eBooks

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Careers in Psychology & Behavioral Health The field of psychology encompasses research, clinical practice, and education. One of psychology's most unique and important characteristics is its coupling of science and practice. Job opportunities within the broad field of psychology are many, depending on one's level of education, with a variety of options at all levels in clinical and private settings. Job seekers will find real-world information in this volume covering: Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Sport Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Environmental Psychology and Neuropsychology. In addition to need-to-know data on the specifics of these careers, each chapter includes charts, tables, and valuable sections like "A Day in the Life of..." and Conversations with Real Professionals.
Also available in print: BF76 .C37 2019
Consciousness
Pages 473-475
The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology This two-volume, accessible resource covers the entire spectrum of psychology, including: notable people, theories and terms; 40 landmark case studies and experiments; over 30 primary source materials; applications of psychology in advertising, medicine and sports; and career information. More than 800 articles -- 150 of those are entirely new and 650 are updated since the last edition. Each article ranges from 25 to 1, 500 words, covering the topics researchers want to know about, including: Advertising psychology, Alzheimers disease, Autism, Deep brain stimulation, Sigmund Freud, Meditation, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), Benjamin Spock, Sports psychology, Stanford Prison experiment, Test anxiety, Unconscious motivation, and Workplace violence. In addition to that there are more than 200 photographs, charts and graphs, students will also find Key Terms and Further reading sections, as well as an expanded glossary, an updated organizations appendix and an in-depth two-level index.
Handbook of Advances in Culture and Psychology, Volume 5 With applications throughout the social sciences, culture and psychology is a rapidly growing field that has experienced a surge in publications over the last decade. From this proliferation of books, chapters, and journal articles, exciting developments have emerged in the relationship of culture to cognitive processes, human development, psychopathology, social behavior, organizational behavior, neuroscience, language, marketing, and other topics. In recognition of this exponential growth, Advances in Culture and Psychology is the first annual series to offer state-of-the-art reviews of scholarly research in the growing field of culture and psychology. The Advances in Culture and Psychology series is: Developing an intellectual home for culture and psychology research programs; Fostering bridges and connections among cultural scholars from across the discipline; Creating a premier outlet for culture and psychology research; Publishing articles that reflect the theoretical, methodological, and epistemological diversity in the study of culture and psychology; Enhancing the collective identity of the culture and psychology field. Comprising chapters from internationally renowned culture scholars and representing diversity in the theory and study of culture within psychology, Advances in Culture and Psychology is an ideal resource for research programs and academics throughout the psychology community.
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A practical, heartfelt guide to the art of truly knowing another person in order to foster deeper connections at home, at work, and throughout our lives--from the author of The Road to Character and The Second Mountain As David Brooks observes, "There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen--to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood." And yet we humans don't do this well. All around us are people who feel invisible, unseen, misunderstood. In How to Know a Person, Brooks sets out to help us do better, posing questions that are essential for all of us: If you want to know a person, what kind of attention should you cast on them? What kind of conversations should you have? What parts of a person's story should you pay attention to? Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception. The act of seeing another person, Brooks argues, is profoundly creative: How can we look somebody in the eye and see something large in them, and in turn, see something larger in ourselves? How to Know a Person is for anyone searching for connection, and yearning to be understood.
Key Thinkers in Psychology The 20th Century was rich in attempts to characterize and explain psychological phenomena and so to understand the human mind. These projects were undertaken by a huge and diverse list of characters from B F Skinner to James Gibson, from Gordon Allport to Hans Eysenck. It is important for every student of psychology, wherever they might be in the world, to understand the classic scholars, the classic studies, and the subsequent generations of people and ideas that have come to define the broad discipline that is psychology. This book achieves this in the most accessible and engaging manner possible. Rom Harré presents a unique textbook orientation, combining the biopic with the significance of the major protagonists of the last century, organized by schools of thought, yet with cross-references throughout the text.
