Maria Konnikova

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Rhode Island

How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win

The New York Times bestseller! A New York Times Notable Book “The tale of how Konnikova followed a story about poker players and wound up becoming a story herself will have you riveted, first as you learn about her big winnings, and then as she conveys the lessons she learned both about human nature and herself.” —The Washington Post It's true that Maria Konnikova had never actually played poker before and didn't even know the rules when she approached Erik Seidel, Poker Hall of Fame inductee and winner of tens of millions of dollars in earnings, and convinced him to be her mentor. But she knew her man: a famously thoughtful and broad-minded player, he was intrigued by her pitch that she wasn't interested in making money so much as learning about life. She had faced a stretch of personal bad luck, and her reflections on the role of chance had led her to a giant of game theory, who pointed her to poker as the ultimate master class in learning to distinguish between what can be controlled and what can't. And she certainly brought something to the table, including a Ph.D. in psychology and an acclaimed and growing body of work on human behavior and how to hack it. So Seidel was in, and soon she was down the rabbit hole with him, into the wild, fiercely competitive, overwhelmingly masculine world of high-stakes Texas Hold'em, their initial end point the following year's World Series of Poker. But then something extraordinary happened. Under Seidel's guidance, Konnikova did have many epiphanies about life that derived from her new pursuit, including how to better read, not just her opponents but far more importantly herself; how to identify what tilted her into an emotional state that got in the way of good decisions; and how to get to a place where she could accept luck for what it was, and what it wasn't. But she also began to win. And win. In a little over a year, she began making earnest money from tournaments, ultimately totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. She won a major title, got a sponsor, and got used to being on television, and to headlines like "How one writer's book deal turned her into a professional poker player." She even learned to like Las Vegas. But in the end, Maria Konnikova is a writer and student of human behavior, and ultimately the point was to render her incredible journey into a container for its invaluable lessons. The biggest bluff of all, she learned, is that skill is enough. Bad cards will come our way, but keeping our focus on how we play them and not on the outcome will keep us moving through many a dark patch, until the luck once again breaks our way.

The Biggest Bluff

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Thomas Erikson

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Louisiana

The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life)

Do you ever think you're the only one making any sense? Or tried to reason with your partner with disastrous results? Do long, rambling answers drive you crazy? Or does your colleague's abrasive manner rub you the wrong way?

You are not alone. After a disastrous meeting with a highly successful entrepreneur, who was genuinely convinced he was 'surrounded by idiots', communication expert and bestselling author, Thomas Erikson dedicated himself to understanding how people function and why we often struggle to connect with certain types of people.

Surrounded by Idiots is an international phenomenon, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It offers a simple, yet ground-breaking method for assessing the personalities of people we communicate with - in and out of the office - based on four personality types (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow), and provides insights into how we can adjust the way we speak and share information.

Erikson will help you understand yourself better, hone communication and social skills, handle conflict with confidence, improve dynamics with your boss and team, and get the best out of the people you deal with and manage. He also shares simple tricks on body language, improving written communication, advice on when to back away or when to push on, and when to speak up or shut up. Packed with 'aha!' and 'oh no!' moments, Surrounded by Idiots will help you understand and communicate with those around you, even people you currently think are beyond all comprehension.

And with a bit of luck you can also be confident that the idiot out there isn't you!

Surrounded by Idiots

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#primate #psychology #intelligence #humanbehavior

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

North Carolina

The Evolutionary Origins of Intelligence

This text describes how human ancestors reached the point in cognitive evolution from which the evolution of modern humans was possible. Rather than speculating about the mental abilities of fossil hominids, on the basis of modern human psychology, the author explores earlier phases of evolution, with the more solid and testable evidence of human ancestry that is still alive: modern primates and other animals.


The Thinking Ape

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Colorado

Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are

"I can't believe I just said that." "What possessed me to do that?" "What's wrong with me?" We're constantly seeking answers to these fundamental human questions, and now, science has the answers. Clever, relatable, and revealing, this eye-opening narrative from Indiana University School of Medicine professor Bill Sullivan explores why we do the things we do through the lens of genetics, microbiology, psychology, neurology, and family history. From what we love (and hate) to eat and who we vote for in political elections to when we lose our virginity and why some people find drugs so addicting, this illuminating book uses the latest scientific research to unveil the secrets of what makes us tick. Filled with fascinating insights--including how experiences that haunted our grandparents echo in our DNA, why the bacteria in our guts mess with our minds, and whether there really is a "murder gene"--this revolutionary book explains the hidden forces shaping who we are, pointing us on a path to how we might become our best selves.

