Popular Books on Psychology

Many psychology teachers consider the following to be interesting and readable books that say something worthwhile about psychology. All of these books are generally available in bookstores and libraries; many are available in paperback.

The list does not exhaust all possible print resources. It includes classic and contemporary work in scientific and applied areas. The original list was derived from recommended readings compiled by Charles Morris, PhD, of the University of Michigan, and John Santrock, PhD, of the University of Texas at Dallas. Alan Feldman of Highland Park High School (Highland Park, NJ), Pat Mattimore of Saint Ignatius College Prep ( San Francisco, CA), and Jewel Beamon and Emily Leary of the APA Education Directorate contributed to the revision of this list.

Methods
  • Abelson, R. P. (1995). Statistics as principled argument. Hillside, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
    This is an engaging book on statistics, filled with interesting real-life examples.

  • Brannigan, G. G., & Marrens, M. R. (1993). The undaunted psychologist: Adventures in research. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    The Undaunted Psychologist contains fascinating stories from 15 research psychologists, describing what psychological research is really like—how they got their ideas, how they pursued them, and the successes and failures along the way. It conveys the excitement, challenge, and frustrations of psychological research. This book serves as an excellent complement to any introductory textbook.

  • Gander , E. M. (2003). On our minds: How evolutionary psychology is reshaping the nature-versus-nurture debate. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
    Gander examines the public debate between evolutionary psychologists and their critics in this highly readable text.

  • Guthrie, R. V. (2003). Even the rat was white: A historical view of psychology (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
    Guthrie suggests that psychology has systematically excluded important sociocultural factors and recommends ways to build a more inclusive science.

  • Halpern, D. F. (2002). Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking (4th ed.) Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
    This demonstrates an outstanding (although challenging) application of psychological principles to critical thinking, memory, thought and language, analysis, probability, decision making, problem solving, and creative thinking. It includes hundreds of exercises and suggested readings.

  • Hilgard, E. R. (1987). Psychology in America: A historical survey. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.
    After examining the diverse roots of the development of American psychology, Hilgard reviews the early schools of psychology. The author then covers the history of the various specialties in psychology, ranging from sensation and perception to clinical, social, and industrial/organizational psychology.

  • Hock, R. R. (2002). Forty studies that changed psychology: Explorations into the history of psychological research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
    This book provides an in-depth look at 40 studies that influenced psychological thought. Useful for the introductory psychology course.

  • Horvat, J., & Davis, S. (1998). Doing Psychological Research. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall.
    This is a practical guide for developing research ideas.

  • Hunt, M. (1997). How science takes stock: The story of meta-analysis. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
    This text reviews the history and techniques of meta-analysis. Hunt also discusses the impact of meta-analysis on the science and policy communities.

  • Landrum, E., Davis, S., & Landrum, T. (2003). The Psychology Major (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall.
    This book provides helpful and practical information for students thinking about majoring in psychology.

  • Meltzoff, J. (1998). Critical thinking about research: Psychology and related Fields. Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.
    This book provides readers with the tools needed to identify errors in others' research and to reduce errors to a minimum in their own work.

  • Mook, D. (2004). Classic experiments in psychology. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
    This book provides the background, conduct, and implications of classic experiments in psychology.

  • Nye, R. D. (1999). Three psychologies: Perspectives from Freud, Skinner, and Rogers (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
    Nye gives a brief overview of the lives and basic concepts of these three influential theorists. His book includes comparisons, contrasts, and evaluations of the theories.

  • Ruscio, J. (2002). Clear thinking with psychology: Separating sense from nonsense. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
    This book teaches the fundamentals of scientific reasoning and differentiates between science and pseudoscience.

  • Sattler, D. N., & Shabatay, V. (1999). Psychology in context: Voices and perspectives (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
    This text presents key psychology concepts within the context of personal narratives and essays.

  • Scarborough , E., & Furumoto, L.(1989). Untold lives: The first generation of American women psychologists. New York: Columbia University Press.
    The authors use historiographic methods to explore the lives of America’s earliest women psychologists.

  • Stanovich, K. E. (2003). How to think straight about psychology (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
    This insightful book examines how psychologists create and defend the validity of psychological arguments.

  • Wade, C., & Tavris, C. (1993). Critical and creative thinking: The case of love and war. New York: HarperCollins.
    The authors describe eight principles of critical thinking and then provide practice in applying those principles to understanding research on love (attraction, intimacy, conflict) and war (prejudice, aggression).

  • Whittlesey, V. (2001). Diversity activities for psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
    This provides a broad range of activities including those related to ethnic minority, gender diversity, sexual orientation, aging, social class, and disability issues.

  • Woods, P. J., & Wilkinson, C. S. (1987). Is psychology the major for you? Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
    This book is recommended for students who need guidance on helping them decide about and prepare for a career in psychology.

