Best Psychology Books on Human Behavior everyone should read
best Psychology Books on Human Behavior everyone should read
Humans are fascinating. Ever since I can remember, I’ve enjoyed watching documentaries about great historical figures, reading autobiographies, and delving into the minds of geniuses and infamous anti-heroes.
I was intrigued to learn why and how great (or at least influential) people did what they did.
9 of the Best Psychology Books On Human Behavior
These are some of the best psychology books on human behavior that I’ve found the most:
- Helpful
- Applicable
- Realistic
1. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
Once you start getting deeper into it, you’ll find that it’s more of an instruction manual for you!
Daniel Kahneman discovered that the brain operates using two systems. One is automated and we use it most of the time. The second one is more analytical and it requires effort on our part to use it — hence we don’t!
And that can be a problem when facing difficult decisions and
The good news is that the book offers advice to help you harness the full potential of your mind while avoiding the pitfalls of using system one exclusively.
2. “48 Laws of Power” by Dan Greene
48 Laws of Power is a front-row ticket for history and how we shaped it.
In this book, you get to re-live the lives of people who’ve used the power of psychology to manipulate their environment and get what they want.
Most importantly, you’ll learn to defend yourself from these people by recognizing their motives.
And who knows, you may find some very familiar stories or faces that resonate with you in your current situation…
3. “Emotions Revealed” by Paul Ekman
Body language! But with a twist…
I could recommend one of the “popular” books on nonverbal communication (like What Everybody Is Saying) but they work backward in my opinion.
Ekman studies human emotion: the why and how it manifests. And using experiments and data he has collected over the years, he “maps” your face with these emotions, predicting where they’re going to manifest.
It’s a neat book that starts from the inside to explain what’s happening on the outside. If you want to be a better communicator and understand what makes you feel a certain way, grab yourself a copy.
4. “Psychological Subtleties” by Banachek
(WARNING: Don’t read this book if you don’t want to know how many famous magic tricks work!)
I told you, this is not a conventional list of the basic human psychology books. We want the opinions of professionals, people who play with human behavior for a living.
And that means performers. Specifically? Mentalists.
You may have seen the Derren Brown clip where he makes some wild predictions about a stranger.
Well, this book will teach you “how” he does that. Specifically, it explains how he tricks people to give up information using Barnum statements, cold reading techniques, and one-step-ahead effects.
5. “The Road To Jonestown” by Jeff Guin
While this isn’t listed as a “psychology book,” I believe it sheds more light on human nature than most mainstream books.
If you live in the USA, you’ve heard Jim Jones’ story and its tragic ending. Unfortunately, most documentaries focus on the events rather than the motives.
Guin’s succinct and to-the-point book will reveal the personality flaws that allow cult leaders to take over your mind.
I believe this book is more relevant than ever:
6. “The Lucifer Effect” by Philip Zimbardo
This book is a controversial read. Honestly, I don’t agree with many of the author’s assertions — but that what’s makes it so intriguing.
The moral conversation you’re going to have in your head is worth it.
It’s one of these books that you have to stop every few pages and think. An active kind of reading!
As I said, it has mixed reviews. Yet, you can’t deny the results of the experiments. Once you finish reading the book, check out the movie.
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