Psy-Q: A Mind-Bending Miscellany Of Everyday Psychology

(Paperback, Main)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Psychology is everywhere. Our emotions and desires, the decisions we make on a daily basis - absolutely every aspect of the way we think and feel has been studied by psychologists. Through dozens of interactive puzzles, IQ tests, quizzes, jokes, puns and visual illusions, Ben Ambridge guides us through this wealth of research, showing us how we can better understand ourselves.

Debunking tabloid speculation, revisiting old favourites such as the Stanford Prison Experiment and unearthing leading edge research unknown to the general reader, renowned psychologist Ben Ambridge blows away the received wisdom to reveal to enthusiasts and novices alike the psychology behind our daily lives.

With wit and humour aplenty, he explains whether your blue eyes make you more or less trustworthy, how analogies can help cure cancer, whether Rorschach's famous inkblot tests really work, what your love for heavy metal (or Mozart) says about you, how psychology could help solve the obesity crisis and countless other revealing, entertaining and downright astonishing tests of your Psy-Q. Visit Ben's accompanying website, http://benambridge.wordpress.com/, and test yourself - and your friends.

Reviews

Both broad and deep, serious but lots of fun. Recommended -- Tim Harford, author of * The Undercover Economist *
A clear and engaging explanation of many psychological phenomena you've vaguely heard of, and many more you'll be glad to learn about -- Steven Pinker
Clever, broad-minded and fun * Sunday Times *
He has a trickster's charm of "How did he do that" presentation and a stage magician's "Hey presto!" delight in revelation * Times *
For all its easy-peasy, playful, tick-in-the-box larkiness, Psy-Q makes some very interesting points about the counter-intuitive nature of human psychology, and has a fresh and often iconoclastic take on even the most celebrated experiments -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *
A cornucopia of brain-teasers and other (psycho)logical delights that will challenge, surprise and amuse -- Guy Deutscher, author of 'Through the Language Glass'
A readable, accessible and un-putdownable book that I managed to devour in an entire afternoon * The Bookbag *
As I completed what Ambridge calls my "psych-odyssey", I did have a better understanding of myself * BBC Focus *
A playful insight into the world of the human mind...Once finished with, it makes for great fun to turn psychologist and test friends and family and watch them sweat while you raise a brow uncomfortably * Irish Examiner *

Author Bio

Ben Ambridge is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Liverpool. His article 'Why Can't We Talk to the Animals' was shortlisted for the 2012 Guardian-Wellcome Science Writing Prize. Psy-Q is his first book for a general audience.