Principles of Behavioral Science This volume discusses human action and how human behavior relates to society. Coverage will discuss two broad categories: how we process information to make decisions that help us function and survive in our social environment, and how our relationships, interactions, communication networks, and relational dynamics play out in our social system. In more than 100 essays, coverage includes: Psychology Cognitive science Behavior analysis Psychobiology Neural networks Social cognition Each entry includes an Abstract that provides a brief, concrete summary of the topic and its significance; a detailed Essay that provides extensive background on the topic and explores its significance to the field of marine science; and a list of Further Reading. This resource will be a helpful tool for students and researchers who are just beginning their study of geology and need a solid background of the key terms and elements in the field.
Also available in print: BF121 .P756 2021
Psychology & Behavioral Health This five-volume encyclopedia covers the history of psychology as an experimental and social science, as an applied health discipline, as a profession, and as a locus for the panoply of preeminent contributors in the field. This volume discusses behaviorism, cognition, perception, cognitive behavioral psychology, psychodynamic psychology, object relations theory, family systems therapy, Gestalt therapy, the biological bases of human behavior, sexuality, personality theory, and comparative therapies of treatment. Also included are mental and behavioral health diagnoses, disorders, and syndromes, and how they are assessed. Essays also address how culture, ethnicity, and gender affect psychological theory and beliefs, treatment outcomes, and acquiring self-identity. There are chapters focused on individual assessment and evaluation instruments including their strengths and limitations.
Also available in print: BF636 .P86 2023
Psychology for Dummies Find out what makes you--and everyone else--tick Psychology For Dummies takes you on the challenging and thrilling adventure into the astonishing science of why we do the things we do. Along the way you'll find out how psychology helps us improve our relationships, make better decisions, be more effective in our careers, and avoid stress and mental illness in difficult times. In a friendly, jargon-free style, clinical psychologist and teacher Adam Cash uses practical examples to delve deep into the maze of the human mind: from the basic hardware, software, and "wetware" of our brains to the mysteries of consciousness and the murkier reaches of abnormal behavior. He also provides profound insights into our wants and needs, the differences between psychological approaches, and how positive psychology can help you lead the "good life" that fulfills you most. Gain insights into identity and the self Cope with stress and illness Maintain psychological health Make informed choices when seeking counseling Whether you're new to the unconscious or an established devotee of Freud and pharmacology, Psychology For Dummies is your essential guide to the examined life--and what can make it even more worth living!
Social Psychology Written by well-known sociologists John D. DeLamater, Daniel J. Myers, and Jessica L. Collett, this fully revised and updated edition of Social Psychology is a highly accessible and engaging exploration of the question "what is it that makes us who we are?" Grounded in the latest contemporary research, the book also explains the methods in which social psychologists investigate human behavior in a social context and the theoretical perspectives that ground the discipline. With hundreds of real-world examples, figures, tables, and photographs, the text explores such topics as self, attitudes, social influence, emotions, interpersonal attraction and relationships, collective behavior, and personality. Each chapter is designed to be a self-contained unit for ease of use in any classroom, beginning with focal questions that establish the issues being discussed and ending with a summary of key points, a list of key terms and concepts, and critical thinking questions.
The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, Set The Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (EPID) is organized into four volumes that look at the many likenesses and differences between individuals. Each of these four volumes focuses on a major content area in the study of personality psychology and individuals' differences. The first volume, Models and Theories, surveys the significant classic and contemporary viewpoints, perspectives, models, and theoretical approaches to the study of personality and individuals' differences (PID). The second volume on Measurement and Assessment examines key classic and modern methods and techniques of assessment in the study of PID. Volume III, titled Personality Processes and Individuals Differences, covers the important traditional and current dimensions, constructs, and traits in the study of PID. The final volume discusses three major categories: clinical contributions, applied research, and cross-cultural considerations, and touches on topics such as culture and identity, multicultural identities, cross-cultural examinations of trait structures and personality processes, and more. Each volume contains approximately 100 entries on personality and individual differences written by a diverse international panel of leading psychologists. Covers significant classic and contemporary personality psychology models and theories, measurement and assessment techniques, personality processes and individuals differences, and research. Provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the field of personality psychology. The Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences is an important resource for all psychology students and professionals engaging in the study and research of personality.

