The 35 best books of Psychology that you can not miss

The Psychology It is a very interesting discipline since it provides information to understand the behavior of people.

Throughout the years, there are many books that have been published and that deal with this topic. Psychology books that, because of their enriching content, provide knowledge that can be applied in different areas of our lives.

• Recommended article: "21 books of Social Psychology of forced reading"

35 books on Psychology that you should read

If you are a psychologist or a psychology student, a good book is one of the best ways to learn and acquire new knowledge that allows you to develop a better professional work. On the other hand, if you simply want to know the reason for people's behavior, interpersonal relationships or know more about the functioning of the brain, personal development or psychological well-being, a good psychology book can help you understand things you did not understand .

In today's article, and so you can use your free time to learn more about this beautiful discipline, we have prepared a list of 35 great books on psychology that you should read. Let us begin!

1. Psychologically Speaking (Adrián Triglia, Bertrand Regader and Jonathan García-Allen)

Psychologically speaking is a book of psychology in whose creation I participated myself and that presents three of the characteristics that I value in the dissemination works: it covers a great variety of subjects within the discipline of psychology, uses a clear and enjoyable language, is structured so that the chapters follow a logical order and, in addition, it is not excessively long but neither too short.

It is a good bet for all those curious people who look for psychology books to start in this fascinating field of knowledge.

• Are you interested? Well you can get it or read more about it by clicking on this link.

2. The amazing truth about what motivates us (Daniel Pink)

This book focuses on what keeps us attentive and motivated in the workplace, and examines the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that maintain our productivity. In addition, he reviews the methods for both motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) that work best for workers. A text that has to occupy the shelf of your favorite books.

• You can buy it here.

3. A turtle, a hare and a mosquito. Psychology to go pulling (Nacho Coller)

Based on the latest scientific studies, Nacho Coller brings us closer to the world of resilience, empathy, motivation, happiness and suffering, the importance of sleep, love, couples and flirting, the world of work and therapy of Acceptance and Commitment (ACT). It does so by providing us with simple and effective tools with which to learn to face with more guarantees the swings that the mind and life pose to us every second, every minute and every day. Throughout the work we will find short stories, science, humor, psychology of everyday life and some autobiographical note in which the author explains the anxiety and his older sister the depression from his personal experience and professional experience.

A book that, as its title indicates, does not intend to formulate any "theory of everything" in relation to happiness, but approaching themes and reflections that we often overlook and that, in its simplicity, can help us a lot to better understand why it happens to us what happens to us and why we stumble so many times with the same stone.

• To read more about this work, you can click here.

4. The art of loving (Erich Fromm)

An authentic work of art written by the sociologist, psychologist and philosopher Erich Fromm. The author states: "Love is a decision, a judgment, a promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis to promise eternal love to someone. A feeling comes and goes. How can I decide that I will stay forever, if my actions do not include judgments and decision making? " A text that surely makes you think about love .

• Buy it here

5. The Human Magnet Syndrome: Why We Want Those Who Hurt Us

This book is about the force of magnetic attraction, invisible but powerful , which pushes codependents and narcissists towards a hypnotic relationship, which begins like a dream, but quickly disintegrates into a maddening nightmare. Codependents, patients and sacrificed, only know how to "dance" with a person whose personality type is opposite but highly compatible with theirs.

Similarly, narcissists, selfish and self-centered, are born to dance with codependents, whose personality type fits theirs.Despite the chemistry of this relationship, it is destined to become a painful sway of love, pain, hope and disappointment. Invariably, the "twin soul" of the codependent's dreams becomes the "cellmate" of his nightmares. With a fresh and innovative narrative, the author explores the traits, symptoms and origins of codependency and various disorders of emotional manipulation.

This is the first book in Spanish of the internationally renowned psychotherapist Ross Rosenberg, an expert in codependency, narcissism, traumas and addictions. All his work, theories and techniques, are based on his more than 30 years of professional experience and his own experience of codependent recovery.

