The Complete Idiot's Guide to Psychology

by Joni E. Johnston

Mind over matter.

Interest in psychology extends well beyond the walls of academia. Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and William James are just a few examples of the many people in psychology whose works remain popular sellers, demonstrating an ongoing vast interest in this field. From students looking for a comprehensive resource to those looking for a self-help book, The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Psychology, Fourth Edition provides an easy-to-understand look at both the history and modern practice of psychology.

*Comprehensive, but pays extra attention to contemporary issues such fear/anxiety, child psychology, health psychology, mood altering drugs, and forensics
*Author is an award-winning, practicing clinical psychologist
*The Princeton Review identifies psychology as the ninth most popular college degree in the United States
Download a sample chapter.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Reference, Science, Health

464 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

Dr. Joni Johnston is a clinical/forensic psychologist, private investigator and crime writer who got hooked on true crime at age fourteen, while reading Helter Skelter on a family vacation. She has spent her career inside prisons, forensic hospitals and criminal courts and has worked with offenders and victims.

She especially enjoys communicating with the general public about crime and writes a blog for Psychology Today called the Human Equation. She also hosts a youtube channel called Unmasking a Murderer. She has been interviewed on numerous media outlets including 48 Hours, 20/20, and several Investigative Discovery shows.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and entertaining. My only issue is that it did not say anything about the mental health of someone who would buy a book that identifies him/her as a "complete idiot."

[Piret · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is pretty informative and covers the basics of psychology without actually going deep into it. It has slightly a text book feel to it but if you've never read anything about psychology before then it's a good start.
What I didn't like was how the author constantly tried to give her opinion about things and with many I didn't agree with it. It's one thing to have an opinion, but it's another to push your opinion on others and act like it's the only right way. I don't support an author who is obviously an extrovert, funded by parents to go get an education, never had any problems in life and all she knows is situations from textbooks, unable to see past that and if someone is not social or following the sheep and doing whatever is considered a "norm" then there must be something wrong with them. I am an introvert and it's not a handicap like the author tries to portray it. Not all humans are supposed to be wired the same way like out of a same mold line.

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is there such thing as a good book about psychology (one that isn’t academic for psychology students)… genuine question

[Sam Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not follow half of this. Is there a book for someone dumber than an idiot?

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it's most certainly out of date by at least a few years, I found this volume remarkably accessible for the layman, and useful in helping to understand the rudiments of the mind/body connection, as well as in giving some perspective on common psychological ailments.
It is by no means a substitute for legitimate professional care, but offers clear insight into the ways in which the human psyche works in our society. I highly recommend browsing any version you may get your hands on, and considering many of the resources suggested by the author for psychological counseling and/or care.

[Nichelle Sifontes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro book

Very informative book. Touched on many subjects that I had questions about. Written in a very friendly, easy going manner. Invaluable tool for anyone wanting answers to basic info. Well written.

[Anh · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is informative and entertaining. what more could one ask for?

[Armands Putnieks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lieliska grāmata, lai saprastu pamatlietas psiholoģijā. Daudz, kas izmantojams dzīvē.
( Amazing book for basic understanding in psychology. Many things are useful immediately for everyones life )

[rabbitprincess · Rating 3 out of 5]

* * * 1/2

A fairly substantial introduction to psychology, or at least as substantial as a book that tries to cover all the bases can be. It is certainly much more informative on the various types of psychological disorders: mood, anxiety, personality and so on. The chapter on stress management was also very useful. In addition, the book is sprinkled with various psychological terms and interesting anecdotes that spice up the work. Here's an example: apparently in Japan, there is a cultural taboo on opening a gift in front of the person who gave it to you, in case you make them feel uncomfortable by failing to show sufficient appreciation. I am not Japanese, but I feel the same way. At Christmas I always insist that everyone open all their gifts at once instead of taking turns and just STARING at whoever is opening a gift. Embarrassing.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book. It would almost be a four-star except for some really embarrassing spelling errors (wrong "your"/"you're", wrong "it's"/"its", consistently spelling Hitler's first name with a -ph instead of -f, you know, things that you'd expect an editor to catch). Worth a read if you want a general introduction to psychology written in a highly readable manner with a splash of humour.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. As with most 'complete idiots' guides, this book uses cliches and pop culture references constantly to grab your attention or drive home a particular point. I thought the author made this work well and found myself entertained while learning a lot. Definitely recommend for anyone interested in getting a pretty thorough introduction that will not put you to sleep.

[Matthew LaFave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than most textbooks. This one was a Christmas present, and I found quite a bit of interesting facts in this book. For whatever reason, it seems that I run into the Complete Idiot's Guide on occasion, and I always enjoy looking through them.

[Jalaj Jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the same suggests, it is a good book to start learning on the subject - Psychology. For those who are already acquainted with the subject (not the Pros) this book provides one-stop solution to fill all the gaps in their learning.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It doesnt go into detail so if you are looking for a book with alot of detail on how the mind works, look elsewhere. This is just the basics of psychology.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

hard to understand at times, but over all a great book with lots of insight

[Stephanie Kurisunkal]

This was an awesome book to read before taking the college class! I learned alot!

[Demo · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far it's good.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative guide to a certain extent. Would be better if there's more depth on the left and right brain and information on personality styles.

[Agony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is highly informitive and well written. I also like how the author managed to implement her opinions while still remaining profesional.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting intro to the subject.

[Kylie Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was more banter than educational substance. I found it basic even for a beginner.

A much better book for a beginner is "The Rough Guide To Psychology" by Christian Jarrett.