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Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder The second edition of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorderis an essential read for all clinicians, researchers, and anyone who wants to learn about how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be applied to treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. Building on the idea that intolerance of uncertainty keeps people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) stuck in repeated cycles of excessive worry, anxiety, and avoidance, this revised and updated edition lays out the essentials of GAD assessment and diagnosis, step-by-step illustrations of CBT treatment, and questionnaires and monitoring forms that can be used in assessment, treatment, and research. Readers will come away from the book with a clear sense of how to: design powerful, individualized behavioral experiments targeting the fear of uncertainty; help clients discover and re-evaluate their beliefs about the usefulness of worry; encourage clients to view worry-provoking problems as challenges to be met, rather than threats; use written exposure to help clients confront lingering worries and core fears. ients discover and re-evaluate their beliefs about the usefulness of worry; encourage clients to view worry-provoking problems as challenges to be met, rather than threats; use written exposure to help clients confront lingering worries and core fears.
A Degree in a Book: Psychology The Degree in a Book series condenses the essentials of a university course into an easily digestible introduction to the subject. Filled with information boxes, feature spreads, suggestions for further reading and helpful diagrams, it is an excellent way to learn. Contains all the topics covered by the best universities in the world. The Degree in a Book series has sold over 118,000 copies worldwide and has been published in 10 different languages.
Fluke: Chance, Chaos and Why Everything We Do Matters Want to know what chaos theory can teach us about human events? In the perspective-altering tradition of Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point and Nassim Nicholas Taleb's The Black Swan comes a provocative challenge to how we think our world works--and why small, chance events can divert our lives and change everything, by social scientist and Atlantic writer Brian Klaas. If you could rewind your life to the very beginning and then press play, would everything turn out the same? Or could making an accidental phone call or missing an exit off the highway change not just your life, but history itself? And would you remain blind to the radically different possible world you unknowingly left behind? In Fluke, myth-shattering social scientist Brian Klaas dives deeply into the phenomenon of random chance and the chaos it can sow, taking aim at most people's neat and tidy storybook version of reality. The book's argument is that we willfully ignore a bewildering truth: but for a few small changes, our lives--and our societies--could be radically different. Offering an entirely new lens, Fluke explores how our world really works, driven by strange interactions and apparently random events. How did one couple's vacation cause 100,000 people to die? Does our decision to hit the snooze button in the morning radically alter the trajectory of our lives? And has the evolution of humans been inevitable, or are we simply the product of a series of freak accidents? Drawing on social science, chaos theory, history, evolutionary biology, and philosophy, Klaas provides a brilliantly fresh look at why things happen--all while providing mind-bending lessons on how we can live smarter, be happier, and lead more fulfilling lives.
The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness For Mark Solms, one of the boldest thinkers in contemporary neuroscience, discovering how consciousness comes about has been a lifetime's quest. Scientists consider it the "hard problem" because it seems an impossible task to understand why we feel a subjective sense of self and how it arises in the brain. Venturing into the elementary physics of life, Solms has now arrived at an astonishing answer. In The Hidden Spring, he brings forward his discovery in accessible language and graspable analogies. Solms is a frank and fearless guide on an extraordinary voyage from the dawn of neuropsychology and psychoanalysis to the cutting edge of contemporary neuroscience, adhering to the medically provable. But he goes beyond other neuroscientists by paying close attention to the subjective experiences of hundreds of neurological patients, many of whom he treated, whose uncanny conversations expose much about the brain's obscure reaches. Most importantly, you will be able to recognize the workings of your own mind for what they really are, including every stray thought, pulse of emotion, and shift of attention. The Hidden Spring will profoundly alter your understanding of your own subjective experience.
