"Psychology has a long past, but only a short history."
Herman Ebbinghaus

Our brains have existed since the beginning of time. However, understanding why we think and act a certain way is still a work in progress.

For years, mental health was stigmatised and wasn't explored or understood. And, although talking about mental issues and psychology has become more prevalent, there's still a long way to go. How's that? Since the human brain is so complex, there's a lot we don't know.

Nonetheless, to fearlessly move forward in the sector of psychology, individuals around the world are studying and researching psychology at a university level. The books, research papers, and online resources such as blogs and trusted websites help students and other interested ones comprehend psychology principles more extensively.

So, without further ado, in today's article, we shall consult the best psychology books and tools available to all persons in the UK.

Find out about the best psychology tutor here.

The best Psychology tutors available
Robert
5
5 (32 reviews)
Robert
£99
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Michael
5
5 (44 reviews)
Michael
£40
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (66 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Nicole
5
5 (50 reviews)
Nicole
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr madara
5
5 (41 reviews)
Dr madara
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Peter
5
5 (23 reviews)
Peter
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr sophie
5
5 (15 reviews)
Dr sophie
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr christina
5
5 (23 reviews)
Dr christina
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Robert
5
5 (32 reviews)
Robert
£99
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Michael
5
5 (44 reviews)
Michael
£40
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (66 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Nicole
5
5 (50 reviews)
Nicole
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr madara
5
5 (41 reviews)
Dr madara
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Peter
5
5 (23 reviews)
Peter
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr sophie
5
5 (15 reviews)
Dr sophie
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr christina
5
5 (23 reviews)
Dr christina
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

What are the Best Psychology Books?

books and research papers
Finding a few psychology books that are well-reviewed will greatly help your learning journey. (Source: Unsplash)

Do you like to read? If you had more spare time, would you spend it reading? If so, you're alike many bookworms across the United Kingdom that have a passion for reading.

Since the reading of books remains the primary method of teaching, there are thousands of books available that cover multiple topics and disciplines. 

Therefore, it goes without saying that there are plenty of books on psychology for BSc or MSc students at university, curious learners, and working psychologists. But, what are the best psychology books? Let's take a look at five of the best psychology books of all time.

Influence: Science and Practice

Regarded by many as the best psychology book ever written, Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini is the go-to book for the psychology of persuasion.

It's easy to understand and features plenty of examples that psychology students can quickly comprehend.

Cialdini mastered the art of psychology behind marketing to give us one of the most acclaimed books of all time. Readers will enjoy core principles of persuasion psychology such as the drivers of reciprocation, consistency, authority and scarcity.

Thinking Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman's magnum opus, Thinking Fast and Slow is informative and an extremely interesting take on behavioural psychology. Kahneman is a Nobel Prize winner and, throughout his book, he helps us to better understand the mind and why we act a certain way and make specific decisions.

Kahneman easily helps us understand our thought process by categorising it into two sections: system one and system two. 

Ever wonder how our behaviour is negatively affected? Daniel Kahneman's book helps us to see how our decisions make us go down wrong pathways.

The Social Animal

Are you struggling to understand yourself socially and why you do certain things? No need to worry, there's a book for that! Elliot Aronson's book, The Social Animal has been credited as being one of the most outstanding books of all time that comments on social psychology.

Aronson fills his book with plenty of examples and illustrations that deal with the following topics of social psychology:

  • Conformity,
  • Obedience,
  • Race relations,
  • Attraction,
  • Advertising. 

If you want to improve your knowledge of social psychology, The Social Animal is the right book for you!

Dark Dreams

Roy Hazelwood worked for years with the FBI's Behavioural Science Unit to permit law enforcement agencies to create psychological profiles of those who commit the most heinous of crimes. Hazelwood's book, Dark Dreams, has become a noteworthy read for persons interested in criminal psychology.

Dark Dreams is among the best forensic psychology books since it helps students and interested ones review real-life cases of perverse individuals who committed sexual crimes. Hazelwood offers the reader an analysis of psychological profiles.

The Champion's Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

By skillfully explaining to most of us that raw talent isn't enough to become the best athlete in your domain, Jim Afremow's book, The Champion's Mind is a must-read for all individuals learning about sports psychology.

