Psychology - by Andrea Bonior (Paperback)

About the Book

Bridging the gap between the theoretical and real-life, Bonior looks at the biggest names, ideas, and studies in the history of psychology and translates their meaning to everyday situations and relationships.

Book Synopsis

An easy-to-understand exploration of what psychology is and why it matters.

Why is eyewitness testimony sometimes misleading? How does evolution explain what qualities people seek in online dating partners? These questions and many more are addressed in a convincing, thorough, and funny overview of why we are the way we are.

--Dave Haaga, Ph.D., Department Chair and Professor of Psychology, American University

Why do we do the things we do, think the thoughts we think, and feel the ways that we feel? Dr. Andrea Bonior has spent more than fifteen years in the field of psychology helping people discover "what makes them tick?" In her clinical practice, as well as various mental health agencies and counseling centers, she draws upon sound psychological principles to address anxiety disorders and depression, relationship issues, grief and loss, and other issues. As a mental health columnist and public speaker, Dr. Bonior encourages people to fuel their energy by connecting with themselves and cultivating the relationships around them.

Psychology bridges the gap between the theoretical and real-life, creating a space where you can explore how you and others fit into it all. Dr. Bonior looks at the biggest names, ideas, and studies in the history of psychology and translates their meaning to everyday situations and relationships. Both accessible and applicable, this reference book offers a foundational understanding of the study of the mind, as well as compelling insight into your own thoughts and behaviors.

Dr. Bonior covers the major fields of psychological study, including:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Behavioral Psychology
• Psychoanalytical Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Review Quotes

"Much of my work is steeped in psychology and this book is to soon have dog-eared pages in my library! Understanding the big ideas of profound thinkers is made fun and easy. This will be a resource I recommend to others as I continue to seek out ways of helping people better understand themselves and each other."
--Shasta Nelson, author of Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness

"This book is an easy-to-digest, visually appealing, and witty resource that has carved out its own little place on my bookshelf. My favorite aspect of this resource is that it is unifying, tying seemingly disparate schools of thought together in a concise, well-organized manner."
--Marni Amsellem, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, writer, and consultant

"Written in crisp prose and peppered with pop cultural references, Psychology: Essential Thinkers, Classic Theories, and How They Inform Your World achieves impressive breadth without ever sacrificing depth or clarity; eye-catching graphics and a snappy layout lend color and immediacy to an already compelling read. A thoroughly entertaining journey through the history of our attempts to answer the question: what makes people tick?"
--Dr. Craig Malkin, Lecturer, Harvard Medical School and author of the internationally acclaimed, Rethinking Narcissism

At NYU in 1970, there were no courses in journalism, but I ran the daily newspaper, which was a full time job, meaning I had to choose a major where you could get A's without attending classes or doing a lot of work. It turns out that was psychology. So I was a psychology major. I learned nothing about psychology, and because of that, I have always secretly considered myself a fraud. Then I read Andrea Bonior's book. I am a psychologist now, and a completed man.
--Gene Weingarten, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and nationally syndicated humor columnist

Bonior's latest book is a fresh and relatable primer that explains the basics of psychology, and how our everyday behaviors can be understood in the context of classic psychological theories and phenomena. This fun and practical book will leave readers with a new lens through which to view themselves and others.--Dr. Samantha Rodman, founder of DrPsychMom.com and author of How to Talk To Your Kids About Your Divorce and 52 Emails To Transform Your Marriage.

Clinicians and students will find this book well written and well organized, both as a quick refresher and reliable reference. Lay readers interested in human behavior will come away with a better understanding of the applications of these seminal theories to their everyday lives and relationships. --Irene S. Levine, Ph.D., psychologist, author and clinical professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine

Dr. Bonior applies her scholarly eye and trademark wit to the daunting task of boiling down hundreds of years of research and theorizing on human behavior into concise, readable summaries of key concepts and influential experiments. The reader will come away with a clear understanding of the major figures in psychology and the essentials of their work. Better still, the applicability of these ideas to current events and our own daily lives emerges in each chapter. --Dave Haaga, Ph.D., Department Chair and Professor of Psychology, American University

Rare is the book that successfully distills centuries of psychological experiment and theory into a form so educational, accessible and enjoyable. In tracing the history of psychology through the seminal contributions of its great masters, Bonior skillfully imparts why their work matters to us both as students of psychology and, more broadly, as human beings. --Matthew N. Goldenberg, M.D., MSc, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine

About the Author

DR. ANDREA BONIOR is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor, columnist, and author. Thousands of people are familiar with her column "Baggage Check," which she has written for The Washington Post Express for more than ten years. She's a frequent contributor to various popular media outlets, such as NPR, Forbes, The New York Times, HLN, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, Jezebel.com, U.S. News and World Report, Real Simple, Cosmopolitan, USA Today, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Glamour, Self, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Seventeen. Dr. Bonior received her B.A. in psychology from Yale University and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at American University, with post-doctoral work at George Washington University. She maintains a clinical practice, and serves on the faculty of Georgetown University. Find out more at www.drandreabonior.com/.