How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion A brain-bending investigation of why some people never change their minds--and others do in an instant. What made a prominent conspiracy-theorist YouTuber finally see that 9/11 was not a hoax? How do voter opinions shift from neutral to resolute? Can widespread social change only take place when a generation dies out? From one of our greatest thinkers on reasoning, HOW MINDS CHANGE is a book about the science, and the experience, of transformation. When self-delusion expert and psychology nerd David McRaney began a book about how to change someone's mind in one conversation, he never expected to change his own. But then a diehard 9/11 Truther's conversion blew up his theories--inspiring him to ask not just how to persuade, but why we believe, from the eye of the beholder. Delving into the latest research of psychologists and neuroscientists, HOW MINDS CHANGE explores the limits of reasoning, the power of groupthink, and the effects of deep canvassing. Told with McRaney's trademark sense of humor, compassion, and scientific curiosity, it's an eye-opening journey among cult members, conspiracy theorists, and political activists, from Westboro Baptist Church picketers to LGBTQ campaigners in California--that ultimately challenges us to question our own motives and beliefs. In an age of dangerous conspiratorial thinking, can we rise to the occasion with empathy? An expansive, big-hearted journalistic narrative, HOW MINDS CHANGE reaches surprising and thought-provoking conclusions, to demonstrate the rare but transformative circumstances under which minds can change.
How Psychology Works: Applied Psychology Visually Explained Explore the human mind and understand the science behind how people think and act in a wide variety of everyday situations with this brand-new visual guide to applied psychology. Using straightforward definitions and clear, striking visuals, this book makes the workings of the brain easy to understand and shows what happens when things go wrong, with information on disorders such as anxiety and paranoia, as well as explanations of the different therapies that are used to treat them, from CBT to psychoanalysis, group therapy to art therapy. How Psychology Works explains hundreds of psychological terms clearly and simply, such as neurosis, psychosis, psychopathy, self-efficacy, flow, human factors, and false memory syndrome. It also includes an introduction to the different approaches psychologists use to understand how we behave and think and a detailed look at how the brain influences behavior and psychological health. With its combination of bold infographics and clear, easy-to-understand text, this book explores and explains the various approaches that psychologists use to study how people think and behave, such as behaviorism, cognitive psychology, and humanism, and shows how these approaches can be applied to real-world situations. With examples from the workplace to the sports field, the courtroom to the classroom, How Psychology Works shows how psychology plays a huge role in all of our lives and offers a greater understanding of what influences behavior, thoughts, and feelings in a variety of environments and scenarios.
How the Brain Lost its Mind: Sex, Hysteria, and the Riddle of Mental Illness A noted neurologist challenges the widespread misunderstanding of brain disease and mental illness. How the Brain Lost Its Mind tells the rich and compelling story of two confounding ailments, syphilis and hysteria, and the extraordinary efforts to confront their effects on mental life. How does the mind work? Where does madness lie, in the brain or in the mind? How should it be treated? Throughout the nineteenth century, syphilis--a disease of mad poets, musicians, and artists--swept through the highest and lowest rungs of European society like a plague. Known as "the Great Imitator," it could produce almost any form of mental or physical illness, and it would bring down a host of famous and infamous characters--among them Guy de Maupassant, Vincent van Gogh, the Marquis de Sade, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Al Capone. It was the first truly psychiatric disease and it filled asylums to overflowing. At the same time, an outbreak of bizarre behaviors resembling epilepsy, but with no identifiable source in the body, strained the diagnostic skills of the great neurologists. It was referred to as hysteria. For more than a century, neurosyphilis stood out as the archetype of a brain-based mental illness, fully understood but largely forgotten, and today far from gone. Hysteria, under many different names, remains unexplained and epidemic. These two conditions stand at opposite poles of the current debate over the role of the brain in mental illness. Hysteria led Freud to insert sex into psychology. Neurosyphilis led to the proliferation of mental institutions. The problem of managing the inmates led to the abuse of lobotomy and electroshock therapy, and ultimately the overuse of psychotropic drugs. Today we know that syphilitic madness was a destructive disease of the brain while hysteria and, more broadly, many varieties of mental illness reside solely in the mind. Or do they? Afflictions once written off as "hysterical" continue to elude explanation. Addiction, alcoholism, autism, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, depression, and sociopathy, though regarded as brain-based, have not been proven to be so. In these pages, the authors raise a host of philosophical and practical questions. What is the difference between a sick mind and a sick brain? If we understood everything about the brain, would we understand ourselves? By delving into an overlooked history, this book shows how neuroscience and brain scans alone cannot account for a robust mental life, or a deeply disturbed one.
