Chapter 40: Further Reading

Where to Go Next

If this book sparked an interest in real psychology, here are the best next steps organized by what you want:

"I want to understand how to think critically about science"

  • Ritchie, S. (2020). Science Fictions. The replication crisis and how science self-corrects.
  • Sagan, C. (1995). The Demon-Haunted World. The classic guide to scientific thinking.
  • Goldacre, B. (2008). Bad Science. Evaluating health and psychology claims in the media.

"I want to learn the real science of psychology"

  • Stanovich, K. E. (2012). How to Think Straight About Psychology. Critical thinking methods applied to the field.
  • Lilienfeld, S. O., et al. (2010). 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology. Systematic debunking of common claims.
  • Pinker, S. (2002). The Blank Slate. The nature-nurture debate, carefully argued.

"I want evidence-based self-improvement"

  • Oettingen, G. (2014). Rethinking Positive Thinking. WOOP and mental contrasting.
  • Wood, W. (2019). Good Habits, Bad Habits. Evidence-based habit science.
  • Milkman, K. (2021). How to Change. Behavioral science applied to personal change.

"I want to understand relationships better"

  • Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Decades of longitudinal research.
  • Johnson, S. M. (2008). Hold Me Tight. Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples.

"I want to follow the science as it develops"

  • Google Scholar — search for meta-analyses and systematic reviews on any topic
  • The British Psychological Society's Research Digest — accessible summaries of new research
  • PsyPost.org — daily psychology research coverage (read with the toolkit!)
  • Retraction Watch — tracking corrections in science
  • Open Science Framework (osf.io) — pre-registered studies and open data

The Most Important Recommendation

If you remember nothing else from 40 chapters, remember the toolkit. And if you remember nothing from the toolkit, remember this:

Pause before accepting. Ask what the evidence actually shows. And be willing to update.

Everything else follows from that.