• Buy it here

6. The art of choosing (Sheena Iyengar)

Making decisions is not always an easy task . This book explains how human beings make decisions and what influences, both external and internal, affect these decisions. A fantastic and pleasant reading by a great writer and researcher.

• Buy it in this link.

7. What is intelligence? From IQ to multiple intelligences (Adrián Triglia, Bertrand Regader and Jonathan García-Allen)

This is an essential volume to know the history of the concept of intelligence. How have philosophers and psychologists studied it? What is the IQ? What new currents propose the authors Howard Gardner or Daniel Goleman?

Hand in hand with the creators of Psychology and Mind, this book answers many of the questions you have always asked about this construct.

• You can buy it here.

8. Mindful Eating: The taste of attention (J. García Campayo, Héctor Morillo, Álba López and Marcelo Demarzo)

Mindfulness or Mindfulness is a practice widely used in Psychology , because scientific studies have shown that it is an excellent tool to improve the quality of life and well-being of people. But Mindfulness is not a technique, but rather an attitude towards life, a philosophy that allows one to be in the present moment and connect with oneself and the environment in a non-judgmental way. Adopting this mentality is key to learning to manage emotions, reactions and thoughts and to get to control them from the ability to be aware, freedom and compassion.

This work is a great option to get in touch with Mindfulness and its relationship with food, which is known as conscious feeding. Conscious feeding is the way to a healthy life, to our inner knowledge and the encounter with our own body and what we eat, which benefits our weight, provides a greater enjoyment of food and improves our health.

"Mindful Eating: The Taste of Attention" presents a program that takes into account the more traditional Mindfulness, Compassion Therapy and the main mindful eating programs developed so far. It is a practical book, which invites the reader to reflect and enter weekly work spaces with the aim of promoting a healthier and more satisfying lifestyle in relation to food and the perception that one has of their physical image.

• To read more about the author, click on this link.

9. The magical elixirs: How to stay healthy and fit, without bitter life (Michael Handel)

A book that tells us about happiness in its different facets: from psychology to health , from nutrition to life habits. Dr Michael Handel brings us this novelty in full 2017, in an exquisite proposal of Editions Uranus.

• You can buy it in this link.

10. Obedience to Authority (Stanley Milgram)

One of the best-known studies of social psychology is the one Stanley Milgram , a psychologist at Yale University who, in the year of 1961, carried out a series of experiments with the objective of measuring the willingness of a participant to obey the orders of an authority, even when these orders caused harm to another person and a conflict with their own value system.

• Buy it here
• If you want to know more about this study, you can read our article: "The Milgram Experiment: the danger of obedience to authority"

11. Anatomy of love (Helen Fisher)

Helen Fisher , an expert in the biology of love and attraction, reviews in his book "Anatomy of Love" the latest research from the point of view of neuroscience. Why do we like some people and not others? What is the function of the chemicals of love (for example, serotonin, dopamine, phenylethylamine or oxytocin)? You can find these answers and much more in this great book.

• We invite you to buy it by entering this link.
• If you find this topic interesting, you may want to read our article: "The chemistry of love: a very powerful drug"

12. Psychology of Sports Training (José Maria Buceta)

If you are interested in sports psychology, this text is sure to please you.The author organizes and analyzes the psychological bases of sports training, and provides the necessary strategies for both coaches and sports psychologists. A useful theoretical-practical manual.

• Buy it here.

13. Think Fast, Think Slowly (Daniel Kahneman)

Daniel Kahneman takes readers through an innovative journey and allows them to participate in a lively reflection on how we think. Kahneman explains when we can and can not trust our intuitions and how we can take advantage of the benefits of reflective thinking. The text offers a practical and enlightening vision of how decisions are made, both in our business and in our personal lives.

• You can buy it here.

14. Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman)

What benefits does emotional intelligence bring to people? From the point of view of psychology and neuroscience, Dr. Daniel Goleman , an expert in brain and behavioral sciences, explains the skills necessary to achieve satisfaction in life, understanding that emotional intelligence can determine success in interpersonal relationships and work and can affect well-being in general. Goleman explains how it is possible to improve this type of intelligence.

• You can buy this work, here.

15. The error of Descartes (Antonio Damasio)

Since Descartes proclaimed the famous phrase, "I think, therefore I am," science has overlooked the influence of emotions in decision making . Even modern neuroscience has focused on the cognitive aspects of the brain, leaving emotions aside.

This began to change with the publication of this book of Antonio Damasio , in which the author takes the reader on a trip in which he discovers, thanks to different cases, the importance of emotions in social behavior and even in reasoning.

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16. The power of habits (Charles Duhigg)

This is a text that deals with how to achieve emotional balance and mental wellbeing through the fulfillment of a series of habits that we can perform our day to day. How we communicate, the lifestyle we lead, how we organize our work, among other daily choices we make, determine our good mental health. This book shows multiple researches and interviews conducted both in the academic and business world, and exposes both psychological and neurological findings, so that the reader can transform their personal, work and social life.

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17. What the brain tells us: The mysteries of the naked human mind (V.S. Ramachandran)

Ramachandran , a neurologist and researcher at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) worldwide known for his studies on the phantom limb, reviews recent discoveries about the human brain and answers questions such as: Why are there more creative individuals than others? What is the best treatment for people with autism? A great text that does not disappoint readers.

• Buy it in this link.
• If you want to know more about the great work of Ramachandran, I invite you to read our article: "The ghost member and the mirror box therapy"

18. How the mind works (Steven Pinker)

An extraordinary book and a "best seller", written by Steven Pinker , one of the most important cognitive scientists in the world. It explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy art, and reflect on the mysteries of life.

19. The Lucifer Effect: the why of evil (Philip Zimbardo)

This book focuses on the research and discoveries of the legendary Stanford prison experiment, which he conducted Philip Zimbardo . The text explains in detail everything that happened and provides many details of his great work as a scientist. Review the influence of roles in the behavior of individuals, and how human beings are able to do things we never imagined we could do.

• Buy it here
• You can read more about this experiment in our post: "The Stanford Prison Experiment of Philip Zimbardo"

20. 50 classics of Psychology (Tom Butler-Bowdon)

An entertaining and instructive book that reviews more than one hundred years of contributions to psychology, exploring the most important ideas and writings of the different authors (Sigmund Freud, Maslow, Piaget, Pavlov, Skinner, etc.). An indispensable book for any psychologist or student of psychology.

• You can buy it here.

21. Psychology of development: childhood and adolescence (David R. Shaffer)

Learning development psychology becomes easy thanks to this great book. Written in clear and concise language, this text presents the most important theories and research of this branch of psychology , with special attention to the possible application of its content.

• Buy it here

22. 7 habits of highly effective people (Stephen R. Covey)

What habits help people to be more successful? This book reviews the customs that make individuals more efficient in their day to day. An essential text in the business world.

• You can buy it here.
• In one of our articles we summarize the different points of this book: "The 7 habits of really effective people"

23. The tricks of the mind (S. L. Macknik, S. Martinez-Conde and S. Blakeslee)

The authors of this text have convinced some of the world's best magicians to allow scientists to study their techniques to trick the brain, which is known as neuromagia. This book is the result of a year of exploration of the magic world and the way in which its principles are applied to our behavior . A different and really interesting book.

• You can get him, here.

24. The Traps of Desire (Dan Ariely)

Dan Ariely is one of the leaders in the study and dissemination of the irrational aspect of the human being . In this book, we are presented with a way of seeing impulses and unconscious tendencies from the point of view of cognitive sciences, leaving behind the theories of psychoanalysis.

• If you are interested, you can purchase the book by clicking here.

