Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Wiseman: Books

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Bad Science

by Ben Goldacre

4.6 out of 5 stars (138) �4.85

Irrationality

by Stuart Sutherland

4.2 out of 5 stars (26) �6.99

Did You Spot the Gorilla?: How to Recognise the Hidden Opportunities in Your Life

by Richard Wiseman

4.4 out of 5 stars (10) �6.99

Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities

by Ian Stewart

3.9 out of 5 stars (12) �5.49

Can a Robot be Human?: 33 Perplexing Philosophy Puzzles

by Peter Cave

4.2 out of 5 stars (13) �7.99

› Explore similar items

Product Description

The Times
'entertaining and energetic...packed with vignettes that are
perfect for dinner parties or pub conversations.'

Guardian
'Wiseman's easy-going divertissement recounts numerous curiosities
of modern psycology.'

See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

science(2)

popular psychology(1)

popular science(1)

richard wiseman(1)

skepticism(1)

See all 7 tags...

Customer Reviews

28 Reviews

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Arm yourself now for the Christmas cocktail parties, 1 Dec 2007

By	Julia Flyte - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Recently I read an article in a magazine which was about the art of making small talk at parties. One of the suggestions that it made was to take note of interesting facts or stories to bring up if the conversation stalls. The example given was a study in which men and women were asked which superpower they would like to possess. Top of the women's list was being invisible, while men were far more likely to want to be able to fly. Not only is this an interesting nugget of information, it also immediately stimulates discussion.

If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, you will love this book. (It even includes a list of the factoids most likely to prompt discussion). Psychologist Richard Wiseman has conducted a number of studies over the years looking into the ways that people behave and also reports on some other people's experiments. Some of the things that I learned while reading this book were:
- How asking people to trace the letter Q on their forehead is a good predictor of how good a liar they are.
- How our memories can be tricked into creating false memories and why this happens.
- How a waiter can dramatically increase his chances of getting a tip.
- Why you are more likely to be attracted to people when you're in a precarious situation that elevates your heart-rate (so maybe Hollywood storylines aren't so far-fetched after all)
- That words containing the "K" sound are especially likely to make people laugh, because of the way they contort the facial muscles.

The book is written in a lively and entertaining fashion and in parts is very amusing. While it's quite disjointed, it held my interest throughout. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest why people behave the way they do. Our behaviour is more predictable than we think.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Fun, 12 May 2007

By	Happy Reader (Scotland) - See all my reviews

Get this book if you want to see yourself and others in a completely new light! Quirkology is about weird, wonderful, and sometimes rather disturbing psychological experiments that reveal our true nature: what makes us help others (or, more often, help ourselves); why we are so poor at detecting when our partner cheats on us; what subtle factors influence our judgements - for instance about guilt and innocence, or about what leader to elect. There's not a shred of padding, and the reader is quickly hooked into wanting to know what happens next. It's not only fascinating, but fun to read: be prepared to be caught out when you least expect it by the author's sly sense of humour. The book also contains built-in experiments and demos so you can experience quirky psychology at first hand. Come on, get quirky: you'll love it!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

53 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The things that scientists spend their time on... , 28 May 2007

By	Peacock Wings (England) - See all my reviews

Usually we associate scientists with people working in a lab trying to find a cure for cancer, HIV, hair baldness or any other of a number of ills. Or else they are dabbling in high-tech equipment trying to explore the ultimate questions like the shape of the universe, time-travel and the unifying field theory - things way beyond a normal person's ken.
In contrast, this book is fresh, understandable and exciting. Full to the brim with psychological studies that are anything from interesting to amusing, this book delves not only into the quirkier aspects of human behaviour, but also into some of the quirkier studies that scientists get up to (when no one is looking).
A few examples to illustrate my point:
Quack (as opposed to Moo, Grrr or Woof) is perceived to be the most funny animal sound. Apparently, it's because a `k' sound makes you smile and therefore others with you. A good one to remember for job interviews...
By monitoring behaviour at checkout queues, where you are only allowed to have 10 items (and most people, invariably have 12 or 15), scientists discovered that the people most likely to break minor rules of conduct (which includes speed limits) are female van drivers. Now you know what to beware of when driving!
The book is packed with many more such examples, all with comments on how the findings could be explained.
Ultimately the book is much more than just a series of weird facts and fantastical experiments. As with all good science (and this belongs to the best), it tells us something very relevant about us - our hopes, fears and those mannerisms we just don't seem to be able to shake. Thus, it opens up a whole new way of looking at others - and yourself.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 28 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Really nteresting but I would have liked more information
I thought this book was a really interesting and, well, quirky. I would have preferred it longer and I think he should have gone into more detail on certain facts to explain why... Read more

Published 3 days ago by Jessica Wright

4.0 out of 5 stars what an interesting read!
This is certainly one of the most interesting books that I have read in recent years.
Its writing style is accessible and doesn't assume anything of its readers and it... Read more

Published 6 days ago by J. Butler

4.0 out of 5 stars It is a very good book, but not the best of its kind.
This is a very fun and easy to read book.
It is full of psychological experiments that reveal the way we act at everyday actions. Read more

Published 7 days ago by George Spiros

2.0 out of 5 stars Not that quirky
I have to say I had high expectations after reading all the reviews. I was bitterly disappointed. Most of what is discussed in the book did not come as news to me. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Y. Khatib

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
I often purchase books on psychology just because I am interested in the subject and not for specific study purpose, this book is one of the best psychology books I have read. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Campbell79

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!
Wiseman certainly chose the right title for this book - it is quirktastic! As he takes us on a journey through the bizarre, surreal and fascinating world of everyday phenomena,... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Mrs. C. Fearon

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat so-so social psychology scrapbook
As the tiresome TV-friendly title implies, this is designed to be a fairly random selection of snippets from social psychology research served up for lightweight dinner-party chit... Read more

Published 1 month ago by C. Young

3.0 out of 5 stars Does what it says!
Enjoyed this book non the less it's nothing more than a quirky read, learnt nothing i probably didn't already know. Will kill a few boring hours!

Published 2 months ago by Peppermint Patty

3.0 out of 5 stars The honesty of the British public
I dislike researches intensely as they seem to dictate our lives. Constantly these "Experts" are no more than b/s'ers and their trash can be seen in our newspapers quoting "that... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Frank Candour

5.0 out of 5 stars Psychology with an "S"
Glad I bought it. Very informative, entertaining and interesting. Some of the topics you may have heard of before but this book puts a different slant on everyday living. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Wavewobbler

› See all 28 customer reviews...

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

Beauty without the Beast

Olay Regenerist Daily 3 Point Treatment Cream

From au naturel to party glam, we have all the best names in cosmetics and skincare.

›Discover Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Train Hard...Play Hard

Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

Treat Someone

With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

	68% buy the item featured on this page: Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives 4.4 out of 5 stars (28)
	18% buy Bad Science 4.6 out of 5 stars (138) �4.85
	6% buy Irrationality 4.2 out of 5 stars (26) �6.99
	5% buy Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities 3.9 out of 5 stars (12) �5.49


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon

Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives (Hardcover)

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Product details

Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Customer Reviews

Customer Discussions

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Listmania!

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject

Feedback

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Beauty without the Beast

Train Hard...Play Hard

Treat Someone

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History