Pleased to Meet Me

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Joseph T. Hallinan

Arizona

How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way above Average

Hallinan sets out to explore the captivating science of human error, and delves into psychology, neuroscience, and economics to discover why some of the same qualities that make us efficient also make us error-prone.

Why We Make Mistakes

b11b0ce3-cf8d-4e43-9353-d15ad988be16-1

#paperback #humanbehavior #sciencefiction #urbanfantasy #sigi #horror #love #humanity #trilogy #utopian 

Texas

Albany Rott created the secret nocturnal city of Station as a second chance for a select few. Complete with an automaton servant class, extreme surgical procedures that can dramatically alter appearances, and exotic narcotics, Station was founded as a utopian world for those who had failed to cope with life's challenges. Or at least that was the story being told. Grief-stricken Marlin Hadder had failed to cope with life's biggest challenge, so he killed himself. The death didn't take, but it did earn him a bizarre invitation to the city of eternal night. As city and man are united by unseen forces, a unique partnership is forged. Station's alien environment is exactly what Marlin Hadder needs to overcome his loss and build a new life. Marlin Hadder's unique convoluted disposition makes him the exact hero that Station needs to stave off its inevitable fall. As storm clouds gather over a group of violent residents called Risers, who have abused Station's gifts to transform themselves into killing machines, Hadder must convince a community grown complacent that they'll have to fight for these new lives. Because third chances don't exist. As a shocking murder, a great duel, and a heartbreaking act set chess pieces in motion, dark truths emerge concerning the Risers' ultimate goal and Marlin Hadder's role as savior or destructor. The clock is ticking. And Station's greatest question remains unanswered. Was Station truly founded for the reasons stated? Or are the residents mere puppets for cheap theater between gods?

Station

61a06e50-57c2-4f54-94fd-754b6206fc01-1

#humanbehavior #fiction #emotionaltruths age-toned 

Alabama

Mysteries explained have fateful results for three women in present-day England, as one struggles to find a friend taken hostage, one investigates her mother's death, and one befriends a mass murderer

A Natural Curiosity

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Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Michigan

Hildegarde Brasscoat, babysitter for the three Megglethorps while their parents are away for a week, thinks children should be seen and not heard.

How Lazy Can You Get?

471ae52d-4430-4d67-b72a-9c4ee4c4d085-1

#paperback #nonfiction #socialscience #science #language #humor #history #etymology #swearwords #humanbehavior

Illinois

What Swearing Reveals about Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves

It may be starred, beeped, and censored -- yet profanity is so appealing that we can't stop using it. In the funniest, clearest study to date, Benjamin Bergen explains why, and what that tells us about our language and brains.

Nearly everyone swears-whether it's over a few too many drinks, in reaction to a stubbed toe, or in flagrante delicto. And yet, we sit idly by as words are banned from television and censored in books. We insist that people excise profanity from their vocabularies and we punish children for yelling the very same dirty words that we'll mutter in relief seconds after they fall asleep. Swearing, it seems, is an intimate part of us that we have decided to selectively deny.

That's a damn shame. Swearing is useful. It can be funny, cathartic, or emotionally arousing. As linguist and cognitive scientist Benjamin K. Bergen shows us, it also opens a new window onto how our brains process language and why languages vary around the world and over time.

In this groundbreaking yet ebullient romp through the linguistic muck, Bergen answers intriguing questions: How can patients left otherwise speechless after a stroke still shout Goddamn! when they get upset? When did a cock grow to be more than merely a rooster? Why is crap vulgar when poo is just childish? Do slurs make you treat people differently? Why is the first word that Samoan children say not mommy but eat shit? And why do we extend a middle finger to flip someone the bird?

Smart as hell and funny as fuck, What the F is mandatory reading for anyone who wants to know how and why we swear.

What the F

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#paperback #nonfiction #psychology #curiosity #neuroscience #science #interesting #creativity #humanbehavior

What Makes Us Curious

Astrophysicist and author Mario Livio investigates perhaps the most human of all our characteristics--curiosity--in this "lively, expert, and definitely not dumbed-down account" (Kirkus Reviews) as he explores our innate desire to know why.

