Nicky Hayes, author of Teach Yourself Psychology, returns with a follow-up book, this time investigating how the science of the mind is put to use in everyday practice. How is psychology used in our lives? In the fields of sports, commerce and the environment, what benefits can psychological knowledge provide? What does a clinical psychologist do? All these questions and more are answered in this book.
I read Teach Yourself Psychology back in 2012, perhaps, and it was a game-changer: it answered a lot of questions about memory, and about attitude and motivation, areas in which I’d had problems most of my life. It also kick-started a passion for psychology literature, and I made a mental note at that time to read the recommended follow-up book. It’s taken nearly a decade, but I got around to it.
Every chapter is full of fascinating studies, recently performed, and great anecdotes from medical and police records. One of the most interesting points made relates to anger. We’re advised that distraction techniques can quell angry thoughts when they start to take over. In particular, Hayes recommends book reading as that method. Well, why do you think I’ve been doing these reading projects during lockdown? It’s working so far… I have again made a list of key points on my phone for future use… some time in March, I expect.