Biopsychological
  • Ackerman, D. (1990). A natural history of the senses. New York: Random House.
    This book offers a compelling explanation about the evolution of different sensory systems.
  • Ackerman, D. (2004). An alchemy of mind: The marvel and mystery of the brain. New York: Scribner.
    Ackerman examines memory, emotion, dreams, and language acquisition, and also reports on the latest discoveries in neuroscience.
  • Bloom, F. E., Lazerson, A., & Hofstadter, L. (2005). Brain, mind, and behavior (3 rd ed.). New York: Freeman.
    This is a beautifully illustrated and highly readable account of advances in understanding of the relationship between the brain and behavior.
  • Burrell, B. (2004). Postcards from the brain museum: The improbable search for meaning in the matter of famous minds. New York: Broadway Books.
    This book examines the history of scientific attempts to locate the sources of both genius and depravity in the physical anatomy of the human brain.
  • Cytowic, R. E. (1993). The man who tasted shapes. New York: Warner Books.
    A collection of fascinating stories of synesthesia (experiencing colors as sounds, tastes as shapes, etc.). This book includes a discussion of how these strange phenomena might arise and draws implications for our understanding of reason, emotion, and perception.
  • Dennett, D. (1991). Consciousness explained. Boston: Little Brown.
    The author explores how conscious experience can best be understood by drawing on psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and artificial intelligence.
  • Dowling, J. E. (1998). Creating mind: How the brain works. New York: Norton.
    This book addresses the field of neuroscience, the progress neuroscientists are making in understanding how the brain works and some of the strategies for studying brain function.
  • Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life. New York: Times Books.
    This is a comprehensive look at human emotional life and how we interpret and experience emotions.
  • Elfenbein, D. (Ed.). (1995). Living with Prozac and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Personal accounts of life on antidepressants. San Francisco: Harper.
    This book addresses what it’s like to be on Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil as told from the perspective of the patient. It includes material on pros and cons of personality changes as well as other effects.
  • Gazzaniga, M. S. (1985). The social brain. New York: Basic Books.
    Gazzaniga provides a physical and psychological approach to understanding the brain while debunking many of the misinterpretations of the right-brain/left-brain studies.
  • Gazzaniga, M.S., Ivry, R. B., & Mangun, G. R. (2002). Cognitive neuroscience: The biology of the mind (2 nd ed.). New York: Norton.
    This text combines the study of cognitive science and behavioral neuroscience for an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how the human mind works. A glossary is provided.
  • Greenfield , S. A. (1997). The human brain: A guided tour. New York: Basic Books.
    This book provides the reader with a survey of the brain. Greenfield examines how various brain functions might be localized, describes how neurons communicate, and discusses the development of the human brain from conception to birth.
  • Gregory, R. L. (1994). Even odder perceptions. London: Routledge.
    This collection of essays on perception provides extensive resources.
  • Gregory, R. L. (1997). Eye and brain: The psychology of seeing (5th ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
    In this essential introduction to the basic phenomena of visual perception, Gregory offers clear explanations of how we see brightness, movement, color, and objects. He also explores the phenomena of visual illusions.
  • Hamer, D., & Copeland, P. (1998). Living with our genes: Why they matter more than you think. New York: Doubleday.
    This text examines how much of our behavior is influenced by our genes The authors decode the genetics of various traits, based on scientific findings.
  • Hilts, P. J. (1988). Memory’s ghost: The strange tale of Mr. M. and the nature of memory. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    This book presents the fascinating case of Henry M., who underwent experimental brain surgery in 1953 and has since lived only in the present. (Note: Technically, his hippocampus was removed and he lost his episodic memory.) He can talk, read, and write but has no memory for what has just happened—every minute is a new experience for him. The author uses this case effectively to discuss the nature of memory.
  • Hunt, M. (1994). The natural history of love (Rev. ed.). New York: Anchor.
    This classic best seller examines love, sex, marriage, and male-female relationships throughout history.
  • Johnson, S. (2004). Mind wide open: Your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life. New York: Scribner. This book describes how the brain works and how brain activities connect to the day-to-day realities of our lives.
  • Klivington, K. (1989). The science of mind. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    Klivington examines what we know about the mind, the brain, and mind-brain connections through a series of fascinating discoveries that have resulted from neuroscience research. This book includes hundreds of illustrations.
  • Konner, M. (1990). Why the reckless survive…and other secrets of human nature. New York: Penguin Books.
    A physician/anthropologist offers intriguing essays on the biological aspects of human nature, in the process touching on creativity and mental illness, twin studies, the biology of mood, sexuality, and gender, among other topics.
  • Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press.
    This is a comprehensive and readable discussion of the cognitive appraisal model of emotion and motivation by one of its most eminent researchers.
  • Livingstone, M. (2002). Vision and art: The biology of seeing. New York: Abrams. Harvard neurobiologist Livingstone demonstrates that how we see art depends ultimately on the cells in our eyes and our brains.
    This text provides a comprehensive account of the biology of vision as well as the science underlying various phenomena in art.
  • Logue, A. W. (2004). The psychology of eating and drinking (3 rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Brunner-Routledge.
    This provides an overview of food preferences, hunger and thirst, and eating and drinking disorders.
  • Myers, D. G. (1993). The pursuit of happiness: Discovering the pathway to fulfillment, well-being, and enduring personal joy. New York: Avon.
    This book presents a research-based discussion of what is known about human happiness and includes practical suggestions for increasing happiness.
  • Ornstein, R. (1991). The evolution of consciousness: The origins of the way we think. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    This book presents an entertaining and challenging discussion of the evolution of the mind, including fundamental questions about the mind and how it works.
  • Regan, C. (2001). Intoxicating minds: How drugs work. New York: Columbia University Press.
    Regan provides a wide-ranging account of how drugs affect human biology.
  • Restak, R. M. (1993). Receptors. New York: Bantam Books.
    This book presents a thorough and readable exploration of synapses and neurotransmitters and their links to drugs, moods, behavior, personality, and mental illness.
  • Sacks, O. (1999). Migraine (Rev. ed.). New York: Knopf Publishing.
    This best-selling book discusses the case studies of people coping with various neurological disorders.
