100 Books Like Experimental Psychology Methods of Research

Deming showed me how to think about organizational performance improvement. I was moving from a clinical psychologist in private practice to an organizational psychologist helping companies develop change strategies. I had studied and loved statistical variation in the context of scientific research, but not in the context of addressing real-world challenges. 

But Deming does something very surprising. He starts by understanding variation and then moves on to understanding organizational culture. Not the theoretical frameworks we all know, but the work world from the view of the front-line employee. Deming’s insight is that the central challenge of culture change is understanding the view of people closest to the work, the ones who perform operations.

They are not motivated by slogans and lofty ideas but by producing great products and services. Taking pride in the work they are doing is central to performance; lost by management fads and enhanced by doing it… show more.

I love the development of knowledge, especially practical knowledge that can be applied directly to real-world challenges. It's rare in a lifetime to see something new and valuable, in familiar territory, but providing novel insights that apply directly to known challenges. Kahneman started a cognitive revolution with this book. 

He showed that estimation of probabilities are most often for most people; irrational. This flies in the face of previous economic theory, which holds that the economic actor behaves rationally. In actuality, the human mind does a poor job of estimating probabilities, and this is not limited to uneducated or low-functioning humans; it applies to scientists, professionals, and engineers. The particular ways this shows up are in the day-to-day decisions we all make, and our biases distort accurate estimation of probable outcomes. 

Thanks to Kahneman, the heuristics (cognitive shortcuts humans are likely to take) are in the day-to-day language of organizational… show more.

Psychology is easy to misunderstand. When I decided it was going to be my undergraduate major, it was because I wanted to understand how the mind worked, broadly, what makes people tick, and how they can be guided or helped when they get stuck or have problems. I assumed this knowledge existed and that majoring in psychology would reveal it to me. 

I was more than surprised when I attended my first psychology class. The professor sat cross-legged on top of a desk. He had long hair and a beard (unusual in 1963), and he spoke as if he had just taken a drug, which he likely had. He used profane language, the first time I had heard that word in a public place. He blathered for about 30 minutes, saying nothing of importance to the subject I was interested in. 

I stayed in the class and continued the major… show more.

Humor is often overlooked in organizational life, but it shouldn’t be, especially when the leader can laugh at themselves. Often, a genuine insight is facilitated by the realization of a failing or missed opportunity that is actually funny, if you can see it from the right perspective. It might be ‘OMG I just did it again’, or ‘did I really say that’, or ‘I didn’t see the funny part until later’. 

This little book is a classic in philosophy. It gives deep psychological insight into the nature of humor, what it is, and what purpose it serves. I love it for several reasons: it sheds light on a part of the human experience that is crucially important, but most often overlooked; it offers a different way of looking at leadership shortcomings, and it gives insight that applies to organizational life as well as human relationships in general. 

Appropriate humor in… show more.

Yes, this is a textbook, but if you are seeking a research design and methods text for psychology or a related discipline, this is easily my top choice.

There are lots of references to topical stories to keep everything relevant for students. There’s a truckload of valuable stuff online to support both teachers and learners. This fourth edition is right up-to-the-moment, Chapter 3 especially so, as it explains three types of scientific claims, and four types of validity that researchers should aim to achieve. That may sound forbidding, but Morling’s examples and explanations are pleasingly accessible.  

Himself a brilliant historian of emotion, Jan Plamper here surveys the field as a whole.  He notes some little-known predecessors to the Stearnses, and he devotes chapters to the contributions of anthropologists, the findings of psychologists, and modern historical approaches, methods, and theories. Always he “gets behind” the research to discover its underlying assumptions.This is a book packed with hard-won insights.

As a single woman who considers her dogs as family members, I felt an intense connection with the author of this book the moment I opened it. Similar to Knapp, I've gone through a lot in my life and have found myself turning to my dogs to help me make it through. The deep connection she forged with her rescue dog, Lucille, remined me of my own canine companions who consistently provide me with the unconditional love and sense of belonging that only a dog can provide. Her story reaffirmed for me the strong connection between humans and animals, showing how dogs, in particular, can fill our lives with purpose, comfort, and unwavering support.

What moved me about Caroline Knapp's book, "Pack of Two," was the way she shared her own personal journey of self-discovery and transformation. At 36 years old, Knapp faced immense challenges, including the loss of her… show more.

I was a professional couch-potato. I grew up with a clear choice: Use my head or use my feet. I ignored activity in my pursuit of more cerebral choices.

Despite the urgings of my loving family, the advice of others, and by-pass surgery, I continued my sedentary ways. It was only when I held my new grandson that I began to assess who I wanted to be as a role model.

Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge got me up off the couch and into activity. I have a better life because of their encouragement and detailed plans. 

You don’t have to be sedentary like me to appreciate this book. Turns out that you should do more as you run pel-mell into your senior years. Chris and Henry show you how you can step up your game.

This is the book that got me thinking about thought experiments. It really opened up my eyes to a whole new way of thinking – mainly by introducing me to the wonderfully playful, indeed modern style of writing that Galileo used to present his groundbreaking scientific theories – way back in seventeenth-century Italy!

Sorenson is a philosophy professor and goes on a bit, but his book was also groundbreaking in a way. My own books owe him a debt and for scholarly types, he also suggests a general theory "of" thought experiments: meaning what they are, how they work, and what is good - and bad - about them.

I found Young’s book to be tremendously helpful as I searched for films to use in my abnormal psychology courses. There are numerous recommendations for psychologically relevant films that my students found fascinating.

The book is relatively short, but it is scholarly and a quick read. Young is a clinical psychologist, and he draws on his professional background in recommending relevant films. I came away from this book with dozens of new ideas for films to use in the classroom.