Afremow provides readers with some helpful tips and suggestions on how to get and stay in the game, how to work as a team, and how to effectively train and stay disciplined. Truthfully, The Champion's Mind is not only a book for sports psychologists but also for athletes who are looking to improve their game.

If you haven't found any of our recommended sports psychology books, forensic psychology books, criminal psychology books, social psychology books, or general psychology books at your local bookshop, you'll be happy to know that they're all available on Amazon.

Before concluding this section, it's worth stating that all of the previously mentioned books about psychology are guaranteed to guide you in the right direction.

What Psychology Tools Are Available to Students?

websites and blogs online
There are plenty of websites and blogs online that focus on helping psychology students reach their potential. (Source: Unsplash)

Thanks to the internet, the learning resources we now have are much more diverse and readily available than ever before. Therefore, it's easier to find articles about specific psychology concepts that help improve a person's mental health and awareness of the human brain.

But, with so many websites and blogs on the internet, many people may ask themselves, what are the best online resources in psychology? Let's take a look at two highly recommended sites.

Psychology Today

Available for North American, European, and Asian readers, Psychology Today has millions of people visiting the site every month. Visitors to Psychology Today read the well-written articles from the magazine and also use the site as a resource to find therapy or counselling near their place of residence.

It's worth stating that there are instructive articles that touch on the following psychology subjects:

  • Mental Health, 
  • Personality, 
  • Personal Growth, 
  • Relationships,
  • Family Life. 

There are many subtopics available on the website that deal with the previously mentioned subjects of psychology. Psychology Today is a brilliant source for students of psychology degree programs or curious adult learners.

PsyBlog

Available to follow on Twitter and Facebook, PsyBlog is a brilliant online resource that connects readers with plenty of psychology blogs that deal with subjects such as the following:

  • These Activities An Upward Spiral of Joy, 
  • Ask These Questions to Lower Depression and Anxiety,
  • A Strange Cure for Lack of Sleep, 
  • 3 Personality Traits Linked to High IQ, 
  • 5 Warning Signs of a Toxic Personality, 
  • The Everyday Activities that Boost Mental Health.

Readers of the PsyBlog can create an account and log in to receive personalised information on various topics of psychology. Additionally, you can find articles organised by categories.

While there are plenty of online resources tailored to help psychology students supplement their knowledge, the previously mentioned sites are a great start.

Is it Worth Hiring a Psychology Tutor?

online classes
One of the best "psychology resources" is a private tutor that conducts both in-person and online lessons. (Source: Unsplash)

Along with the right books and the carefully chosen online resources, there is something else that complements the experience of learning psychology. What might that be? A private psychology teacher.

Private psychology instructors are available in tutoring communities throughout the UK and they are a brilliant idea for psych students for the following motives:

  • Personalised Lessons: whether you're learning the concepts of psychology for your degree program or for pleasure, private psychology instructors plan their lessons with you in mind. They are able to adapt their teaching methods to your learning style and goals. With a personal psych tutor, you won't learn anything you don't want to!
  • Brilliant Tips and Tricks: since they are experts in their domain, psychology tutor provide their students with the best suggestions and learning tricks that they won't access anywhere else!

While the previously mentioned reasons are convincing, there's a question that arises: where can I find psychology tutors nearby? The answer is always Superprof!

With more than 19 million professional tutors worldwide teaching 1000+ topics of interest, Superprof is a leader in online tutoring and e-learning. According to our site, there are currently more than 1500 tutors throughout the UK that have experience teaching psychology.

We highly recommend taking a look at the tutor's profile to see whether they are a good fit for you and whether they have accreditations and experience teaching the sector of psychology you wish to learn more about. 

But, why choose Superprof? The list below features five bulletproof reasons explaining why Superprof is the best learning community in the UK:

  • The vast variety of tutors to choose from, 
  • The ability to learn psychology either in-person or online, 
  • The brilliant tutor/student support staff, 
  • The easy-to-use lesson booking software, 
  • The affordable prices of private tuition. 

Also, if you weren't already sold, it's worth highlighting that first-time users of Superprof get the initial lesson with their tutor for free!

In conclusion, we sincerely hope that our recommendations of the best psychology books and online resources will aid your learning process of the human brain and how it behaves. Happy learning!

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

5.00 (1 rating(s))
Loading...

Brentyn Herda

Avid movie-goer, reader, skier and language learner. Passionate about life, food and travelling.