10 Psychology Books Every Student Should Read

Psychology is a diverse field covering everything from psychological disorders to relationships, so it’s fair to say that finding the right reading materials for your chosen field can be a daunting task. That’s why we have put together a comprehensive list of ten psychology books that we think everyone with an interest in psychology should read. Even if you aren’t studying or practicing psychology professionally, the books on this list can still offer great insights into the science of psychology and help guide you through your first steps towards a deeper interest into the field.

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement

Authors: Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein

If you have ever wondered how and why you make the decisions you make, then Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement is the book for you. In this book, authors Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein have combined their expertise with additional research to put forward an in-depth analysis of how we make decisions and how those decisions are affected by external factors.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales

Author: Oliver Sacks

Named after a real case of visual agnosia, (a condition where the brain is unable to interpret visual information) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales documents and details some of the most out-of-the-ordinary cases that Oliver Sacks ever came across during his time as a neurologist. Reading this psychology book will open your eyes to just how much can go wrong inside your head.

The Psychopath Test: A Journey through the Madness Industry

Author: Jon Ronson

Have you ever wondered what the criteria for being diagnosed as a psychopath are? This is exactly what author Jon Ronson wanted to find out in his book The Psychopath Test. Throughout the book, Ronson talks about his visits to psychopaths along with the psychologists and psychiatrists who study them, documenting her experiences along the way as she began to paint a picture of what it is actually like to be psychopath. Overall, Ronson uses his book as a tool to help in his quest to find out if it is true that many CEOs and politicians are indeed psychopaths.

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Author: Daniel Kahneman

In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman explores the many mysterious facets of the human thinking process. To change the way we think about thinking, this book breaks down the human thought process into two segments: fast, intuitive thinking and slow, rational thinking. Kahneman delivers his findings in such a way that helps you, the reader, gain the ability to digest your own thoughts and understand them more fully.

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Author: Dan Ariely

We’ve all made irrational decisions at some point in our lives, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you made those decisions? or how you ended up with those conclusions? Well, Dan Ariely, in his psychology book Predictably Irrational, investigates why we make irrational decisions every day. Combining a host of everyday experiences with some pretty irreverent experiments, Dan Ariely will change your understanding of human behaviour and help you understand your thought process so you can better decisions in the future.

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The Power of Habit

Author: Charles Duhigg

In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg endeavours to uncover how habits affect us in our daily lives, where they come from, and how developing the right habits can help you on your path to success. Working with a range of neuroscientists Duhigg presents his empowering discovery; a discovery that reveals why understanding and controlling one’s habits can lead to success in every area of your life from getting fit to keeping your perfect job.

The Confidence Game

Author: Maria Konnikova

Have you ever wondered what makes some of the world’s most notorious conmen and women so successful? In this masterfully written psychology book by Maria Konnikova some of the world’s most prolific scam artists are put under the microscope to find out what they all have in common, and to find out what it is about our own psyche that makes us so susceptible to being conned. Whether it’s multi-million-dollar Ponzi schemes or small-time fraud this book delivers a guided tour through the minds behind the cons and explores how they target parts of our minds to expose and manipulate us.

The Social Animal

Author: David Brooks

In this ground-breaking book, David Brooks tells the story of a couple, Harold and Erika, as he explores their lives from infancy to old age. Drawing on a wealth of knowledge and research, Brooks sheds a new light on human nature, painting a picture of the human mind as being a place of creativity and proactivity rather than a place of darkness.

The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less

Author: Barry Schwartz

In The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Barry Schwartz offers an alternate perspective, one that suggests that mankind’s affinity for choice and an ever-growing plethora of options that are offered is hurting our mental health contributing to a rise in things like anxiety and regret. By examining the choices that we all face every day from choosing which brand of milk to buy, to which pair of jeans we should add to our baskets, Schwartz delivers a theory that can help you get more satisfaction from your day-to-day choices.

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World

Authors: Mark Williams & Dr Danny Penman

Mindfulness by Mark Williams & Dr Danny Penman is an internationally loved breakdown on happiness and how to achieve it. This beautifully written book informs the reader on ways to effectively stave off conditions like depression and anxiety using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). The book discusses how this professionally recognised practice can, in some cases, be just as effective as taking prescribed medication when it comes to overcoming the symptoms of depression. For more books about mindfulness check out our blog Top 5 Books on Mindfulness.

So, whatever your connection with the study of psychology, whether you are a student, a qualified professional or just expressing an interest in the field, these psychology books can provide you with a broad foundation of information to fortify your existing knowledge or simply help you get started.

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