Experiments demonstrate that people are more distracted when they overhear a phone conversation--where they can know only one side of the dialogue--than when they overhear two people talking and know both sides. Why does half a conversation make us more curious than a whole conversation?

"Have you ever wondered why we wonder why? Mario Livio has, and he takes you on a fascinating quest to understand the origin and mechanisms of our curiosity. I thoroughly recommend it." (Adam Riess, Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, 2011). Curiosity is not only at the heart of mystery and suspense novels, it is also essential to other creative endeavors, from painting to sculpture to music. It is the principal driver of basic scientific research. Even so, there is still no definitive scientific consensus about why we humans are so curious, or about the mechanisms in our brain that are responsible for curiosity.

In the ever-fascinating Why? Livio interviewed scientists in several fields to explore the nature of curiosity. He examined the lives of two of history's most curious geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Feynman. He also talked to people with boundless curiosity: a superstar rock guitarist who is also an astrophysicist; an astronaut with degrees in computer science, biology, literature, and medicine. What drives these people to be curious about so many subjects?

An astrophysicist who has written about mathematics, biology, and now psychology and neuroscience, Livio has firsthand knowledge of his subject which he explores in a lucid, entertaining way that will captivate anyone who is curious about curiosity.

Why?

eeecbc58-6984-47f4-b8c3-c45fc1318853-1

#paperback #educational #humanbehavior #psychology #socialscience #science 

New York

Science

Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology uses popular myths as a vehicle for helping students and laypersons to distinguish science from pseudoscience.
 * Uses common myths as a vehicle for exploring how to distinguish factual from fictional claims in popular psychology
 * Explores topics that readers will relate to, but often misunderstand, such as 'opposites attract', 'people use only 10% of their brains', and 'handwriting reveals your personality'
 * Provides a 'mythbusting kit' for evaluating folk psychology claims in everyday life
 * Teaches essential critical thinking skills through detailed discussions of each myth
 * Includes over 200 additional psychological myths for readers to explore
   Contains an Appendix of useful Web Sites for examining psychological myths
 * Features a postscript of remarkable psychological findings that sound like myths but that are true
 * Engaging and accessible writing style that appeals to students and lay readers alike

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology

6827d19b-2d26-4aa0-9356-8cb7128ec17c-1

W. H. Auden

Louis Kronenberger

Viking Press, 1962 - Aphorisms and apothegms - 405 pages
A glittering anthology of 3,000 of the wisest, wittiest, most profound bon mots ever. More than 400 great savants, including Wilde, Goethe, Thoreau, Nietzsche, and Bacon lend eloquent insights into science, the sexes, habit, old age, truth, politics and all the other vital aspects of the human condition. An index of authors and a key-word index make it easy to find aphorisms either by source or by particular topic. But the reader who just dips into this book anywhere will find a feast of insight, illumination and wit. A classic in its field.

Color fading on book jacket
Yellowing on inside of book jacket 

California

An anthology of pithy sayings dealing with man's ideas. Divided for easy reference into categories such as love, marriage, friendship, religion, science, the arts, and many others.

The Viking Book of Aphorisms

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Luke Burgis

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Maryland

The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life

* Financial Times Business Book of the Month * Next Big Idea Club Nominee *

A groundbreaking exploration of why we want what we want, and a toolkit for freeing ourselves from chasing unfulfilling desires.

Gravity affects every aspect of our physical being, but there's a psychological force just as powerful--yet almost nobody has heard of it. It's responsible for bringing groups of people together and pulling them apart, making certain goals attractive to some and not to others, and fueling cycles of anxiety and conflict. In Wanting, Luke Burgis draws on the work of French polymath René Girard to bring this hidden force to light and reveals how it shapes our lives and societies.

According to Girard, humans don't desire anything independently. Human desire is mimetic--we imitate what other people want. This affects the way we choose partners, friends, careers, clothes, and vacation destinations. Mimetic desire is responsible for the formation of our very identities. It explains the enduring relevancy of Shakespeare's plays, why Peter Thiel decided to be the first investor in Facebook, and why our world is growing more divided as it becomes more connected.

Wanting also shows that conflict does not arise because of our differences--it comes from our sameness. Because we learn to want what other people want, we often end up competing for the same things. Ignoring our large similarities, we cling to our perceived differences.

Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, teacher, and student of classical philosophy and theology, Burgis shares tactics that help turn blind wanting into intentional wanting--not by trying to rid ourselves of desire, but by desiring differently. It's possible to be more in control of the things we want, to achieve more independence from trends and bubbles, and to find more meaning in our work and lives.

The future will be shaped by our desires. Wanting shows us how to desire a better one.

Wanting

1843096a-20a0-4b51-b521-bfca85e99579-1

Testing Epictetus's Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior

When physical disability from combat wounds brought about Jim Stockdale's early retirement from military life, he had the distinction of being the only three-star officer in the history of the navy to wear both aviator wings and the Congressional Medal of Honor. His writings have been many and varied, but all converge on the central theme of how man can rise with dignity to prevail in the face of adversity.

Courage under Fire

bee9cace-a9f6-4cf0-ada0-167a840180af-1

#paperback #psychiatry #humanbehavior #nonfiction #psychology #science 

Charles Zastrow

Karen K. Kirst-Ashman

Blacked out rental stickers on cover, good structural condition, minimal wear to pages. 

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

Minnesota

Social Studies

Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman's UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, 10th Edition looks at the lifespan through the lens of social work theory and practice, covering human development and behavior theories within the context of family, organizational, and community systems. Using a chronological lifespan approach, the book presents separate chapters on biological, psychological, and social impacts at the different lifespan stages with an emphasis on strengths and empowerment. Part of the Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series, this edition is completely up to date and thoroughly integrates the core competencies and recommended practice behaviors outlined in the current Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) set by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Empowerment Series: Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment

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David R. Hawkins details how anyone may resolve the most crucial of all human dilemmas- how to instantly determine the truth or falsehood of any statement or supposed fact. Dr. Hawkins, who worked as a 'healing psychiatrist' during his long and distinguished career, uses theoretical concepts from particle physics, nonlinear dynamics, and chaos theory to support his study of human behavior. This is a fascinating work that will intrigue readers from all walks of life!
Man thinks he lives by virtue of the forces he can control, but in fact, he's governed by power from unrevealed sources, power over which he has no control.
Imagine - what if you had access to a simple yes-or-no answer to any question you wished to ask? A demonstrably true answer. Any question . . . think about it - from the Foreword
We think we live by forces we control, but in fact we are governed by power from unrevealed sources, power over which we have no control. - from the author's Preface
The universe holds its breath as we choose, instant by instant, which pathway to follow; for the universe, the very essence of life itself, is highly conscious. Every act, thought, and choice adds to a permanent mosaic; our decisions ripple through the universe of consciousness to affect the lives of all.- from Power vs. Force
' A beautiful gift of writing . . . You spread joy, love, and compassion through what you write. The fruit of these three is peace, as you know . . . ' Mother Teresa
'. . . particularly timely . . . a significant contribution to understanding and dealing with the problems we face today.' Lee Iacocca
'I especially appreciate the research and presentation on the attractor patterns of business . . .' Sam Walton
'Overwhelming! A masterpiece! A lifetime work!' Sheldon Deal, President, International College of Applied Kinesiology



Power vs. Force

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#hardcover #humanity #humanbehavior #socialogy #psychology #why #reference #nonfiction

Pseudoscience, Superstition and Other Confusions of Our Time

Argues that the search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment often results in the embracing of extraordinary claims and controversial ideas

Why People Believe Weird Things

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 Donahue and more than 50 sctentists delve into the many questions behind human behavior. This in depth research is accompanied by oveg 400 pictures 

The Human Animal

#paperback #data #humanbehavior #nytbestseller 

What Our Online Lives Tell Us about Our Offline Selves

Founder of OK Cupid, Christian Rudder, reveals the myriad and mind-blowing possibilities of harnessing big data, and explores what our digital footprints can tell us about human relationships.

In an hour, ten million pictures go up on Facebook. Each day, more people flirt on OkCupid than live in Chicago. We've all heard these types of numbers before; but in 'Datacysm', for the first time, we can actually feel their impact. We can see the actual information being created and what we can learn from it.



