There is a whole world of fantastic, dynamic books on psychology, but where do we begin, and how should we know which to read as a new entrant to this world? Assuming you have no prior knowledge of the great literary works belonging to this field and are seeking to expand your mind with engaging and palatable nuggets of psychology, keep reading to find out which five books we recommend most.
Table of Contents
The Happiness Hypothesis – Jonathan Haidt
This book is a hymn to happiness. It discusses the real sources of joy we must seek and the things that should be given priority in place of the artificial sources of happiness, such as career success and wealth. Haidt proposes that all these superficial luxuries plunge us into further suffering and misery. Instead, we should be placing value in friends, family and the pursuit of knowledge to get us closer to pleasure.
If you feel locked into a cycle of chasing money and success despite having it already, this could be the perfect read for you.
The Confidence Game – Maria Konnikova
Various sources have The Confidence Game as an entry on their list of the best psychology books for beginners. In it, Konnikova delves into the psychology of con artists and the mechanisms by which they are able to dupe so many people. This book is especially recommended to novices of the psychology world. It could make you more alert and resilient to being taken advantage of and even save you money.
Thinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahenman
Enshrined in this book is Kahenman’s idea that our brains have a duality to the way we think and how we act: on the one hand, we have our impulsive system of thought, which makes us act with virtually no thought at all. The opposing system is our carefully deliberating, scheming and calculating side. Kahenman suggests that how these two systems engage with each other results in how we think and behave. He also explores the idea of trusting our instinct and when it is appropriate to do so versus the faults that influence impulsive thinking.
Predictably Irrational – Dan Ariely
Predictably Irrational will either make you lose faith in humanity entirely or reassure you that you are not the only poor decision-maker out there. That’s because Ariely tells us in no sugar-coated terms that we humans are irrational at every turn, making poor decisions that contravene logic time and again. He pins this on various external factors such as social pressures, expectations and norms, as well as our own emotions. Ariely offers some useful guidance on how to break the cycle of irrational behaviour. Whether or not you manage to do so, this book will certainly have you questioning your own behavioural patterns.
The Psychopath Test: A Journey through the Madness Industry – Jon Ronson
Another indisputably good psychology book, this time, our author anecdotally recalls his visits to various diagnosed psychopaths and his discussions with psychiatrists and psychologists. Most amusingly, while the best biographies of all time are about the world’s most important people, such as those in business and politics, Ronson is convinced that they may even fit the criteria for psychopathy. For anyone fascinated by the mind and by psychopathy, this is a read for you. Made all the better by Ronson’s engaging writing style, you won’t want to put this book down.
Closing Thoughts
Whilst there are many more books we could go on recommending for newbies to the study of psychology, these five promise to initiate you smoothly with their accessible and captivating styles.