25. The man who confused his wife with a hat (Oliver Sacks)

Oliver Sacks was one of the neurologists and science disseminators, and this work is an excellent way to get into his writing, as fascinating as it is accessible to all kinds of readers. The book is about stories of people with neurological failures , the way in which they lived their lives and the lessons that can be drawn from their life stories.

• If you are interested, you can click here.

26. The clean slate (Steven Pinker)

Another work by Steven Pinker, and also one of the references of current psychology.

In its pages, Pinker examines what he considers to be myths about the way we learn about our environment and the way in which society changes us. In particular, it defends the position that there are in us innate propensities that significantly affect the way we act and perceive things. It is one of the most relevant psychology books because it faces deeply philosophical issues.

• You can buy this psychology book here.

27. Instinctive decisions: the science of the unconscious (Gerd Gigerenzer)

The German psychologist Gigerenzer is an expert in the study of human irrationality and the use of heuristics, and in this book it offers us a panoramic vision about what is known about the mental shortcuts that we make frequently, without realizing it, when making decisions.

• If you are interested, you can buy this book here.

28. Why we lie ... especially ourselves (Dan Ariely)

Another of Dan Ariely's best-known psychology books. In this case, Ariely explores our tendencies when it comes to living and living with lying piggyback . Many of the conclusions reached in the studies that are discussed in this book are surprising.

• You can buy this book here.

29. Social Animal (Elliot Aronson)

One of the great books on social psychology and one of the best sellers. The author, with a simple, systematic and enjoyable prose, goes through the science of social psychology through several chapters illustrated with examples and social experiments . This book becomes a recommended reading for any psychologist or psychology student.

• You can buy it here.

30. Psychology: a concise introduction (Richard A. Griggs)

Maybe this title do not have the privilege of having been edited in Spanish , but not for it is less interesting. It is an introductory book to psychology in which several of the most relevant topics in this field are excellently summarized. In fact, it can be used as a textbook.

• You will find more information about this psychology book by clicking here.

31. Introduction to psychology (George A. Miller)

One of the best-known psychology books for students, and no wonder. Its author is nothing less than one of the fathers of the Cognitive Revolution along with other researchers like Jerome Bruner. Although it has been somewhat outdated, is a good start to learn to understand what this science.

• If you are interested, you can read more about him here.

32. The secret life of the mind (Mario Sigman)

Technically it is not so much a book of psychology as one of neurosciences, but ultimately the latter are a field of study closely related to the first and, in fact, both domains overlap on many occasions. Understanding how the brain and nervous system works (what we call "mind") is fundamental for psychologists.

• Find out more about this title on this page.

33. 50 great myths of popular psychology (S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, J. Ruscio and B. Beyerstein)

To understand what psychology is, a good start is understand what is not . This book does a fantastic job showing several of the most common myths attributed to psychology and to the research that has been done (or has not been carried out) in its midst.

• To learn more about this title, access this page.

34. Influence (Robert Cialdini)

An authentic classic of the psychology of persuasion . The work of Robert Cialdini deserves all the recognition he has had with this text, because his work is not only easy to follow thanks to his excellent examples, but Cialdini has taken his time to make it possible for the reader to find it easy to understand even the most complex concepts. A totally practical book.

• You can buy it by entering this link.

35. How a consumer is manipulated (Martin Lindstrom)

One of the best psychology books dedicated to the phenomenon of the use of advertising and marketing to manipulate people's behavior. After all, a good part of the behavior of current consumers is how it is because big brands are betting on influencing their way of thinking and their daily habits based on initiatives.

It is a work that leaves no one indifferent , since it mixes the explanations with explicit accusations.

• If you are interested, you can read more about it by clicking here.

More literature on the networks!

If you are interested in continuing to read comments on books and seeing recommendations, you can also enter the Facebook group "Friends of Art and Literature in Spain" (you can click on the link to access it), a place to exchange opinions about all kinds of literary works.

13 PSYCHOLOGICAL TRICKS THAT WILL HELP YOU READ PEOPLE LIKE OPEN BOOKS (April 2024).