Christian Rudder is one of the founders of OK Cupid, America's biggest dating site, and so is in possession of one of the richest interpersonal datasets in the world. In this book, he takes data from OK Cupid, and also from other sites - Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, last.fm, LinkedIn, Uber, Reddit, and so on - all the messaging, the flirting, the posting, the trolling, the liking, the hating, and makes something wonderful.



While most popular nonfiction takes something small and uses it as a lens for big events, 'Dataclysm' does the opposite. It takes something big -- the enormous dataset of everything that we're doing and saying and thinking -- and teases from it many small things: how a joke changes in the telling, whether it really matters where you went to college, how people decide who's beautiful and who isn't. This book is a series of statistical vignettes, tiny windows, looking in on slices of life.



One day soon there will be many people whose entire lives have been mediated through their digital devices. Then we'll really be able to see what's what. In the meantime, with the data he has collected, Christian Rudder has forged a new genre of statistical writing, where numbers become narrative.

Dataclysm

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#Sociology #HumanDevelopment #Social #HumanBehavior #SocialEnvironment #Environment

History

Families & Groups

Human Behavior & The Social Environment 

For over twenty years, psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman has examined the quirky science of everyday life. In Quirkology , he navigates the backwaters of human behavior, discovering the tell-tale signs that give away a liar, the secret science behind speed-dating and personal ads, and what a person's sense of humor reveals about the innermost workings of their mind- all along paying tribute to others who have carried out similarly weird and wonderful work. Wiseman's research has involved secretly observing people as they go about their daily business, conducting unusual experiments in art exhibitions and music concerts, and even staging fake sainces in allegedly haunted buildings. With thousands of research subjects from all over the world, including enamored couples, unwitting pedestrians, and guileless dinner guests, Wiseman presents a fun, clever, and unexpected picture of the human mind.

Georgia

How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things

For over twenty years, psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman has examined the quirky science of everyday life. In Quirkology , he navigates the backwaters of human behavior, discovering the tell-tale signs that give away a liar, the secret science behind speed-dating and personal ads, and what a person's sense of humor reveals about the innermost workings of their mind- all along paying tribute to others who have carried out similarly weird and wonderful work. Wiseman's research has involved secretly observing people as they go about their daily business, conducting unusual experiments in art exhibitions and music concerts, and even staging fake séances in allegedly haunted buildings. With thousands of research subjects from all over the world, including enamored couples, unwitting pedestrians, and guileless dinner guests, Wiseman presents a fun, clever, and unexpected picture of the human mind.

Quirkology

1c39e8c6-2244-4325-abbc-b24b6ec22e04-1

#Behavior #BehaviorHealth #HumanBehavior #SocialEnvironment #BehaviorEnvironment

(7th)

Help your students understand the mysteries of human behavior with Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman's text. Now available with a personalized online learning plan, this social work-specific book looks at lifespan through the lens of social work theory and practice. The authors use an empowerment approach to cover human development and behavior theories within the context of family, organizational, and community systems. Using a chronological lifespan approach, the authors present separate chapters on biological, psychological, and social impacts at the different lifespan stages with an emphasis on strengths and empowerment.

Save this search

Maria Konnikova

The Biggest Bluff

Thomas Erikson

Surrounded by Idiots

Richard Byrne

The Thinking Ape

Bill Sullivan

Pleased to Meet Me

Joseph T. Hallinan

Why We Make Mistakes

Jarrett Early ((various roles))

Station

Margaret Drabble

A Natural Curiosity

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

How Lazy Can You Get?

Benjamin K. Bergen

What the F

Mario Livio

Why?

Scott O. Lilienfeld; Steven Jay Lynn; John Ruscio; Barry L. Beyerstein

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology

W. H. Auden; Louis Kronenberger

The Viking Book of Aphorisms

Luke Burgis

Wanting

James B. Stockdale

Courage under Fire

Joseph T. Hallinan

Why We Make Mistakes

Charles Zastrow; Karen K. Kirst-Ashman

Empowerment Series: Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment

David R. Hawkins

Power vs. Force

Michael Shermer

Why People Believe Weird Things

Phil Donahue

The Human Animal

Christian Rudder

Dataclysm

Goldenberg - Forsyth

Human Behavior & The Social Environment

Richard Wiseman

Quirkology

Charles Zastrow; Karen K. Kirst-Ashman

Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment

Scott O. Lilienfeld; Steven Jay Lynn; John Ruscio; Barry L. Beyerstein

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology