Human Nature Psychology

A leading cognitive scientist argues that a deep sense of good and evil is bred in the bone. From John Locke to Sigmund Freud, philosophers and psychologists have long believed that we begin life as blank moral slates. Many of us take for granted that babies are born selfish and that it is...

From NYU professor of developmental psychology Niobe Way, an in-depth exploration about what boys and young men teach us about themselves, us, and the toxic culture we have created, one in which we value money over people, toys over human connection, and academic achievement over kindness. Based...

A groundbreaking history of the human mind told through our experience of dreams—from the earliest accounts to current scientific findings—and their essential role in the formation of who we are and the world we have made. "A resounding case for the mystery, beauty and cognitive importance...

A deliciously subversive and endlessly informative celebration of “kinky f*ckery,” as told by a lifelong student of kink and fetishism Neither a how-to guide to getting it on nor a collection of sensational erotica, Superfreaks is instead an empathetic journey into the widely misunderstood...

A riveting memoir and a fascinating investigation of the history, uses, and controversies behind lithium, an essential medication for millions of people struggling with bipolar disorder. It began in Los Angeles in 1993, when Jaime Lowe was just sixteen. She stopped sleeping and eating, and...

A New York Times Bestseller A groundbreaking new view of human psychology that shows how eight key traits of human behavior—long perceived as liabilities—can be important hidden strengths. What if the inattentiveness that makes school or work a challenge holds the secret to your future as an...

Discover how to become the kind of person who survives and thrives with this "must-read" New York Times bestseller that's filled with fascinating true stories and helpful advice (New York Times). Each second of the day, someone in America faces a crisis, whether it's Covid-19, a car accident...

This is a book for those willing to see the human without its usual disguises — not as a hero of its own story, but as a creature shaped by difference, trapped in form, and always speaking through structures it cannot fully name. It does not offer reassurance. It offers clarity. Taking its cue from Claude Lévi-Strauss but refusing to remain in the comfort of academic distance, the book brings structural anthropology into direct confrontation with contemporary society.

The year 2020 has been the year of the virus, and it will not be a mere footnote in history. This book reflects on the unprecedented changes to our lives and the impact on our behavior as we lived through social isolation during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Packed with guidance and coping strategies for lockdown, this book, authored by top psychologist David Cohen, explores the impact of this widespread quarantine on our relationships, our children, our mental health, and our daily lives.

Would you be surprised that road rage can be good for society? That most crashes happen on sunny, dry days? Or that you can gauge a nation’s driving behavior by its levels of corruption? These are only a few of the remarkable dynamics that Tom Vanderbilt explores in this fascinating tour...

Using techniques developed by politicians, advertisers, crooks, and other masters of their own universe, when being applied, can help you to analyze anyone around you or in your life. This can be done so that you can have a profound influence on the way they think and getting exactly what you want from them. This practical guide is filled with examples of how to modify the results based on the desired goal and will teach you how to know what makes your target tick.

We forget our passwords. We pay too much to go to the gym. We think we’d be happier if we lived in California (we wouldn’t), and we think we should stick with our first answer on tests (we shouldn’t). Why do we make mistakes? And could we do a little better? We human beings have design...

A seasoned peacebuilder and acclaimed expert on violence explains the five reasons why conflict (rarely) blooms into war and how to interrupt that deadly process It’s easy to overlook the underlying strategic forces of war, to see it solely as a series of errors, accidents, and emotions gone...

"Challenging and readable...will help mothers understand the implications of pushing boys out of the family before they're ready to go."—The Los Angeles Times Book Review...

As human beings, we are fascinated by what makes us tick. We know that nature gave us certain biological appetites to ensure our survival, among those the need for water, food, sex, and love, but meeting these alone is not enough to ensure happiness. Scientists, and now managers, are realizing that people have a biological need to experience social rewards like praise, the thrill of innovation, and the satisfaction of acquiring new skills.

The groundbreaking science of how and why we talk, and how this ability impacts every area of our lives Humans are the only species that can transform internal ideas into talk, whether through speech, writing, or sign language. But why do we have this almost magical, special talent? It turns out...

Dr. James Jordan explores the dark side of narcissistic minds in "Narcissistic Dark Psychology and Gaslighting Manipulation," exposing the sinister actions that feed this personality disorder. With his wealth of psychological knowledge, Dr. Jordan reveals the frequently hidden workings of narcissistic manipulation, turning the subtle into the obvious and understandable for people who are affected by, confused by, or harmed by narcissists.

A bold manifesto arguing that the most complex challenges we face today—as individuals, businesses, and a society—require us to ask deeper questions, not seek easier answers “With this beautifully written book, Seth Goldenberg awakens the gifts we all possess: wonder, optimism, and the...

Starting where resiliency studies leave off, two psychologists explore the science of remarkable accomplishment in the wake of trauma, revealing the surprising principles that allow people to transform their lives and achieve extraordinary things. Over four billion people worldwide will survive...

“I’m in love with this book! It illuminates the forces that make parenting so difficult, and helps us develop better relationships with our kids—and ourselves.” —Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, author of Raising Good Humans Parenting is hard. But when we replace conventional parent-child...