  • Sacks, O. (1970). The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales. New York: HarperCollins.
    A neurologist explores compelling case studies about consequences of organic brain damage.
  • Seligman, M. E. P., (1998). Learned optimism (2 nd ed.). New York: Pocket Books.
    Seligman focuses on optimism, pessimism, and positive thinking. Based on research and theory in cognitive psychology, the author’s position is that optimism and pessimism are learned explanatory styles and that these styles can be changed. It includes self-tests and practical advice.
  • Shepard, R. N. (1990). Mind sights: Original visual illusions, ambiguities, and other anomalies, with a commentary on the play of mind in perception and art. New York: Freeman.
    Original drawings by this outstanding researcher are used to shed light on the relationship of mind (cognition), perception, and art. It includes a brief autobiography that is unusually entertaining.
  • Springer, S. P., & Deutsch, G. (1997). Left brain right brain: Perspectives from cognitive neuroscience (5 th ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman.
    This is the fifth edition of the classic text on the topic of hemispheric brain asymmetries.
  • Stafford , T., & Webb, M. (2005). Mind hacks: Tips & tools for using your brain. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Media.
    This book provides a collection of 100 experiments, tips, and tricks for understanding how the brain functions.
  • Tavris, C. (1989). Anger: The misunderstood emotion. (Rev. ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster.
    This engaging, authoritative work covers all aspects of anger and includes recommendations for dealing with anger.
  • Tavris, C. (1992). The mismeasure of woman. New York: Touchstone.
    This explores gender differences and examines stereotypes about women.
Developmental
  • Baron, N. (1992). Growing up with language. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
    Growing up examines language development in children, and how to facilitate it.
  • Colapinto, J. ( 2000). As Nature Made Him. New York: HarperCollins.
    This is the story of a boy who was raised as a girl until the age of 14.
  • Corner, J. P., & Pouissant, A. F. (1992). Raising Black children. New York: Plume.
    Two African American professors offer advice on improving the self-esteem and identity of Black children.
  • D’Augelli, A. R., & Patterson, C. J. (Eds.). (1995). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities over the lifespan: Psychological perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.
    This book contains chapters that cover the full range of developmental issues for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Chapters include multicultural issues, biological and social constructionist views of development, couples and families, adolescents, midlife, aging, and community issues. The chapter on bisexual identities will be especially useful to those having difficulty finding material on this topic, although bisexuality is addressed in many of the other chapters as well.
  • Davis , M., Eshelman, E. R., & McKay, M. (2000). The relaxation and stress reduction workbook (5 th ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
    This workbook provides a step-by-step program for relaxing and reducing stress and instructions for engaging in various kinds of relaxation techniques.
  • Dixon , W. E. (2003). Twenty studies that revolutionized child psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
    Dixon provides an overview of child psychology research by examining the 20 most revolutionary scientific investigations in the field since 1950.
  • Doyle, J. (2001). The male experience (4 th ed). Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill.
    This comprehensive text covers a wide range of topics related to being male in contemporary society.
  • Dunn, J., & Plomin, R. (1990). Separate lives: Why siblings are so different. New York: Basic Books.
    This book explores the concept of “nonshared environments” that have a profound effect on people—environmental events that affect only certain individuals in a family and cause them to differ from others in the same family, often to a surprising degree. It includes a discussion of the practical implications of all this as well as many examples from real-life biographies.
  • Eliot, L. (1999). What’s going on there?: How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life. New York: Bantam Books.
    A thought-provoking book, it charts the brain's development from conception through the critical first 5 years. Eliot provides parents and other caregivers with many ways in which they can help their children grow better brains.
  • Elkind, D. (1997). All grown up and no place to go: Teenagers in crisis (Rev. ed.). Cambridge , MA : Perseus Books Group.
    In this highly regarded book on adolescence, Elkind discusses the nature of adolescence and focuses especially on the pressure to grow up quickly that has characterized adolescence in the United States during the late 20 th century.
  • Erikson, E. H. (1963, 1993). Childhood and society. New York: Norton.
    This Pulitzer Prize-winning book examines the challenges of childhood from a psychoanalytic view.
  • Friend, R. A. (1991). Older lesbian and gay people: A theory of successful aging. Journal of Homosexuality, 20(3-4), 99-118.
    This article contains statements of the adaptive advantages of lesbian and gay people in regard to stress, coping, and life transitions. It discusses aspects of the “coming out” processes that are thought to prepare lesbian/gay/bisexual people quite well for the challenges of aging.
  • Gopnik, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Kuhl, P. K. (1999). The scientist in the crib: Minds, brains, and how children learn. New York: William Marrow and Co.
    Noting that children and scientists are the best learners “in the world,” the authors provide a readable, concise summary of recent research on early childhood development.
  • Hartman, E. (1991). Boundaries in the mind: New psychology of personality. New York: Basic Books.
    Hartmann makes a strong case for the validity of boundaries as a psychological tool, offering much to the ongoing study of personality, the mind, and the organization of the brain.
  • Hechinger, F. (1992). Fateful choices. New York: Hill & Wang.
    The challenge of healthy and happy adolescence is the focus of this highly praised text, which stresses the connection between health and education.
  • Jackendorf, R. (1994). Patterns in the mind: Language and human behavior. New York: Basic Books.
    This book examines the structure of language and how children learn language; presents modern linguistics in light of the cognitive revolution.
  • Kagan, J. (1994). Galen’s prophecy: Temperament in human nature. New York: Basic Books.
    A highly readable account by an eminent psychologist, this book is about evidence for inborn temperament. It focuses on evidence that some children are born inhibited and others are born uninhibited, and the implications of this fact for understanding shyness and other aspects of adult personality.
  • Keirsey, D., & Bates, M. (1984). Please Understand Me: Character and temperament types. Del Mar, CA: Prometheus.
    This adopts the theory of psychological types of Carl Jung and the methodology of Isabel Myers in producing a useful vocabulary and phraseology for applying the Jung-Meyers concepts of type.
  • Lane, H. (1976). The wild boy of Aveyron. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Press.
