BEST BOOKS ON PSYCHOLOGY

 Today we’re sharing with you the best psychology books currently on the market.

When we talk about psychology, we’re referring to the discipline of science studying the mind and human behavior.

It’s simply incredible how the quality of your life can improve after reading just a few books but that’s exactly what’s going to happen when you absorb all the information presented to you in the books we’re about to introduce…

Alright,  here’s our list of the best books on psychology.

1 - SWITCH (author- Chip & Dan)

These two brothers put together a fantastic manual to teach you about the two conflicting systems in our brain. These two distinct systems are the rational mind and the emotional mind, both of which are in a constant race with each other in every activity we do.

The Heath’s argue that this competition is the reason for positive life-altering decisions, and poor, destructive decisions. Their arguments are really well structured and they break everything down into proper segments to make it easy for anyone to understand this whole system.

2 - PRINCIPLE OF PSYCHOLOGY

This is a fantastic recap of what was known and what questions were being pondered on at the dawn of psychology in the 19th century. William James shares his thought process so you can enter into his mind and live along with him. 

He combines the art of communication with insights of philosophy and science that will absorb you into his world. Reading this book will give you a sense of perspective and a little humility regarding our modern-day achievements. 

3 - THE HONEST TRUTH ABOUT DISHONESTY

Dishonesty has been plaguing man since the dawn of the early days of man

and, today it’s escalated to unfathomable lengths.

Ariely makes very compelling arguments that’ll make you question and rethink

things that were common sense to you all your life. You’ll learn the reasons and motivations behind what makes people act in such irrational, but entirely human, ways. 

These behaviors are not something that we can just eliminate according to him but only keep under control since it’s a part of us and always will be. 

4 - WHAT EVERY BODY IS SAYING 

Since body language is a notoriously difficult topic to master, former FBI agent, Joe Navarro created this ultimate guide for you to understand everything there is about body language. 

The book talks about some very interesting bodily behaviors which you can learn to apply to your advantage when in real-life situations with people. Shortly after digesting this book you’ll have a new powerful perspective of navigating your world. 

5 - INFLUENCE ( Robert.B Cialdini, PHD)

Granted, this list of the best books on psychology would feel incomplete without Cialdini’s masterwork ‘’influence.’’ Cialdini explains precisely what makes people say ‘’yes,’’ and how you can apply this knowledge to any set of circumstances. 

According to this book, there are 6 principles that revolve around any type of persuasion and this book will help you master all of them.

6 - THE INVISIBLE GORILLA (Christopher Chabris & Daniel Simons) 

In this book, you’ll understand how we as humans, tend to overlook everything else when we specifically focus on one thing. It’s a very insightful and fascinating read, which reveals a myriad of false impressions that deeply influence our lives and offers practical guidance on how we can minimize their  negative impacts.

7 - MAN’S SEARCHING FOR MEANING (Harold’s Kushner) 

This is an outstanding memoir of a man who went through the most horrific and terrifying events in history. 

In his book, Frankl reveals how having a purpose and finding meaning in life will allow us to endure even the greatest of adversities. He firmly believes that the ‘will to meaning should be the core driver of human personality and the direction of our life energy.

8 - WHO THE WORLD SEEs YOU (Sally hogshead) 

The author unveils the reasons why we are fascinated by people an thing and how can you use this psychology to develop lasting brands. How the world sees you indicates that there are 7 triggers of fascination and they are most commonly used in advertising to persuade people to buy, or acquire products or services. 

Sally feels that the greatest value you can provide is to develop and become more of yourself.

9 - GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (Eric Berne M.D)

According to Berne, games are a big part of our society and our lives, whether we call them that or not. Mind games, power games, marital games, competitive games with friends, they all impact our lives and unless we learn to recognize, sidestep and counteract them we will forever be prisoners in the game of others. Games People Play will help you refine your awareness of the curious interactions we have with each other on a day to day basis.

10 - BLINK (Malcolm Gladwell)

It’s a little hard to grasp what Gladwell is trying to impart, through this book, but we’ll do our best to help you understand what this book is about. He explains that our brains frequently make split-second decisions without really thinking about them. 

So, basically, it’s thinking but without really thinking, more like an instinctual kind of thing. This is a great read if you’re looking to improve your decision-making skills and learn more about the science behind them. Speaking of decisions, you’ll have to make a lot of those in your lifetime.

11 - THINKING, FAST AND SLOW (Daniel Kahneman) 

Here’s an author generous enough to share his masterpiece with you, after a lifetime of research as a psychologist. Kahneman talks about how there are only two systems that dictate the way we think; one fast and intuitive and the other slow and deliberate, which can be used as a framework to identify cognitive biases that almost every human is guilty of. This book will help you anticipate psychological hurdles that may come your way and provides you with methods to overcome them.

12 - EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ( Daniel Goleman) 

Most people think that, in order to live a rich, happy and successful life you need a high IQ, but this author argues that EQ is just as important in this regard if not more. Emotional intelligence will improve your life not only in terms of relationships but, within your career, physical and mental health as well! If you struggle with controlling your emotions or letting others’ emotions affect you then Goleman’s book will surely be a major addition to your reading list.

13 - PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL (Dan Ariely)

In his book, Ariely challenges the myth that we act in rational ways and

describes a hefty number of our most common irrational biases.

Predictably irrational explains that all the decisions we make are methodical

and predictable, Therefore people’s ‘senseless’ behavior towards things or other people isn’t senseless at all. 

You’ll understand how much we constantly procrastinate, overestimate and, usually act counter intuitively to our own best interests, through unconscious programs built into us through millions of years of evolution.

14 - FLOW (Millay)

 Flow represents a complete state of immersion in the current experience you’re having. Mainly scientific, but also with a touch of philosophy, this book breaks down for you the happiness equation so you won’t struggle for the answer anymore. By directing the information that enters into your  consciousness, you can find true happiness and significantly improve the quality of your life. Flow is an ideal read if you are a skilled professional, or if you regularly practice a hobby. 

15 - THE RIGHT WAY TO DO WORK ( Harry Houdini) 

This is an invaluable masterclass on deception and misdirection with less than a hundred pages. The right war to do wrong explores the minds and methods of criminals who managed to become well known for being master influencers.  Even though this might touch on some darker subject than the others you should not let that deter you and lose sight of its value. 

Houdini, undoubtedly shows in this book that not all those who lack morals lack insight.

There are moments in our lives with the power to change the way we live and see things forever, in the best ways possible.

We can only hope that you have these kinds of moments as often as possible.

16 - HE & SHE (Robert A.Johnson)

These two are an exploration of what it means to be a man and a woman, respectively. They offer insights for both sexes into the feminine side of a man’s personality and vice versa, respectively. If you want to understand more about yourself and your nature as a man or a woman well, we definitely recommend both of these awesome books by Robert Johnson.