Psychology Books
recommended by psychologists
Last updated: August 29, 2024
The best psychology books combine scientific rigour with accessible writing. We turned to some of the most eminent psychologists working today for their book recommendations. Psychology may not have all the answers, but it can help you have a better understanding of yourself and others; what motivates thoughts, feelings, and actions. Using the distilled knowledge of psychology presented in these books can empower you to make better decisions, control habits, be more motivated and productive, maybe even be a little happier.
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1
Belief: What It Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions Are So Compelling
by James Alcock -
2
Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition
by Stuart Vyse -
3
Paranormality: Why We See What Isn't There
by Richard Wiseman -
4
The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths
by Michael Shermer -
5
Supersense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable
by Bruce Hood
The best books on Paranormal Beliefs, recommended by Christopher French
The best books on Paranormal Beliefs, recommended by Christopher French
Far from being outlandish, a belief in the paranormal appears to be a trait that many human beings share. Christopher French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths and author of The Science of Weird Shit, recommends five books that explore the paranormal—from a skeptical point of view.
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1
Psych: The Story of the Human Mind
by Paul Bloom -
2
The Success Myth: Letting Go of Having It All
by Emma Gannon -
3
Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships
by Nedra Glover Tawwab -
4
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life
by Dacher Keltner -
5
Data Baby: My Life in a Psychological Experiment
by Susannah Breslin
Notable Psychology and Self-Help Books of 2023, recommended by Cal Flyn
Notable Psychology and Self-Help Books of 2023, recommended by Cal Flyn
It’s that time of year again: January is the month to batten down the hatches, work off all those rich festive meals, and get to work on your new year’s resolutions. Understanding the workings of your own brain—theoretically or even in purely practical terms—can be an important tool for achieving your goals. Here our deputy editor spotlights some of the most notable psychology and self-help books published in 2023 to help you on your way.
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1
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
by David Allen -
2
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
by Cal Newport -
3
The Tao of Time
by Diana Hunt & Pam Hait -
4
Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less
by Tiffany Dufu -
5
Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World
by Iddo Landau
The best books on Time Management, recommended by Oliver Burkeman
The best books on Time Management, recommended by Oliver Burkeman
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed? You are not alone. Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks, selects some of the best books on time management—including two classic how-to guides, plus several texts focused on helping you decide how you really want to spend your finite time on this planet.
The best books on Happiness, recommended by Jonathan Haidt
Most of us want to be happy, and yet it’s hard to achieve. Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and author of the classic The Happiness Hypothesis, talks us through five books, old and new, to better understand happiness.
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1
Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway
by Susan Jeffers -
2
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
by Dale Carnegie -
3
Helping Your Child with Fears and Worries
by Cathy Creswell & Lucy Willetts -
4
Mindfulness For Health: A Practical Guide To Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress And Restoring Wellbeing
by Danny Penman & Vidyamala Burch -
5
Jog On: How Running Saved My Life
by Bella Mackie
The best books on Anxiety, recommended by Lucy Foulkes
The best books on Anxiety, recommended by Lucy Foulkes
Feeling anxiety is a natural part of being a human being, but for some people it can cause terrible mental and physical anguish and prevents them from leading happy and fulfilling lives. Lucy Foulkes, a psychologist at University College London, talks us through books that can help with anxiety.
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1
The Triple Focus: A New Approach to Education
by Daniel Goleman and Peter Senge -
2
Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice
by ed. Durlak et al -
3
The Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science
by ed. Seppälä et al -
4
Emotional Alchemy: How the Mind Can Heal the Heart
by Tara Bennett-Goleman -
5
Marrow: Love, Loss, and What Matters Most
by Elizabeth Lesser
The best books on Emotional Intelligence, recommended by Daniel Goleman
The best books on Emotional Intelligence, recommended by Daniel Goleman
We are taught to value intelligence and academic ability, but raw mental firepower does not always translate into success at work or a life of contentment. Just as important are the skills that make up ’emotional intelligence,’ says Daniel Goleman, whose bestselling book popularised the concept. Here he chooses five emotional intelligence books that explore its practical applications.
The best books on Mindset and Success, recommended by Carol Dweck
If you’ve stepped inside a school recently, you’ve probably heard teachers talking about the importance of a ‘growth mindset.’ Here psychologist Carol Dweck, who pioneered research into this key concept, explains what it’s all about and recommends books—other than her own—that shed light on it.
The best books on Hypochondria, recommended by Caroline Crampton
Author Caroline Crampton was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager. She recovered, but ever since she has suffered from health anxiety—what you might call ‘hypochondria.’ Here, she recommends five of the best books on hypochondria, from memoirs by sufferers to Jane Austen’s final, caustic novel.
The best books on Hallucination, recommended by Ben Alderson-Day
Hallucinations can be strange, alarming, even sometimes exciting. They affect the mentally ill and the chemically altered, but also those suffering from migraine, Parkinson’s, and even grief. Researcher Ben Alderson-Day talks us through this odd phenomenon as he selects five of the best book on hallucination.
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1
The Marshmallow Test: Why Self-Control Is the Engine of Success
by Walter Mischel -
2
A Curious Mind: The Secret To a Bigger Life
by Brian Grazer -
3
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
by Carol Dweck -
4
Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status-Obsessed World
by Mitch Prinstein -
5
Path to Purpose
by William Damon
The best books on Character Development, recommended by Angela Duckworth
The best books on Character Development, recommended by Angela Duckworth
Can we cultivate qualities like grit, tenacity and kindness? How about habits of the successful—hard work, perseverance and productivity? Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit and founder of the Character Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, recommends five books, including a title that graces every CEO’s shelf.