The Best Psychology Books To Read
Posted Apr 14 in Opinion tagged psychology books
Often I get asked what books people should read if they are interested in psychology. I’m writing this post so that I can refer such requests to a single post – this one. As a bit of background you enter psychology through a BA(Arts) or a BSC(Psych), complete a 4th year, and then do either a two year Masters, or 3 year Doctorate. Basically it’s a 6 or 7 year degree. However, read the right books, don a pair of glasses, and ask lots of questions then you’re 90% the way there. Please embrace the following books.
You want to…
Help someone who is sad / anxious
- Change your thinking, by Sarah Edelman (do her short courses too – they are excellent)
- The Practice of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, by Albert Ellis (the non-psychologists psychologist)
- Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman (founder of the deservedly popular positive psychology movement)
Save your relationship
- Living and Loving Together, by Dr Bob Montgomery (bad title, good book – although written by a lecturer of mine who was sometimes somewhat inappropriate)
Understand how your kids grow up
- Looking Forwards Through The Lifespan, by Kandy Peterson
Bluff your way in various aspects of Psychology
- Systems of Psychotheray: A Transtheoretical Analysis, by Prochaska and Norcross (this is the must have book for understanding all the different forms of psychology (existential, CBT, psychoanalytic, systemic and so on). It’s very useful.
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -(DSM – IVTR) (this is the reference book that lists all the psychological issues people have and how to diagnose them)
Understand who you are and what its all about
- ‘Existential Psychotherapy’ by Irvin Yalom (this book frighteningly had the power to make me to change my name from Fritz to Max (it’s still officially Max according to government records!)
- ‘Loves Executioner’ by Irvin Yalom (everyone should read at least one thing written by Irvin Yalom)
Be titillated with Sensational Forensic Psychology Stuff based in Science
- Whoever fights monsters’, by Robert Ressler (this is the guy who started by the Behavioural Sciences Unit for the FBI, the guy Silence of the Lambs is based on)
- Sexual Homicide by Ressler et al (great stuff)
Understand Consumer Psychology
- The mental world of brands’, Wendy Gordon (very boring but some good stuff in there)
- The soul of the new consumer, Lauri Windham (dated but good)
- The advertised mind, by Eric Du Plessis (not a psychologist, he’s an ex Millward Brown researcher, but still an interesting read)
Any other builds greatly appreciated.
Fritz Bachen is a Consumer Psychologist and Founding Partner at Naked Communications. Fritz can be seen, read or heard at; The Gruen Transfer, ABC Radio (Sunday nights), Adnews columnist, as well as The Australian, Cleo, Mumbrella, Shop Till You Drop and so on. He speaks at numerous conferences on marketing, ideas, contemporary culture, and consumer behaviour. Fritz has degress in clinical psychology and commerce (marketing). A registered psychologist and has worked in private practice, forensic settings, advertising (Saatchi & Saatchi) and marketing consultancy (Added Value). He was also state under 12 chess champion on WA, and has a board game called The Analyst selling well in the Benelux countries.
Comments
Matt Moore
Apr 19th, 2009Interesting thread – ta for the tips. The stuff I like tends to be where the borders of psychology overlap with neuroscience, cognitive science, behavioural economics & complexity theory.
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert is both very insightful and highly readable.
Sources of Power & The Power of Intuition by Gary Klein are excellent books that tackle individual decision-making & intuition.
Coming from a neuroscience/cognition angle, Antonio Damasio's books are also pretty darn good. And Daniel Ariey's Predictably Irrational is very good introduction to behavioural economics (the empirical work is excellent but the theoretical foundation is a bit shaky).
Curious about your take on Mark Earls & Herd…
Farrel
May 10th, 2009Your legal name is Max!? what a powerful book this must be….and an intriguing insight about you!
Richard
May 12th, 2009Great list, thanks.
Sam
Oct 6th, 2009I have perfectly studied the materials of "Systems of Psychotheray: A Transtheoretical Analysis" and I must say, I will use them as a topic for my Psychology essay in school.
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Jun 24th, 2010is very good introduction to behavioural economics
Anonymous
Jul 20th, 2010I'm only 15 years old, but i'm really into psychology…what books may anyone suggest to me?
percy
Apr 1st, 2011You have posted a very interesting article. Keep it up!
Good Books To Read.
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May 11th, 2011with only that face in the post, you can scare to anyone, I mean who not feel afraid with Hannibal Lecter in front of them, I do, that psychotic look in her face is enough.
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Dec 14th, 2011These are excellent advices about what kind of books I must read, I'd like to read some of these ones in the specially because I want to study psychology.
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Apr 2nd, 2012To really understand your gut feelings and the psychology of the gut feelings of emptiness and fullness, read "What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct" available on Amazon by M. Love and R. Sterling. It is well researched and great for any psych student to understand the relation of body/mind.
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