    This is a scholarly account of a boy whose early life was spent in the wild forests of Aveyron in southern France in the late 1700s. He was eventually captured, institutionalized, and then sent to Paris for study and display. This book is a fascinating account, which also looks at the question of why he stirred such intense interest and the implications of what was learned for the distinction between humans and other animals.
  • Levinson, D. J. (1986). The seasons of a man’s life. New York: Ballantine.
    This best seller describes the author’s view of stages in adult male development. It includes cases from Levinson’s research program as well as from biographies and literature.
  • Levinson, D. J., & Levinson, J.D. (1996). The seasons of a woman’s life. New York: Knopf.
    This book complements Levinson’s previous book The Seasons of Man’s Life, by offering a woman’s perspective of adult development.
  • Lifton, B. J. (1994). Journey of the adopted self: A quest for wholeness. New York: Basic Books.
    This book discusses the inner world of those adopted who struggle with their biological status. Written by a strong advocate for open adoptions, it includes case studies as well as lists of support groups.
  • Marcus, G. (2004). The birth of the mind: How a tiny number of genes creates the complexities of human thought. New York: Basic Books.
    This text illustrates how the human genome is intertwined with brain development.
  • Mindness, H. (1988). Makers of psychology: The personal factor. New York: Insight Books.
    Mindness analyzes the personal lives and careers of Freud, Jung, Skinner, Rogers, and Erickson to support his thesis that each of these psychologists’ theories and techniques are projections of the therapist's own personality traits.
  • Rymer, R. (1993). Genie. New York: HarperCollins.
    This powerful story discusses the tragedy of a neglected child who grew up without language or social stimulation.
  • Savin-Williams, R. C. (1990). Gay and lesbian youth: Expressions of identity. New York, NY: Hemisphere.
    This good overview of issues youths face is based on research as well as personal stories. It is especially useful for secondary and undergraduate teachers who are working with this age group.
  • Stern, D. M. (1990). Diary of baby: What your child sees, feels and experiences. New York: Basic Books.
    This text traces the development of baby Joey from infancy to 4 years of age. The author describes the development of volition, memory and a sense of self as he interprets an infant's reaction to sensory and emotional experiences.
  • Sulloway, F. J. (1997). Born to rebel: Birth order, family dynamics, and creative lives. New York: Pantheon.
    This provocative book explores how birth order influences personality development.
Cognitive
  • Alkon, D. L. (1994). Memory’s voice: Deciphering the mind-brain code. New York: HarperCollins.
    This is a highly readable discussion of the biological roots of thinking, memory, and emotion with emphasis on memory. It contains the author’s memoirs, which are used to explore the factors that influenced the direction of his scientific career.
  • Baards, B. J. (1997). In the theater of consciousness: The workspace of the mind. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    Baards presents a fascinating overview of how top scientists understand the processes underlying conscious experience. This text is a valuable introduction to the field of consciousness.
  • Baddeley, A. (1997). Human memory: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
    The author extensively reviews memory research to create a model for how memory works.
  • Cartwright, R., & Lemberg, L. (1992). Crisis dreaming: Using your dreams to solve your problems. New York: HarperCollins.
    An eminent sleep/dream researcher and an award-winning journalist describe how to use dreams to gain self-insight. The book covers dream processes, ways to capture or retrieve dream content, and ways to change the course of dreams while asleep! It also includes case studies of people in crisis and their dreams.
  • Coren, S. (1997). Sleep thieves: An eye-opening exploration into the science and mysteries of sleep. New York: Free Press.
    A thorough explanation of sleep processes is explored in this text.
  • Coren, S. (1993). The left-hander syndrome: The causes and consequences of left-handedness. New York: Random House.
    The title refers to handedness, but the author also describes other asymmetries (footedness, eyedness) and discusses their sources as well as their links to other things such as intelligence and creativity. The book also discusses coping strategies for left-handers’ world. Clear and entertaining with lots of good anecdotes, the book may overstate the negative effects of being left-handed.
  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: HarperCollins.
    Flow describes the psychology of happiness as obtained through “optimal experiences” in which deep enjoyment is experienced through focused concentration. It includes suggestions for controlling and creating these “flow states” as well as many examples and case studies.
  • Dennett, D. C. (1996). Kinds of minds: Toward an understanding of consciousness. New York: Basic Books.
    This addresses metaphysical questions about the mind from an evolutionary perspective.
  • Gardner , H. (1987). The mind’s new science: A history of the cognitive revolution. New York: Basic Books.
    Gardner examines the history of the cognitive revolution in psychology and the nature of cognitive science today. He traces the roots of early thinkers and follows the thread through the 19th century and into the 20th century. He includes discussions of artificial intelligence, linguistics, anthropology, and neuroscience, and shows the effect of the cognitive revolution on our understanding of perception, imagery, concept formation, and reasoning, among others.
  • Gardner , H. (1993). Creating minds. New York: Basic Books.
    Here, Gardner applies the theory of multiple intelligences to understanding creativity in such people as Freud, Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky, T. S. Eliot, Martha Graham, and Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Gardner , H. (1995). Leading minds: An anatomy of leadership. New York: Basic Books.
    Gardner applies cognitive psychology (in particular creativity) to understanding the minds of selected leaders and followers. He discusses Margaret Thatcher, George Marshall, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and Margaret Mead, among others.
  • Gardner , H., Kornhaber, M. L., & Wake, W. K. (1996). Intelligence: Multiple perspectives. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt. This well-written book is on the subject of intelligence.
  • Gardner, Howard (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21 st Century. New York: Basic Books.
    Intelligence Reframed examines how the theory of multiple intelligences is changing our understanding of education and human development.
  • Gilovich, T. (1991). How we know what isn’t so: The fallibility of human reason in everyday life. New York: Free Press.
    This imaginative work examines cognitive factors that predispose humans to making bad judgments.
  • Gould, S. J. (1996) The mismeasure of man (Rev. ed.). New York: Norton.
    This book offers a delightful discussion of the evolution of measurement devoted to capturing human individual differences.
  • Halpern, D. F. (1995). Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking (3 rd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
    This demonstrates an outstanding (although challenging) application of psychological principles to critical thinking, memory, thought and language, analysis, probability, decision making, problem solving, and creative thinking. It includes hundreds of exercises and suggested readings.
