
Title:
How do we know ourselves? : curiosities and marvels of the human mind
Author:
Edition:
First edition.
Publication Date:
2022
Publication Information:
New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022.
©2022
Physical Description:
xii, 253 pages ; 22 cm
ISBN:
9780374601959
Abstract:
Over the past three decades, millions of students have learned about psychology from textbooks by David G. Myers. To create these books and to satisfy his own endless curiosity about the human mind, Myers monitors the leading journals to discover the most extraordinary new developments in psychological science. How Do We Know Ourselves? is a compendium of the most wondrous verities that Myers has found: a thought-provoking book about psychological science’s insights into our everyday lives. His astute observations and sharp-witted wisdom enable readers to think smarter and live happier. -- adapted from jacket
Contents:
Preface -- Part I: Who am I? Implicit egoism ; The amazing power of attention ; There is more to hearing that meets the ears ; How do we know ourselves? ; Dual processing: one brain, two minds? ; Making New Year's resolutions that last ; The powers and perils of intuition ; Fearing the right things ; We knew it all along ; Judging other and judging ourselves ; Behavioral confirmation: getting what we expect ; How do I love me? Let me count the ways -- Part II: Who are we? The science of humility ; When birth order matters ; Cardiac arrest and the conscious experience of death ; Do people repress--or vividly remember--traumatic events? ; When fear of losing steals our chances of winning ; How we polarize, and what we can do about it ; Our differences seize our attention, define our identity, and sometimes deceive us ; The psychology of division ; The social psychology of dissent ; The overconfidence phenomenon ; Why is everyone else having more fun? ; Social facilitation: the energizing presence of others ; The happy science of micro-friendships ; How to make and sustain friendships ; Narcissism: the grandiose self -- Part III: What in the world? How nature and nurture form us ; The wonder of walking (and singing): synchronized spirits ; Wise interventions can change lives ; Failure and flourishing ; Death is terrifying to contemplate, except for those who are dying ; Do places with more immigrants exhibit greater acceptance or greater fear of immigrants? ; Implicit bias is real. Can training programs decrease it? ; How politics changes politicians ; The power of confirmation bias and the credibility of belief ; Friends versus phones ; Wealth, well-being, and generosity ; The mere exposure effect: familiarity breeds content ; Do replication failures discredit psychological science?
Language:
English