Psychology is a fascinating subject that can provide
incredible insights into human behavior. While it can
be difficult to understand, a number of professionals
work to make the discipline more digestible by
authoring books and articles, delivering talks, and running
their own practices. In no particular order, here
are some psychologists educating the public on everything
from cognitive processes to the science of living
a happy life.
For # 1 we have Gordon Pennycook, an
assistant professor of behavioral science at the University
of Regina. Situated at the intersection of cognitive
and social psychology, his research focuses on reasoning
and decision-making, broadly defined, including the causes and
consequences of analytic thinking. Pennycook has published works
on such wide-ranging topics as religious belief, sleep
paralysis morality creativity, and language use among climate
change deniers.
More recently, this scholar has become interested in
the use of social media data for social
science, and has done work on the spread
of misinformation and misperceptions relating to COVID-19. He
sits on the editorial board for the journal
Thinking & Reasoning and is a consulting editor
for Judgment and Decision Making In 2020, Pennycook
was elected to be a member of the
Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars
Artists, and Scientists.
At # 2 is Dr. Deborah Serani. Believing
that psychotherapy saved her life during a suicidal
episode in her youth, this clinician professor, and
award-winning author directs her focus toward helping others
who struggle with challenging issues. In practice for
over 30 years, she specializes in anxiety depression
trauma, and postpartum disorders. Dr. Serani has given
interviews for such outlets as CNN and USA
Today, and has worked as a technical advisor
for NBC's Law & Order Special Victims Unit
Books written by Dr. Serani examine the many
facets of depression as experienced throughout life, helping
children parents, and seniors better understand the illness
Additionally, the author delivers keynote and other professional
speeches at conferences around the world, and appears
as a media expert on various TV programs,
radio stations, and in print. A senior professor
at Adelphi University, she teaches graduate courses in
psychopathology, psychodynamic treatment multiculturalism, and play therapy.
For # 3 we get Sonja Lyubomirsky. Distinguished
Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of
Psychology at the University of California Riverside, Lyubomirsky
studies human happiness. Exploring cognitive and motivational processes,
she has investigated why some people are more
contented than others, and how such a state
of mind can be achieved and sustained. She
has also examined the meaning expression, and pursuit
of happiness across cultures subcultures, and age groups.
On top of her numerous academic papers, Lyubomirsky
is the author of The How of Happiness
a detailed, easy-to-follow guide for increasing bliss in
one's day-to-day life. Her follow-up book The Myths
of Happiness looks at both major life achievements
and potential failures to reveal how our misconceptions
about the impacts of such events threaten our
long-term well-being. Lyubomirsky has made myriad media appearances,
and has been featured in publications ranging from
TIME to Bustle.
Landing at # 4 is Dan Gardner, a
New York Times best-selling author speaker consultant, and
freelance writer, and editor. His books on psychology
and decision-making, published in over 20 countries and
multiple languages, have been praised by such figures
as Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman. Prior to becoming
an author, Gardner was a newspaper columnist, feature
writer, and TV talking head whose work contributed
to significant changes in Canadian public policy.
In his first book Risk Gardner interrogates a
post-9 11 culture of irrational fear, and helps
readers understand how to deconstruct, and respond more
logically to, the information we're bombarded with. He
followed this with Future Babble and Superforecasting both
of which draw on cognitive psychology, political science,
and behavioral economics to explore the complicated nature
of expert predictions Additionally, Gardner has written many
op-eds for The Globe and Mail.
Finally, for # 5 we find Todd Kashdan.
Since receiving a PhD in clinical psychology in
2004, this academic and public speaker has published
over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles on topics such
as resilience anxiety mindfulness, and gratitude. Dedicated to
using science to improve both lives and organizations,
he offers keynotes and workshops to clients as
diverse as the United States Department of Defense,
The Gap, and General Mills, and does scientific
advising for National Geographic and Merck.
As an early figure in positive psychology, Kashdan
authored the book Curious which synthesizes research for
the general public on how to achieve a
well-lived life Later, he released The Upside of
Your Dark Side a bestseller co-authored by Robert
Biswas-Diener that argues emotional and social agility are
more important than positivity. Kashdan runs a well-being
lab at George Mason University, and has been
honored by the American Psychological Association for his
early career contributions.