Psychology 101

Adrian Furnham is the author of 50 IDEAS YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW: PSYCHOLOGY published by Quercus in 2008. His new book, PSYCHOLOGY 101, expands on that knowledge, expounding the latest theories and effectively summarising their key points.

In each of the 101 articles, Furnham unfastens the complex knot of the human mind and its vast phenomena. Perfect for dipping into at random and getting hooked on a new topic – with a list of salient references at the end of each section for further reading. Curiosity can welcomely be shared with family and friends too, since there’s plenty of collaborative opportunities with this book: Furnham devotes a good portion of it to the study of personalities and how we might best interact with each other in relationships. Note, do not just rely on common sense – that’s too often the stance of the ignorant.

The book should, in turn, inspire empathy in the reader, who will be more vigilant of another’s feelings – what is termed mental health literacy (MHL) – and therefore more emotionally intelligent (EQ). Such MHL will have a very real effect on your outlook in life, a necessary step for taking more responsibility for how other people are feeling. Not that Furnham sets out with a mission to change people. But he does realise that our education of psychology is vital to our understanding of each other, and he thus presents a thoroughly well-researched and entertaining ‘textbook’. The result should be that we, the ordinary non-academic reader, get closer to that empathy which the therapist no doubt has for their patient.

It’s not a recommendation to go out and label your friends, however. No science is complete, including social sciences. It is not a dogmatic creed either, and certain profiles should be applied to each other with sensitivity and caution. In many cases, observation of the facts of human behaviour are still open to endless interpretation. Furnham is simply laying those facts that we do know bare. Undoubtedly, he has chosen which facts as most important, meaning the knowledgeable reader may differ in opinion where I cannot. Needless to say, the book succeeds in authoritatively displaying the tried and tested theories. This is Psychology 101.

P.S. In an article on psychological myths debunked, Furnham reveals that playing Mozart to your baby will not prematurely boost their intelligence. Sorry …

A few years ago I read Adrian Furnham's book Psychology: 50 Ideas You Really Need to Know It remains on my bookshelf and is used as a reference book if I want a quick refresher about a certain theory or idea.

So I looked forward to reading this. And I wasn't disappointed. It's well written, easy to read, and engaging.

For people who have an interest in psychology but no previous knowledge, this book is understandable and will open your eyes on subjects that we often personally view as "common sense". For readers who are familiar with the subject, it covers a wide range of topics, many not in the 50 Psychology Ideas book, or explored in a different way.

Reading this book is a good way of learning how the study of psychology can be applied to everyday life, exploring ideas on alcoholism, lying, money, morality, office politics, persuasion, queuing, tipping, tolerance and many more.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in psychology and understanding human behaviour..
This is another book that will remain on my bookshelf (albeit my virtual one, as I have a kindle copy!) for years to come.