Why are we the way we are' For over a hundred years psychologists have been conducting scientific experiments to find out. The Rough Guide to Psychologystarts with you, your mind and brain, broadens out to your friends and other relationships, then onto crowds, mobs and religion. There are also sections on real-life psychology, showing how the latest research is relevant to crime, schooling, sports, politics, shopping, and health. There are opportunities to test your own memory, intelligence, personality, and much more, as well as advice on everything from pick-up lines to creativity.

This book takes a fresh look at the classic cases and studies, from Phineas Gage to Milgram, and combines this with a cutting-edge round-up of the latest research. The last section deals with what happens when the mind falters, covering depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, as well as more unusual conditions. Care is taken throughout to ensure conclusions are tied to the latest high quality psychological science.