  • Herrnstein, R., & Murray, C. (1994). The Bell Curve. New York : Free Press.
    This controversial book about intellectual capacity examines social problems through the lens of intelligence and concludes intelligence is largely inheritable.
  • Jacoby, R., & Glauberman, N. (Eds.) (1995). The Bell Curve Debate. Three Rivers, MI : Three Rivers Press.
    This book on race, class, and intelligence serves generally as counterpoint to the Herrnstein and Murray book (see above), providing scholarship and polemic from different points of view.
  • Johnson, George (1992). In the palaces of memory: How we build the worlds inside our heads. New York: Vintage Books.
    Johnson addresses how memory works by examining the work of three scholars from three different disciplines.
  • Jouvet, Michel (1999). The paradox of sleep: The story of dreaming. Translated by Gary Laurence. Cambridge: MIT Press.
    This book offers controversial ideas about how and why we dream, along with a review of the history of the field.
  • Langer, E. J. (1997). The power of mindful learning. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
    This book offers a new way of learning in different contexts to promote curiosity and mindful attention.
  • Levy, D. A. (2003). Tools of Critical Thinking. Prospect Heights , IL : Waveland Press.
    This is a systematic and comprehensive catalog and series of exercises designed to encourage critical thinking and reveal ways in which humans’ thought processes are error-prone.
  • Loftus, E., & Ketcham, K. (1991). Witness for the defense: The accused, the eyewitness, and the expert who puts memory on trial. New York: St. Martin’s.
    Witness is a lively, personal, and informative examination of eight cases that centered on disputed eyewitness identifications in light of what psychology has to tell us about human memory. It also explores the thorny and often personal issues of psychologists serving as expert witnesses in cases.
  • Loftus, E., & Ketcham, K. (1994). The myth of repressed memory: False memories and allegations of sexual abuse. New York: St. Martin’s.
    This book presents an attack on the belief in “recovered memories,” particularly repressed memories of alleged sexual abuse; authors argue that they are mostly fabrications.
  • Martin, G., & Pear, J. (2002). Behavior modification: What is it and how to do it (7 th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
    This offers guidelines for modifying habits and behavior using learning strategies.
  • O’Donahue, W., & Ferguson, K. E. (2001). The Psychology of B.F. Skinner. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
    This is a guide to Skinner's theories and their application in the field of behaviorism.
  • Plous, S. (1993). The psychology of judgment and decision making. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    Comprehensive but reader-friendly, this text introduces psychological research on how people make decisions and focuses on the social aspects of decision making.
  • Restak, R. (2001). Mozart’s brain and the fighter pilot: Unleashing your brain’s potential. New York: Harmony Books.
    Restak’s book combines the latest research in neurology and psychology and provides informative and practical steps that readers can take to improve their cognitive abilities.
  • Rock, A. (2004). The mind at night: The new science of how and why we dream. New York: Basic Books.
    This book discusses the breakthroughs in the study of the dreaming mind from the 1950s to the present day.
  • Root-Bernstein, R., & Root-Bernstein, M. (1999). Sparks and genius: The 13 thinking tools of the world’s most creative people. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
    The authors describe the “thinking tools” of geniuses such as Albert Einstein, Amadeus Mozart, Jane Goodall, and Virginia Woolf, and show readers how to use their own imaginations to spark creativity.
  • Rothenberg, A. (1990). Creativity and madness: New findings and old stereotypes. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
    An interesting and thorough examination of the relationship between creativity and mental illness, this book includes consideration of Sylvia Plath, August Strindberg, Emily Dickinson, Robert Penn Warren, John Cheever, Eugene O’Neal, and William Faulkner, among others.
  • Schaie, K.W. ( 1996). Intellectual development in adulthood. New York : Cambridge University Press.
    In this book, Schaie analyzes his comprehensive study on aging’s effects on intelligence.
  • Schaller, S. (1991). A man without words. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
    This moving account is of a 27-year-old man who is normal except that he has no idea of language, much less the ability to speak or write. The book sheds light on the role of language in thinking.
  • Shermer, M. (2002). Why people believe weird things. Minneapolis, MN: Sagebrush Education Resources.
    Why People Believe critiques popular superstitions, prejudices, and pseudoscience.
  • Siegler, R. (1996). Emerging minds: The process of change in children’s thinking. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    This book addresses fundamental questions about children's thinking, providing an evolutionary framework for how thinking changes in children.
  • Skinner, B. F. (1976). Walden two. New York: Macmillan.
    A classic novel about behavioral principles, this 1976 edition includes a retrospective commentary by Skinner almost three decades after the book first appeared.
  • Sternberg, R. (1988). The Triarchic Mind: A new theory of human intelligence . New York: Viking.
    This book introduces a three part model of human intelligence based upon the traditional notion of academic performance and includes practical intelligence and creative intelligence.
  • Sternberg, R. (1997). Successful intelligence. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    Successful Intelligence explores the multifaceted nature of intelligence based on Sternberg’s triarchic theory.
  • Sutherland, S. (1992). Irrationality: Why we don’t think straight. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
    This is an engaging discussion of human irrationality in all its guises—obedience and conformity, ignoring and distorting evidence, mistakes, misinterpretations, foolish risk taking, intuition, and more.
  • Wiener, D. (1996). Skinner, B.F.: Benign anarchist. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
    In this candid biography, Wiener reflects on Skinner's emotional and interpersonal characteristics. It includes references and a chronological bibliography of Skinner's work.
  • Wilson, T. (2002). Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
    This book offers an incredible tour of the unconscious, as defined by contemporary psychological science. Wilson introduces the reader to a hidden mental world of judgments, feelings, and motives.
Individual and Group
  • Akeret, R. U. (1995). Tales from a traveling couch. New York: Norton.
    This book details what happened when a New York psychotherapist set out to find his most memorable patients and discover what had become of their lives.
  • Aronson, E. (2003). The social animal (9 th ed). New York: Worth Publishers.
    This beautifully written and entertaining introduction to social psychology covers conformity, mass communication, propaganda, persuasion, social cognition, self-justification, aggression, prejudice, liking, and loving.
  • Atkinson, D., Morten, G., & Sue, D. (2003). Counseling American minorities (6th ed.). Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill.
