What books should I read if I’m interested in psychology? What are the best psychology books for beginners? These are common questions people ask if they want to learn psychology on their own. And while it may seem intimidating if you’re just starting out, don’t be discouraged. it is entirely possible to become an expert in understanding how the human mind works. find out why people behave in a certain way. detect errors in the way you act and make the necessary adjustments.
Finding the best psychology books to read, especially if you are a beginner, is not an easy task. our libraries are overcrowded. Supposedly great titles that aim to make you a quick persuasive or mind reader are everywhere. Books that promise to help you understand others so you can find the ultimate way to control a conversation or just calm people down when they’re feeling stressed are everywhere.
You are reading: Psychology books for beginners
To find the best ones for you personally, you need to stop. stop and consider a couple of questions. The first question you should ask yourself if you want to discover the hidden traits in your personality and that of others is: what kind of field do I want to start exploring? What kind of discipline do I want to improve in?
there are different types of psychology. yes, I was amazed myself when I started reading about human behavior, but I soon realized that it’s not just about how we behave. there is behavioral psychology. cognitive psychology (cbt). Evolutionary Psychology. even the secret society of dark psychology. (See a list of the best dark psychology books.)
but let’s just say it’s just getting started. if this is the case, congratulations. I have compiled a list of some of the best beginner psychology books for beginners. these are easy to read and will introduce you to the basics about the human mind and how we are structured to work. (Are you a psychology student? Check out this list then: The best psychology books for students.)
top 10 psychology books for beginners:
1. the psychology book by nigel c. benson
What’s the book about?
if you are a total beginner in the field of psychology, a newbie. It is best to start with this book. is a combination of more than 100 ideas in the field of – yes! you guessed it – psychology. the book covers a lot of ground. how it all began – the history of psychology. the most recognized fundamental names, ideas and concepts around behaviorism, psychotherapy and developmental psychology. Clearly, this is an easily obtainable encyclopedia of the fascinating field of psychology. It’s also great for kids just taking their first steps into adolescence.
who is it for?
people who are just starting out in the field of psychology. well-designed images and pages will break it down for you. You will understand the most interesting bits and pieces in the area of psychology. expect – lots of great ideas explained in a simple way and supported with lots of pictures, so you can get familiar with all the main concepts.
thought-provoking quote:
“despair evaporates when we stop denying who we really are and try to discover and accept our true nature.” nigel benson
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
2. how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie
What’s the book about?
one of the most highly praised books in the self-help industry. Dale Carnegie teaches us how to win friends by focusing on a couple of simple techniques. What is the most ignored technique to please others and join your side? listen to them. really listen this is a best seller for a simple reason. the stories and methods are timeless. the book is easy to understand and easy to implement. And finally, what Carnegie teaches us about influencing is not to force others to do things they don’t like. it’s about recognizing their personalities and desires and finding the optimal solution for both parties.
who is it for?
I read how to win friends and influence people over 10 years ago. While the contents of the book may seem cheesy to me now, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve both their personal and professional lives. this book will open your eyes to so many possibilities, so many mental models. One important thing, even if you find the mentioned tips too simple and too vague, follow them. I can assure you that you will see positive changes in your relationships with others once you obey Dale Carnegie’s orders.
thought-provoking quote:
“You can make more friends in two months by being interested in other people than in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” dale carnegie
See Also: 20 Best Leadership Audiobooks to Inspire You and Your Team | Audible.com
read my abstract | get the book
3. The emotional brain of Joseph E. ledoux
What’s the book about?
Our brains are full of complex systems. And while you probably don’t need to know everything, you definitely need to understand this part: our emotions govern our actions. This book will explain to you, in a relatively easy to understand way, what the so-called “emotional brain” is and why you should care about it. once you tap into the emotions your brain produces, you’ll understand yourself better and eventually stop reacting with strong annoyance, dislike, or hostility when the situation doesn’t call for it.
who is it for?
the emotional brain is a very good introduction to the emotional side of our brain. If you still don’t know that it’s not just you. that there are also emotions that actually control you. you will finally reveal your hidden motives in your daily actions and escape from previously almost impossible to get out of situations. so essentially this book is for people who want to properly manage their moods and their relationships with others.
thought-provoking quote:
“We do not tremble because we are afraid, nor do we cry because we feel sad; we are afraid because we tremble and sadness because we cry”. joseph e. ledoux
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
4. jonathan haidt’s happiness hypothesis
What’s the book about?
We are happiest when we are surrounded by friends and family, but we continue to tirelessly pursue professional success and more money. Where does this lead us? to more misery and more suffering. By sharing great stories and making connections between religion, ancient philosophy, and psychology, the author wants to help us move away from pain and toward pleasure.
who is it for?
people who are trapped in the rat race. people who have more than enough but are still pushing for even more. This book aims to teach you about the things that have real value in our lives and to persuade you that some things shouldn’t be in focus: the continual quest to acquire more money, playing status games, or wicked unconscious maneuvers (for the last part you you can also see the games people play by eric berne).
thought-provoking quote:
“If you are passionately in love and want to celebrate your passion, read poetry. If your ardor has calmed down and you want to understand the evolution of your relationship, read psychology. but if you have just ended a relationship and would like to believe that you are better off without love, read philosophy.” jonathan haidt
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
5. stumbling on happiness by daniel todd gilbert
What’s the book about?
We are constantly wrong about many things. our memory is terrible. we tend to misremember how we felt in the past. and we are lousy at predicting what kinds of activities or things will make us feel happy in the future. This book aims to explain why we are terribly unimpressive when it comes to knowing what will make us feel satisfied in the long run. daniel todd gilbert will bombard you with a lot of questions that will allow you to define what happiness means to you.
who is it for?
if you constantly delude yourself about what kinds of things or relationships will bring you joy. if you are terrible at predicting what activity will improve your life. this book is for you. Packed with bright, funny, science-based stories, the insights in this book will help people add an extra dose of joy to their lives.
thought-provoking quote:
“Most of us seem to believe that we are more athletic, intelligent, organized, ethical, logical, interesting, open-minded and healthy, not to mention more attractive, than the average person.” Daniel Gilbert
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
6. the trust game of maria konnikova
What’s the book about?
a fascinating book that looks at how scammers can sway millions of people. why ponzi schemes work and why we keep falling for “obvious” scams. Maria Konnikova explores the secret world of charlatans. what mind games they play with us and, more importantly, why we keep labeling “too good to be true” stories as legitimate.
who is it for?
fully recommended for naive people who are new to the field of psychology. This book will not only show you how other people take advantage of you, it will also save you a lot of money. By gaining the ability to quickly identify pyramid schemes, you will finally understand that there is no such thing as free money.
thought-provoking quote:
“The trust game, the scam, is an exercise in soft skills. trust, sympathy, persuasion. the real scammer does not force us to do anything; he makes us accomplices in our own ruin. he he he does not steal we give. he doesn’t have to threaten us. we provide the story ourselves. we believe because we want to, not because nobody has made us. And so we offer them whatever they want—money, reputation, trust, fame, legitimacy, support—and we don’t realize what’s going on until it’s too late.” maria konnikova
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
7. flow by mihaly csikszentmihalyi
What’s the book about?
The famous author, with “you’ll-never-say-his-name-right”, introduces the concept of “optimal experience”. This book explains in detail what types of tasks can unlock true happiness. how you can focus better, improve the quality of your work, and enter the magical space of flow, a place where you are 100% focused on the task at hand. This book is highly regarded by all productivity experts for good reason. flow: the psychology of optimal experience teaches us exactly what the title implies: diving “in the zone” when you do certain things.
who is it for?
especially good for people who have difficulty concentrating. Thanks to the content of the book, you will understand how you should approach your tasks. exactly what you need to do to improve your skills in the field of your choice. Plus, it will help you determine what kinds of activities you should aim for and what kinds of activities you should drop.
thought-provoking quote:
“At work, people feel empowered and challenged, and therefore feel happier, stronger, more creative, and more fulfilled. In their free time, people feel that there is generally not much to do and their skills are not being used, so they tend to feel more sad, weak, bored and dissatisfied. however, they would like to work less and spend more time in leisure”. mihaly csikszentmihalyi
See Also: 20 Best Leadership Audiobooks to Inspire You and Your Team | Audible.com
read my abstract | get the book
8. the path to purpose by william damon
What’s the book about?
Commonly prescribed for parents, this book can certainly help anyone struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. William Damon investigates why so many young people these days are unable to find a career that seems worthy. why inspiration is often a missing ingredient in most teens’ lives, and why these same teens seemingly don’t know what to do with their lives.
who is it for?
for all those who cannot find their place in this world. I will personally recommend this book to all young people. even if you know what you want to do, this book will help you define your goals even better. Also, for people, regardless of age, who are still aimlessly wandering the hemisphere, this is a must-read. offers a variety of practical tasks that will give you a sense of direction.
thought-provoking quote:
“My mom “wants me to have my own options, but she wants my options to be math and science”. well, twelve years old
See Also: 20 Best Leadership Audiobooks to Inspire You and Your Team | Audible.com
read my abstract | get the book
9. how kids fail john holt
What’s the book about?
a scientific approach to how children learn, or more precisely, how they don’t learn. John Holt focuses on giving us no-gimmick lessons on how teachers should teach children. instead of forcing knowledge through clever teaching methods. he provides insights into how students naturally learn new information. this allows us to tailor our approach, which leads to better communication between teachers and children.
who is it for?
often cited as the reference guide that can positively transform our flawed educational system. How Kids Fail will provide knowledge workers with useful ideas on how to modify their approach to school. Plus, as you can guess, it’s especially good for parents who want to educate their kids. how to prepare them for the world by improving their thinking and problem-solving skills.
thought-provoking quote:
“For many years I have been wondering why smart kids act unintelligent at school. the simple answer is, “because they are afraid”. I used to suspect that the boys’ defeatism had something to do with their poor work at school, but I thought I could clear it up with hearty shouts of “go ahead! you can do it!” What I am now seeing for the first time is the mechanism by which fear destroys intelligence, the way it affects the whole way a child looks, thinks and deals with life. So we have two problems , not one: make children stop being afraid, and then break them with the bad habits of thinking that their fears have led them to.” john holt
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
10. the invisible gorilla by christopher chabris
What’s the book about?
The Invisible Gorilla is one of the best psychology books for beginners for one simple reason: The Hidden Gorilla Experiment that demonstrates our inattentive blindness is widely cited in other famous books. the title explains in accessible language why and how our eyes can deceive us. what kind of information remains hidden for the mind to see. and what are our biases that we don’t usually see in the way our brains deal with the world.
who is it for?
if you haven’t seen the famous video of the invisible gorilla, go ahead and watch it now; You can see it here. it still amazes me how some people can’t see the gorilla in the video. if you’re wondering the same thing, this book will go over the experiment in detail. is a great read that will help you understand how focused attention can make you blind to the outside world.
thought-provoking quote:
“beware of memories that are accompanied by strong emotions and vivid details: they are just as likely to be wrong as mundane memories, but you are much less likely to notice.” christopher chabris
See Also: Why We Need Goosebumps More Than Ever – The New York Times
get the book
some final thoughts
The field of psychology is an important academic discipline. yet few people understand how crucial knowledge workers who wear glass lenses and study the mind can teach us.
Regardless of your age, you should take some time to study how we are designed to operate. what kind of mistakes we tend to make and how we can adjust our behavior.
The recommendations above are what I can label as good psychology books for beginners. I intentionally chose easy-to-read titles. such that they are absent from complicated terms and concepts impossible to obtain.
After all, if you’re new to the field of psychology, you’ll want to start off light. don’t expect to get it all. focus on understanding the basics. I can assure you that the more you learn about how we behave, the more you will want to learn. once you figure out the gist, move on to more complicated reading: my psychology must-read list.
See Also: How Many ‘Magicians’ Novels Are There? There Was A Lot Of Material For The Syfy Series