Noise A revolutionary exploration of why people make bad judgments and how to make better ones. Imagine that two doctors in the same city give different diagnoses to identical patients—or that two judges in the same courthouse give markedly different sentences to people who have committed the same crime. Suppose that different interviewers at the same firm make different decisions about indistinguishable job applicants—or that when a company is handling customer complaints, the resolution depends on who happens to answer the phone. Now imagine that the same doctor, the same judge, the same interviewer, or the same customer service agent makes different decisions depending on whether it is morning or afternoon, or Monday rather than Wednesday. These are examples of noise: variability in judgments that should be identical.
Opinions throughout History: Mental Health This exciting new series offers a wide range of insights into long-standing issues that Americans are most concerned about, and those that have encouraged vigorous debate among politicians and citizens at large. Using carefully chosen original documents that cover a wide time span, Opinions Throughout History weaves a thoughtful and easy-to-understand analysis of how public opinion is formed and evolves, starting the discussion at an historical, seminal moment, and ending with where we stand today.
The Oracle of Night: The History and Science of Dreams A groundbreaking history of the human mind told through our experience of dreams--from the earliest accounts to current scientific findings--and their essential role in the formation of who we are and the world we have made. What is a dream? Why do we dream? How do our bodies and minds use them? These questions are the starting point for this unprecedented study of the role and significance of this phenomenon. An investigation on a grand scale, it encompasses literature, anthropology, religion, and science, articulating the essential place dreams occupy in human culture and how they functioned as the catalyst that compelled us to transform our earthly habitat into a human world. From the earliest cave paintings--where Sidarta Ribeiro locates a key to humankind's first dreams and how they contributed to our capacity to perceive past and future and our ability to conceive of the existence of souls and spirits--to today's cutting-edge scientific research, Ribeiro arrives at revolutionary conclusions about the role of dreams in human existence and evolution. He explores the advances that contemporary neuroscience, biochemistry, and psychology have made into the connections between sleep, dreams, and learning. He explains what dreams have taught us about the neural basis of memory and the transformation of memory in recall. He makes clear that the earliest insight into dreams as oracular has been elucidated by contemporary research. Accessible, authoritative, and fascinating, The Oracle of Night gives us a wholly new way to understand this most basic of human experiences.
Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make it Easy In this revolutionary, comprehensive, and accessible guide on how the brain learns, discover how to study more efficiently and effectively, shrug away exam stress, and most of all, enjoy learning. When we study, we tend to focus on the tasks we can most easily control--such as highlighting and rereading--but these practices only give the illusion of mastery. As Dan Willingham, professor of psychology and bestselling author, explains, familiarity is not the same as comprehension. Perfect for teachers and students of all ages, Outsmart Your Brain provides real-world practices and the latest research on how to train your brain for better learning. Each chapter provides clear and specific strategies while also explaining why traditional study processes do not work. Grounded in scientifically backed practical advice, this is the ultimate guide to improving grades and better understanding the power of our own brains.
Own Your Psychology Major! A Guide to Student Success In this book, you'll get a bird's eye view of the whole curriculum, from rat mazes and statistics to abnormal psychology and psychotherapy, and you'll dive into some of the field's most enduring debates. Beyond the what and why of the psychology major, this book provides you with tips you can put into practice from day one. These include: How to maximize your learning inside and outside the classroom, advice on landing a solid internship, where to find research and service opportunities and steps for applying (and paying) for graduate programs. When you finish this book, you'll have a clear idea of why you're learning what you're learning, and how the skills you build in your psychology major will help you solve real-world problems. You'll be able to take an active hand in your education--and own your psychology major.