    This book offers guidance about working with American Indian, Asian American, African American, and Latino clients.
  • Axline, V. (1964). Dibs: In search of self. New York: Ballantine.
    This is a classic, moving tale of a troubled child in therapy.
  • Balter, M., & Katz, R. (1987). Nobody’s child. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
    Marie Balter spent 25 years in mental hospitals, then attended Harvard University and became a spokesperson for the mentally ill. This is a dramatic and moving story in the tradition of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.
  • Barkley, R. (2000). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (Rev. ed.). New York: Guilford Publications.
    This is an excellent resource for parents and teachers.
  • Bass, E., & Kaufman, K. (1996). Free your mind: The book for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth—and their allies. New York: HarperPerennial.
    Answers are provided to many of the questions gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth have, such as how to deal with homophobia in their schools. Free your mind gives advice to allies, teachers, parents, counselors, etc., as to what they can do to help gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. An excellent guide and resource.
  • Baur, S. (1988). Hypochondria: Woeful imaginings. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
    This highly readable history of the source, nature, and treatment of hypochondriasis includes case studies of famous hypochondriacs throughout history (e.g., Tolstoy, Darwin, and Boswell). It also includes contemporary perspectives and recent research.
  • Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. New York: Penguin.
    In this highly regarded but challenging book on emotional disorders, the author, one of the pioneers of cognitive therapy, describes how cognitions can affect emotions (particularly depression) and describes procedures for changing cognitions (and thus changing undesirable emotions).
  • Beck, A. T., & Emery, G. (1985). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. New York: Basic Books.
    This challenging book on anxiety and phobias is written from a cognitive perspective. It includes a summary of cognitive therapy and suggestions for overcoming problems related to anxiety.
  • Berkowitz, L. (1993). Aggression: Its causes, consequences, and control. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    One of the world’s experts on the topic gives a thorough overview of what science tells us about aggression. Aggression includes discussion on violence-prone personalities, domestic violence, gun control, violence in media, and control of aggression as well as various policy issues.
  • Berzon, B., & Leighton, R. (Eds.). (2001). Positively gay (3rd ed.). Millbrae, CA: Celestial Arts.
    This is the first, and still one of the best, introductions to a wide variety of issues in lesbian and gay life. Chapters cover such topics as coming out, relationships and couples, parenting, religious issues, aging, political issues, vocational and financial planning, and lesbian/gay communities.
  • Blum, D. (2002). Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the science of affection. Cambridge, MA: Perseus.
    In her biography of Harry Harlow, Blum views Harlow as a pioneer in demonstrating the crucial importance of relationships and love to health and survival.
  • Brislin, R. (1999). Understanding culture’s influence on behavior (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
    Brislin introduces cross-cultural psychology as a means of promoting more effective communication among people from different cultural backgrounds.
  • Chase, T. (1989). When rabbit howls. New York: Dutton.
    This is an account of childhood abuse and multiple personalities, or dissociative identity disorder. In this case, each of the 92 personalities contributes to the book.
  • Chesler, P. (2005). Women and madness(Rev. ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
    Chesler proposes that sex-role stereotypes influence what is called mental illness and that there is a double standard of mental health.
  • Cialdini, R. B. (1998). Influence: The psychology of persuasion (Rev. ed.). New York: HarperTrade.
    This is a highly readable, engaging, and authoritative account of what psychology tells us about selling and marketing, persuasion, and influence.
  • Cohen, D. B. (1994). Out of the blue: Depression and human nature. New York: Norton.
    This book explores the full range of depression from occasional blues to chronic severe depression, including related phenomena such as mourning and suicide. It summarizes present state of knowledge and illustrates with examples from history, literature, and current events.
  • Colgrove, M., Bloomfield, H. H., & McWilliams, P. (2004). How to survive the loss of a love (Rev. ed.). Los Angeles: Prelude.
    The “loss of a love” is defined very broadly, so this book addresses losses not only of treasured people and relationships, but also robbery, rape, moving, failure, loss of youth, menopause, lawsuits, and many other losses.
  • Corsini, R. (Ed.). (2004). Current psychotherapies (7 th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
    This book describes contemporary approaches to psychotherapy, including therapies in non-Western cultures.
  • Costa, P., & Widiger, T. (2002). Personality disorder and the five-factor model of personality (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
    This book explains how the five-factor model of personality can help in diagnosing and treating psychological disorders.
  • Coven, F. L. (1994). Crazy all the time: On the psych ward of Bellevue Hospital. New York: Fawcett Crest.
    An engrossing account of the lives of patients and staff, this was written by the chief psychologist at Bellevue Hospital.
  • Diamant, L. (Ed.). (1993). Homosexual issues in the workplace. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.
    This book contains chapters on lesbians/gays in a wide variety of professions and occupations, including education, the military, religion, etc. It also has general chapters on discrimination in the workplace and legal issues. It is an excellent resource for information about particular jobs or occupations.
  • Donnelly, K. F. (1994). Recovering from the loss of a child. New York: Berkeley Publishing Group.
    Recovering explores the experience of losing a child through numerous interviews with family members who have lost a child. It provides extensive information about support groups that provide assistance.
  • Donohue, W. A., & Kotl, R. (1992). Managing interpersonal conflict. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
    A practical guide on deciding whether to confront a conflict, planning how to deal with the conflict, and negotiating differences in goals and power. Includes a flowchart for conflict management and provides many interesting real-life examples, self-test questionnaires, and exercises.
  • Doyle, J. A. (1995). The male experience. Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark.
    This engaging, easy-to-read text introduces men’s studies and the psychology of men. It is highly suitable for high school students and students in the first 2 years of college.
  • Ellis, A., & Kanus, W. J. (1977). Overcoming procrastination: How to think and act rationally in spite of life’s inevitable hassles. New York: Penguin.
    Applies cognitive psychology to overcoming procrastination. Examines the causes of procrastination and describes techniques for overcoming it.
  • Fieve, R. R. (1997). Moodswing (2nd rev. ed.). New York: Bantam Books.
    This is a revised edition of a classic book on the causes, symptoms, and treatments available for mood disorders, including bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and premenstrual syndrome. This edition focuses increased attention on drug therapies.
  • Finney, L. D. (1995). Reach for joy: How to find the right therapist and therapy for you. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press.
    In the words of one reviewer, this is “[a] Consumer’s Report for the mind.” It provides guidance (including numerous checklists) for deciding whether you should see a therapist, for finding and evaluating potential therapists, and for assessing progress in therapy.
  • Frankl, V. E. (1997). Man’s search for meaning (Rev. ed.). New York: Pocket Books.
    This classic existential book examines the role of meaning in human lives as well as the philosophy behind logotherapy. Frankl is a psychiatrist, creator of logotherapy, and survivor of Auschwitz.
  • Fromm, E. (1956). The art of loving. New York: Harper & Row.
    Fromm provides a brief but challenging discussion of the nature of love, the importance of love, and the challenge of learning to love.
  • Gay, P. (1989). The Freud reader. New York: Norton.
    A good companion to the Hamm primer, this book provides an excellent selection from the full range of Freud’s writings, with a brief introduction to each piece.
  • Geisinger, K. (2015). Psychological testing of Hispanics. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
    This book examines various issues concerning the psychological testing of Latinos.
  • Gilman, S. L. (1985). Difference and pathology: Stereotypes of sexuality, race, and madness. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
    A scholarly but readable presentation of the thesis that human beings need to create stereotypes as a means of dealing with anxiety and their ultimate lack of control over the environment. Difference and Pathology cites stereotypes of race, sexuality, and pathology as historically the most powerful.
  • Greenberg, J. (1964). I never promised you a rose garden. New York: Penguin.
    This classic by J. Greenberg is about her descent into psychosis when she was 16 years old, her 3 years in mental institutions, and her later recovery.
  • Greenfield , J. (1970). A child called Noah: A family journal. San Diego, CA: Harvest Book.
    This moving, award-winning story of a family’s day-to-day living with and loving a brain-damaged child.
  • Griffen, C. W., Wirth, M. J., & Wirth, A. G. (1997). Beyond acceptance: Parents of lesbians and gays talk about their experiences (Rev. ed.). New York: St. Martin’s Press.
    This book is written by and for parents of lesbians and gay men and contains frank discussions of some of the issues parents face when they learn their children are lesbian/gay. Chapters cover topics such as coming to terms with guilt, overcoming restrictive religious ideologies, telling others, and relating to lesbian/gay children affirmatively. This book also contains an extensive bibliography and list of helpful organizations. It can be useful in discussions of coming out and family relationships.
  • Haddon , M. (2004 ). The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. Toronto, ON: Doubleday Canada, Limited.
    This is an excellent, bestselling fictional book about a boy with autism.
  • Jamison, K. R. (1993). Touched with fire: Manic-depressive illness and the artistic temperament. New York: Free Press.
    Jamison explores the question of whether manic-depressive illness is related to creative occupations.
  • Johnson, A. S. (1990). Out of Bedlam: The truth about deinstitutionalization. New York: Basic Books.
    A clinical social worker in New York City describes how deinstitutionalization arose, its initial promise, and its often devastating consequences in the absence of adequate community-based care alternatives. This is an excellent, comprehensive, informative, thoughtful, but highly critical overview by an advocate of deinstitutionalization.
  • Kaysen, S. (1993). Girl, interrupted. New York: Vintage.
    The author was committed to a mental hospital at age 18 for 2 years. Her memoir describes the patients and staff members, but in the process she raises disturbing questions about hospitalization, diagnosis, women, and mental illness. Witty but dark and disturbing, this book continues the tradition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
  • Klein, D. F., & Wender, P. H. ( 2005). Understanding depression: A complete guide to its diagnosis and treatment (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
    This is a practical discussion of biological depression (both normal and pathological) and related disorders, such as panic attacks, seasonal affective disorder, and premenstrual syndrome. It includes self-tests and advice for relief from depression. The emphasis is on medical treatments.
  • Kohn, A. (1990). The brighter side of human nature: Altruism and empathy in everyday life. New York: Basic Books.
    The author argues that it is natural for humans to be caring, generous, empathetic, altruistic, and kind rather than selfish, self-interested, and aggressive.
  • Korn, J. (1997). Illusions of reality: A history of deception in social psychology. Albany: State University of New York Press.
    This book demonstrates how deception is used in psychological research and examines the origins and development of the practice. Ethical issues are discussed.
  • Laing, R. D. (1969). The divided self: An existential study of sanity and madness. New York: Penguin.
    This is a classic collection of case studies of people with schizophrenia and Laing’s existential analysis of their personal alienation and estrangement from themselves and society.
  • Landman, J. (1993). Regret: The persistence of the possible. New York: Oxford University Press.
    Regret presents a broad-ranging, multidisciplinary discussion by a psychologist of what people most regret about their lives and how regret differs from other emotions. It includes thought-provoking excerpts from several literary works, each shedding light on regret.
  • Levant , R. F., & Pollack, W. S. (Eds.). (1995). A new psychology of men. New York: Basic Books.
    This 1995 edited volume summarizes much of the recent advances in theory and research about the psychology of men and masculinity. It is suitable for those seeking greater background and depth on the subject.
  • Levenkron, S. (1991). Obsessive-compulsive disorders: Treating and understanding crippling habits. New York: Warner.
    Levenkron includes many case studies that illustrate the disorders and demonstrate effective ways of coping with them.
  • Mace, N., & Rabins, P. (2001). The 36-hour day (Rev. ed.). New York: Warner Books.
    This book offers sensitive advice to families coping with the challenge of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Marshall, J. R. (1994). Social phobia: From shyness to social anxiety. New York: Basic Books.
    Through case histories and self-tests, the author (a psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety disorders) provides interesting insight into the sources, nature, and treatment of social phobias.
  • Matsumoto, D. (1994). People: Psychology from a cultural perspective. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
    Matsumoto focuses on the far-reaching impact of culture on behavior, feeling, and thought.
  • McNamara, E. (1994). Breakdown. New York: Pocket Books.
    This book presents the lurid but true story of a Harvard Medical School student who committed suicide less than a year after he terminated therapy for depression. After his death, it became apparent that he had been involved in a bizarre form of experimental therapy. This disturbing, widely publicized case raises difficult questions about inter-dependency in therapy and about professional ethics.
  • Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority: An experimental view. New York: Harper Torchbooks.
    This highly readable account of Milgram’s classic experiments includes implications of those studies for understanding human behavior. An appendix includes ethical issues raised by the experiments.
  • Milgram, S. (1992). The individual in a social world: Essays and experiments. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    This collection of major experiments and essays includes Milgram’s famous obedience study.
  • Miller, D . (2005). An Invitation to social psychology: Expressing and c ensoring t he s elf . Belmont: CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.
    This brief seven-chapter text introduces students to social psychology by focusing on the field's most interesting studies and real-world applications.
  • Miller, D. (1994). Women who hurt themselves: A book of hope and understanding. New York: Basic Books.
    A psychologist explores “women at war with themselves,” including cases of self-mutilation, cosmetic surgery, and eating disorders, among others.
  • Neziroglu, F., & Yaryura-Tobias, J. A. (1995). Over and over again: Understanding obsessive compulsive disorder (Rev. ed.). New York : Lexington.
    This book discusses diagnosis, causes, and treatment of obsessive/compulsive disorders, including many case studies and answers to common questions.
  • Papolos, D., & Papolos, J. (1997). Overcoming depression (3 rd ed..). New York: HarperTrade.
    This is an excellent, widely recommended practical guide to the diagnosis and treatment of depression and manic-depression (bipolar disorder).
  • Peck, M. S. (2002). The road less traveled: A new psychology of love, traditional values, and spiritual growth (25 th anniversary ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster.
    This all-time best-selling book discusses the centrality of spirituality in many peoples’ lives as well as the importance of confronting adversity, integrity, and self-discipline.
  • Pharr , S. (1998). Homophobia: A weapon of sexism. Inverness, CA : Chardon Press.
    This book explores the connections between homophobia and sexism in society. As such, it provides an excellent demonstration of the intersection among multiple forms of oppression. It is very readable and even contains a few illustrations.
  • Pratkanis, A. R., & Aronson, E. (2001). Age of propaganda: The everyday use and abuse of persuasion (Rev. ed.). New York: Freeman.
    Age of Propaganda sets out to “understand how [persuasion] influences our behavior, how we can protect ourselves from unwanted propaganda, and how we can ultimately come to use persuasion wisely.” Many real-life examples are included.
  • Rapoport , J. L. (1989). The boy who couldn’t stop washing. New York: Penguin.
    This book contains fascinating and useful case studies of obsessive compulsive disorders, including diagnosis and treatment.
  • Reynolds, Al. L., & Pope, R. L. (1991). The complexities of diversity: Exploring multiple oppressions. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 174-180.
    This brief article discusses the intersection of sexual orientation (including bisexuality) with race, ethnicity, class, and gender. It makes an important point about the overlapping of different kinds of diversity and the importance of considering integrated identities. Although written for counselors, the article is easy to understand and widely applicable.
  • Robertson, R. (1992). Beginner’s guide to Jungian psychology. York Beach, ME: Nicholas-Hays.
    This is a highly readable and lively account of the basic concepts of Jungian psychology.
  • Rodin, J. (1992). Body traps: Breaking the binds that keep you from feeling good about your body. New York: Morrow.
    Rodin examines the American preoccupation with appearance, good looks, and fitness and demonstrates the psychological effects of this preoccupation. The book includes self-tests and specific practical advice.
  • Rogers, C. R. (1995). On becoming a person. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
    This classic book explores person-centered psychotherapy.
  • Ryan, C., & Futterman, D. (1998). Lesbian and gay youth: Care & counseling. New York : Columbia University Press.
    This book is a comprehensive guide to the health and mental health needs of lesbian and gay youth. The sidebars and appendices give the reader important information at a glance. A valuable resource.
  • Schiller, L. (1994). The quiet room: A journey out of the torment of madness. New York: Warner.
    The gripping story of descent into schizophrenia starting at the age of 18 and eventual recovery, much in the tradition of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.
  • Schreiber, F. R. (1973). Sybil. New York: Warner.
    This famous book (made into a movie) presents a case of multiple personality disorder involving 16 selves.
  • Segall, M., Dasen, P., Berry, J., & Poortinga, Y. (1999). Human behavior in global psychology (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
    This book addresses a wide range of issues from the cross-cultural perspective.
  • Smith, M. (1985). When I say no, I feel guilty: How to cope—using the skills of systematic assertive therapy. New York: Bantam Books.
    The author deals with assertiveness, particularly how to say “no” without feeling guilty; includes specific advice and many examples.
  • Styron, W. (1990). Darkness visible: A memoir of madness. New York: Random House.
    This is the best-selling autobiographical account of the author’s severe depression and eventual recovery.
  • Terr, L. (1990 ). Too scared to cry: Psychic trauma in childhood. New York: Basic Books.
    This is a profoundly moving account of the effect of severe trauma on children; includes numerous studies.
  • Torrey, E. F. (1988). Nowhere to go: The tragic odyssey of the homeless mentally ill. New York: Harper & Row.
    This is a “scathing indictment” of deinstitutionalization and resulting problems for the homeless mentally ill; describes how the problem arose and what should be done about it.
  • Torrey, F. F. (1995). Surviving schizophrenia: A manual for families (3rd ed.). New York: HarperCollins.
    This classic reference on the nature, causes, symptoms, and treatment of schizophrenia includes material on living and coping with schizophrenia in the family.
  • Trickett, E. J., Watts, R. J., Birman, D. (Eds.). (1994). Human diversity: Perspective on people in context. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
    This book draws upon both differences and similarities across various groups with a recurring theme for understanding a common cause rooted in historical, cultural, and sociopolitical contexts. Leading scholars share their paradigm and conceptual frameworks on various aspects of human diversity.
  • Weinberg, G. (1995). Invisible masters: Compulsions and the fear that drives them. New York: Plume.
    This book presents four case studies of obsessions and compulsions, which illustrate the sources, effects, and treatment of these disorders.
  • Zimbardo, P. G., & Leippe, M. R. (1991). The psychology of attitude change and social influence. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    This book discusses conformity, cognitive dissonance, influence through communication, resisting influence, subliminal influence, law, and health. It is filled with current and historical real-life examples, from religious cults to terrorism to selling cigarettes.