Choice Recommended Read This volume tackles the critical question of whether people change or whether they remain relatively constant across the lifespan. Much existing literature in psychology has largely endorsed the concept of stability. Indeed, in many people’s minds, the person is understood to be set in stone, as a function of early socialization and reaching a particular stage of development, evolutionary processes, or traits that are hard-wired from the beginning by genes and biology. However, in recent years, important scientific developments in theory and research concerning the psychology of change have emerged. In contrast to the commonly held conception of the individual as fixed, this research illustrates how malleable people are—showing much behavioral plasticity. The chapters in this volume, written by scholars at the cutting-edge of research into the psychology of change, showcase these developments with the aim of advancing knowledge of the field and encouraging further research. Topics addressed include brain function, cognitive performance, personality, psychological well-being, collective action to achieve social change, responses to life stressors, and political change. The message is clear—the culture we live in, what happens to us along the way, and who we think we are and want to be, can all change people.

Over the years I have discovered that before real change can materialize in your life you have to understand the psychology of change. Psychology by definition is the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity. It is learning about your thought processes (how and what you think) and your behaviors (how you act). In essence the mind is a powerful tool, which is at the forefront of everything we do. The Psychology of Change, is a book written to examine the reason for your current behaviors and to provide tools and techniques to promote lasting change.

An easy-to-use psychology primer for anyone wanting to spread progressive social change. Developed so that non-profits, community organizers and others can make science-driven decisions in their advocacy work.

What if there were a magic pill that could make you happier, turn you into a better parent, solve a number of your teenager's behavior problems, reduce racial prejudice, and close the achievement gap in education? There is no such pill, but story editing -- the scientifically based approach described in Redirect -- can accomplish all of this. The world-renowned psychologist Timothy Wilson shows us how to redirect the stories we tell about ourselves and the world around us, with subtle prompts, in ways that lead to lasting change. Fascinating, groundbreaking, and practical, Redirect demonstrates the remarkable power small changes can have on the ways we see ourselves and our environment, and how we can use this in our everyday lives. "There are few academics who write with as much grace and wisdom as Timothy Wilson. Redirect is a masterpiece." -- Malcolm Gladwell

This volume examines organizational change from the employee's perspective.

Changes are rarely accomplished by individuals. People are social animals and changes are social processes which have to be organized. Social psychology is essential for the effectiveness and development of the field of change management. It is necessary to understand people in change processes. Social psychology also teaches us that meaning is key during change and intervention. Social psychology makes change management comprehensible to people and allows them to consider their actions in groups and the organization on their merits. They may seem obvious and self-evident, but practice and science, as well as the popular change management literature, show that it is not. Drawing on the field of social psychology and based on primary research, The Social Psychology of Change Management presents more than forty social psychological theories and concepts that are relevant for the field of change management. The theories and concepts are analyzed and categorized following Fiske’s five core social motives; belonging, understanding, controlling, enhancing self, and trusting. Each theory will have an introduction in which its assumptions and relevance is explained. By studying the scientific evidence, including meta-analytic evidence, the book provides practitioners, students and academics in the field of change management, organizational behaviour and business strategy the most relevant social psychological ideas and best available evidence, thereby further unleashing the potential of social psychology in order to feed the field of change management. By categorizing and integrating the relevant theories and concepts, change management is enriched and restructured in a prudent, positive and practical way. The overarching goal, however, inspired by the ideas and perspective of leading thinkers like Kurt Lewin, James Q. Wilson and Susan T. Fiske, is to make the world a better place. Social psychologists (being social scientists) study practical social issues, in our case issues related to change management, and application to real-world problems is a key goal. Therefore, this book goes beyond the domain of organizational sciences.

Psychology and Climate Change: Human Perceptions, Impacts, and Responses organizes and summarizes recent psychological research that relates to the issue of climate change. The book covers topics such as how people perceive and respond to climate change, how people understand and communicate about the issue, how it impacts individuals and communities, particularly vulnerable communities, and how individuals and communities can best prepare for and mitigate negative climate change impacts. It addresses the topic at multiple scales, from individuals to close social networks and communities. Further, it considers the role of social diversity in shaping vulnerability and reactions to climate change. Psychology and Climate Change describes the implications of psychological processes such as perceptions and motivations (e.g., risk perception, motivated cognition, denial), emotional responses, group identities, mental health and well-being, sense of place, and behavior (mitigation and adaptation). The book strives to engage diverse stakeholders, from multiple disciplines in addition to psychology, and at every level of decision making - individual, community, national, and international, to understand the ways in which human capabilities and tendencies can and should shape policy and action to address the urgent and very real issue of climate change. Examines the role of knowledge, norms, experience, and social context in climate change awareness and action Considers the role of identity threat, identity-based motivation, and belonging Presents a conceptual framework for classifying individual and household behavior Develops a model to explain environmentally sustainable behavior Draws on what we know about participation in collective action Describes ways to improve the effectiveness of climate change communication efforts Discusses the difference between acute climate change events and slowly-emerging changes on our mental health Addresses psychological stress and injury related to global climate change from an intersectional justice perspective Promotes individual and community resilience