Psych 101: Psychology Facts, Basics, Statistics, Tests, and More! A hands-on approach to exploring the human mind Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy theories, principles, and experiments of psychology into tedious discourse that even Freud would want to repress. Psych 101 cuts out the boring details and statistics, and instead, gives you a lesson in psychology that keeps you engaged - and your synapses firing. From personality quizzes and the Rorschach Blot Test to B.F. Skinner and the stages of development, this primer for human behavior is packed with hundreds of entertaining psychology basics and quizzes you can't get anywhere else. So whether you're looking to unravel the intricacies of the mind, or just want to find out what makes your friends tick, Psych 101 has all the answers - even the ones you didn't know you were looking for.
Psychoanalysis: A Very Short Introduction Since its inception, psychoanalysis has been hailed as a revolutionary theory of how the mind works, whilst some of its ideas such as the Oedipus complex have become part of everyday conversation. In Psychoanalysis: A Very Short Introduction, Daniel Pick offers a lucid, lively, and wide-ranging survey of psychoanalysis. This book offers the reader a flavor of what it might be like to enter treatment, and suggests the possible surprises that can await both analyst and patient, as well as the potential benefits. Yet whilst Freud's writings have shaped the way many of us understand dreams, desires, and destructiveness, as well as anxieties, blunders, and guilt, numerous critics have warned of the dangerous methods and time-bound assumptions of psychoanalysis, doubted the efficacy of its drawn-out methods, and dismissed its core claims as pseudo-science. Looking at modern ideas of the self, exploring the nature of unconscious aspects of relationships, and considering how psychoanalysis has evolved, Pick ponders the particular challenges now facing the analytic profession, and shows why psychoanalysis remains an important resource for investigating the mind, its creative functioning and many afflictions.
Psychology: The Comic Book Introduction An award-winning animator and cartoonist teams up with a cognitive psychologist to introduce readers to the complex--and often comedic--world of psychology. Psychology is the study of human behavior, of the ways our minds make sense of the world around us. It is a serious and worthy endeavor because we value scientific knowledge not only for what it tells us about the world but also for what it reveals about our place in the world. Yet, as cartoonist Grady Klein and psychologist Danny Oppenheimer point out, the study of human experience is also often really funny. This is the field, after all, that brought us drooling dogs, snacking rats, and "Freudian slips." With detailed observations on perception, stress, emotions, cognition, and more, The Cartoon Introduction to Psychology is the perfect way for students and curious general readers to learn more about psychology while having a good laugh. Our experiences blundering through the world are perfect cartoon fodder, and Klein and Oppenheimer are the perfect team to bring psychology to life.
The Psychology of the Selfie The Psychology of the Selfie provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of research on the significance of selfies, offering insights into the topic from a psychological perspective and examining important issues such as body image, self-objectification, mental health and psychological benefits. Selfies are a worldwide phenomenon. Although dismissed by critics as a sign of self-absorbed narcissism, they are also a social currency that maintains and reinforces friendships, a feedback loop for self-identity affirmation, a promotional tool for gaining social influence, and a method for preserving memories of life events. In this book, Barrie Gunter expertly explores the psychological underpinnings of the contemporary global phenomenon of "selfies", from the historical roots and meteoric rise due to technical advancements, to the different personality types of selfie-takers, to social relationships, to group and personal identity. Looking at both the psychological nature and impact of selfies, this book reviews different psychological outcomes for selfie-takers, both positive and negative, and the growth in psychological and physical problems that can sometimes arise. Presenting a comprehensive analysis specifically of selfie behaviour, this book is an essential reference for students and researchers in communications and media, journalism, information studies, psychology and sociology, as well as anyone with a general interest in the phenomenon.
Rationality: What it is, Why it Seems Scarce, Why it Matters Today humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding--and also appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing? Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply irrational--cavemen out of time saddled with biases, fallacies, and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives, and set out the benchmarks for rationality itself. We actually think in ways that are sensible in the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we’ve discovered over the millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation, and optimal ways to update beliefs and commit to choices individually and with others. These tools are not a standard part of our education, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book--until now. Rationality also explores its opposite: how the rational pursuit of self-interest, sectarian solidarity, and uplifting mythology can add up to crippling irrationality in a society. Collective rationality depends on norms that are explicitly designed to promote objectivity and truth. Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with Pinker’s customary insight and humor, Rationality will enlighten, inspire, and empower.
