Psychology wider reading

Thinking, fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman
The psychopath test- Jon Ronson
The better angels of our nature- Steven Pinker
Snakes in Suits- Paul Babiak and Robert Hare
The Lucifer effect- Philip Zimbardo
Blink- Malcom Gladwell
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacks
How the mind works - Steven Pinker

Enjoy! And best wishes for whatever you choose to do in the future x

Some fiction choices, too, that have brilliant storylines and characters that can be both enjoyed and analysed at a psychological level:
Sharp objects- Gillian Flynn
Gone girl- Gillian Flynn
Dark Places- Gillian Flynn (she’s pretty great haha)
The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime - Mark Haddon
The perks of being a wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
The wasp factory - Iain Banks
The bell jar - Sylvia Plath

Of course, there are plenty more that can be found with a quick google search, but these are my personal recommendations

Thinking, fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman
The psychopath test- Jon Ronson
The better angels of our nature- Steven Pinker
Snakes in Suits- Paul Babiak and Robert Hare
The Lucifer effect- Philip Zimbardo
Blink- Malcom Gladwell
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacks
How the mind works - Steven Pinker

Enjoy! And best wishes for whatever you choose to do in the future x

My lecturer at uni is a forensic psychologist and has conducted a lot of research on psychopathy, and strongly advised against The Psychopath Test. It’s basically full of cliches and has very little basis in actual research. In short, it’s bull shite.


OP, what sort of wider reading do you mean? Do you mean reading that relates to your A-level in order to better your marks, or wider reading for enjoyment?

My lecturer at uni is a forensic psychologist and has conducted a lot of research on psychopathy, and strongly advised against The Psychopath Test. It’s basically full of cliches and has very little basis in actual research. In short, it’s bull shite.

I have heard this view before, but honestly I think it’s much more important to read a wide range of material, evaluate the ideas presented, and come to your own conclusions. It’s one of the most crucial skills for being a psychologist. Reading a text does not by any means equate to believing its views at face value - enrich yourself in understanding opposing beliefs, then craft your own conclusions.