The 28 Best Psychology Books of All Time (2024)
Welcome to our Best Psychology Books Collection. Here you’ll find summaries of the best books on psychology, including top books on human behavior, understanding the mind, and psychology for beginners.
Maps of Meaning says that myths have a tremendous unseen value. They laid the foundation for large, stable and successful civilizations that lasted thousands of years. Myths also provide time-tested wisdom to help us eradicate evil in the social world, and move past unpredictable catastrophes in our personal lives.
"I don't think that you have any insight whatsoever into your capacity for good until you have some well-developed insight into your capacity for evil." —Jordan B Peterson
Pre-Suasion shows a new side of influence. It's about everything that happens BEFORE you ask someone to say yes to your proposal. Professor Robert Cialdini has distilled hundreds of scientific studies to prove that how you FRAME a message from the beginning is crucial to its success.
"What we present first changes the way people experience what we present to them next." —Robert Cialdini
Atomic Habits by James Clear is about how small 1% improvements in our daily habits can lead to remarkable results and change your life. This is a practical guide to building good habits and breaking bad habits. The Four Laws of Behaviour Change say to make good habits: obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity." —James Clear
Why should you read it? When I picked up "Atomic Habits," I didn't expect much. I've read tons of self-help books for my website over the last several years, and they often say the same things. But this book was different. James Clear basically summarizes ALL the best strategies on habit formation in a way that is incredibly... well, "Clear." Best of all, he focuses on making tiny improvements, not big leaps, showing how small daily changes can really add up. I was surprised how much I liked it. It's a book I plan to read again every few years. 📈
The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg is a deep dive into the science of how habits work. If you want to change your habits but don't know where to start, this book can help you. It provides a simple 3-step formula called "The Habit Loop" to break bad habits and build better ones.
"Habits, scientists say, emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort." —Charles Duhigg
Why should you read it? Charles Duhigg's book first popularized the habit loop - the idea that all our habits follow a cycle of "cue-routine-reward." More importantly, he gave practical ways we can "hack" the steps of this loop to take back control of our habits and our lives. Before Atomic Habits, this was THE go-to book on habits and it is still well worth reading. (For psychology nerds, the habit loop was actually based on the psychologist B.F. Skinner's work that described a 3-step process of stimulus, response, and reinforcement. Basically, his theory explains why your dog turns into a slobber machine the second you rustle their treat bag. 🐶
The Power of Myth explores how stories shape our perception of the world, and why myths continue to be relevant in providing direction to our lives in modern times. Joseph Campbell explains universal lessons from myths, like discovering our personal "Hero's Journey" and following our bliss.
"Follow your bliss, and the universe will open doors where there were only walls." —Joseph Campbell
The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest is a guide to stop self-sabotage and build the life you want. It shows how to change emotional habits blocking growth, let go of the past, imagine your future self, and separate good intuition from bad intrusive thoughts.
"What you believe about your life is what you will make true about your life." —Brianna Wiest
"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman explains the principles of good design and usability. The book outlines a process for creating products, services, and apps that are intuitive and user-friendly by taking into account human psychology. It also identifies common design mistakes that make products frustrating to use and offers solutions to avoid these pitfalls.
"Design is really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the person with whom the designer is communicating." —Don Norman
Crucial Conversations teaches you how to handle difficult conversations at work and home, especially when people have opposing opinions, strong feelings, and the outcome matters. The book gives you tools and strategies to speak honestly yet respectfully, so you can communicate your thoughts and needs, while maintaining good relationships.
"People who are skilled at dialogue do their best to make it safe for everyone to add their meaning to the shared pool—even ideas that at first glance appear controversial, wrong, or at odds with their own beliefs." —Kerry Patterson
Why should you read it? Crucial Conversations equips you with practical tools to handle challenging conversations gracefully and effectively. Whether it's a tough talk with a colleague, a heart-to-heart with a loved one, or negotiating in high-stress situations, this book helps you stay composed and achieve the best possible outcomes. It's a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills and build stronger relationships.
"The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman explains that people show and feel love in five main ways: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. By figuring out which of these love languages matter most to you and your partner, you can enrich your marriage or relationship by showing love in the way that makes each other feel most appreciated and loved.
"Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love but to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct. I need to be loved by someone who chooses to love me, who sees in me something worth loving." —Gary Chapman
Why should you read it? Ever wondered why your big romantic gestures don't always hit the mark? This book could be the Rosetta Stone you need for deciphering the language of love. Chapman's insight into how people give and receive love using 5 different "languages" can transform relationships, helping you understand your loved ones better.
Hooked is a guide for product designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs, showing them how to create digital products that are engaging, compelling, and habit-forming. Nir Eyal reveals how big tech companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook keep us coming back to their apps daily. His "Hooked Model" has 4 stages: trigger, action, variable reward, and investment.
"79% of smartphone owners check their device within fifteen minutes of waking up every morning." —Nir Eyal
Why should you read it? If you're dreaming of creating the next Instagram or just curious about why we can't put down our phones, then this book is your go-to guide. Nir Eyal takes the "habit loop" idea (made popular by books like Atomic Habits), then he spins it upside down, to reveal the secrets behind apps that are highly engaging and habit-forming. It's your blueprint to making anything - from your new app to your social media channel - as irresistible as that last slice of pizza. 🍕
Nonviolent Communication shows us how to have healthy relationships through openly and honestly communicating our observations, feelings, needs and requests. This book can help us move past dysfunctional communication habits we learned growing up including guilt tripping, being passive aggressive, blaming, labelling and judging others as good or bad.
"Most of us grew up speaking a language that encourages us to label, compare, demand, and pronounce judgments rather than to be aware of what we are feeling and needing." —Marshall B. Rosenberg
Why should you read it? "Nonviolent Communication" could be the first step towards fundamentally changing how you communicate. The book shines a light on how everyday language, filled with judgments, comparisons, and demands, can push us away from connecting with our own and others' humanity—kind of like trying to hug a cactus. 🌵
Grit says being a top achiever is less about natural talent and more about your "grit," which means working consistently and staying interested in one direction for multiple years. Angela Duckworth shares research on how we can become grittier, and help others do so too.
"Here’s what science has to say: passion for your work is a little bit of discovery, followed by a lot of development, and then a lifetime of deepening." —Angela Duckworth
Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a productivity book that helps you get more done by doing less. It teaches you to focus only on what’s really important and say no to things that distract you. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too many tasks, you'll learn how to prioritize and concentrate on what truly matters in your life and work.
"If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will." —Greg McKeown