Social Chemistry: Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection Understanding the contours of your social network can dramatically enhance personal relationships, work life, and even your global impact. Are you an Expansionist, a Broker, or a Convener? The answer matters more than you think. Yale professor Marissa King shows how anyone can build more meaningful and productive relationships based on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and network analytics. Conventional wisdom says it's the size of your network that matters, but social science research has proven there is more to it. King explains that the quality and structure of our relationships has the greatest impact on our personal and professional lives. As she shows, there are three basic types of networks, so readers can see the role they are already playing: Expansionist, Broker, or Convener. This network decoder enables readers to own their network style and modify it for better alignment with their life plans and values. High-quality connections in your social network strongly predict cognitive functioning, emotional resilience, and satisfaction at work. A well-structured network is likely to boost the quality of your ideas, as well as your pay. Beyond the office, social connections are the lifeblood of our health and happiness. The compiled results from dozens of previous studies found that our social relationships have an effect on our likelihood of dying prematurely--equivalent to obesity or smoking. Rich stories of Expansionists like Vernon Jordan, Brokers like Yo-Yo Ma, and Conveners like Anna Wintour, as well as personal experiences from King's own world of connections, inform this warm, engaging, revelatory investigation into some of the most consequential decisions we can make about the trajectory of our lives.
Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention -- and How to Think Deeply Again In the United States, teenagers can focus on one task for only sixty-five seconds at a time, and office workers average only three minutes. Like so many of us, Johann Hari was finding that constantly switching from device to device and tab to tab was a diminishing and depressing way to live. He tried all sorts of self-help solutions--even abandoning his phone for three months--but nothing seemed to work. So Hari went on an epic journey across the world to interview the leading experts on human attention--and he discovered that everything we think we know about this crisis is wrong. We think our inability to focus is a personal failure to exert enough willpower over our devices. The truth is even more disturbing: our focus has been stolen by powerful external forces that have left us uniquely vulnerable to corporations determined to raid our attention for profit. Hari found that there are twelve deep causes of this crisis, from the decline of mind-wandering to rising pollution, all of which have robbed some of our attention. In Stolen Focus, he introduces readers to Silicon Valley dissidents who learned to hack human attention, and veterinarians who diagnose dogs with ADHD. He explores a favela in Rio de Janeiro where everyone lost their attention in a particularly surreal way, and an office in New Zealand that discovered a remarkable technique to restore workers' productivity. Crucially, Hari learned how we can reclaim our focus--as individuals, and as a society--if we are determined to fight for it. Stolen Focus will transform the debate about attention and finally show us how to get it back.
Thinking and Reasoning: A Very Short Introduction Our extraordinary capacity to reason and solve problems sets us aside from other animals, but our evolved thinking processes also leave us susceptible to bias and error. The study of thinking and reasoning goes back to Aristotle, and was one of the first topics to be studied when psychology separated from philosophy. In this Very Short Introduction Jonathan Evans explores cognitive psychological approaches to understanding the nature of thinking and reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. He shows how our problem solving capabilities are hugely dependent on also having the imagination to ask the right questions, and the ability to see things from a completely new perspective. Beginning by considering the approaches of the behaviorists and the Gestalt psychologists, he moves on to modern explorations of thinking, including hypothetical thinking, conditionals, deduction, rationality, and intuition. Covering the role of past learning, IQ, and cognitive biases, Evans also discusses the idea that there may be two different ways of thinking, arising from our evolutionary history.
Visual Culture Approaches to the Selfie This collection explores the cultural fascination with social media forms of self-portraiture, "selfies," with a specific interest in online self-imaging strategies in a Western context. This book examines the selfie as a social and technological phenomenon but also engages with digital self-portraiture as representation: as work that is committed to rigorous object-based analysis. The scholars in this volume consider the topic of online self-portraiture--both its social function as a technology-driven form of visual communication, as well as its thematic, intellectual, historical, and aesthetic intersections with the history of art and visual culture. This book will be of interest to scholars of photography, art history, and media studies.