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Simply

Simply Psychology

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Grasping complex psychological ideas has never been easier.

Transforming complicated ideas into easy-to-understand graphics, supported by accessible text, Simply Psychology is the perfect introduction to the subject for those who are short of time but hungry for knowledge.

Covering the key psychological theories from moral development to cognitive behavioural therapy, each easy-to-read, single-page entry explains the concept more clearly than ever before.

Organized into chapters covering each branch of psychology, the book maps the development of psychological study, unpacking the complex ideas from the philosophers, psychologists, and scientists who have shaped our understanding of the human mind.

Whether you are studying psychology at school or college, or simply want a non-specialist insight into the subject, this essential guide is packed with everything you need to understand the foundations quickly and easily.

160 pages, Hardcover

Published February 3, 2022

73 people are currently reading
514 people want to read

About the author

D.K. Publishing

9,126 books2,071 followers
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

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5 stars
70 (26%)
4 stars
121 (45%)
3 stars
62 (23%)
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11 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Shainlock.
831 reviews
July 3, 2024
A review of some of the things I learned in my psychology classes. I did just want a review, but now I need something that goes a little more in depth. Overall, good start; but needs more explanation. I love the diagrams but I want words too.
Profile Image for Ainun Zahra.
296 reviews
September 25, 2022
Thank you so much Netgalley and D.K. Publishing for the review copy!

The presentation of facts and information was convenient and well-organized. I loved the usage of colors, the formatting and how easily every topic was explained. It covers a lot of interesting topics and gives an idea where to start researching for more. Overall, it's a wonderful book to dive into the world of psychology and one that I would definitely recommend you to check out.
Profile Image for Lauren Lano.
297 reviews2 followers
July 15, 2022
Nothing I didn’t really know before, but a good overview for people who don’t know anything about the study of psychology and want to learn.
Profile Image for Shawn.
45 reviews1 follower
December 23, 2024
Una lettura veloce e informativa sulla psicologia, senza giri di parole e linguaggio complicato.
Ottimo per chi vuole iniziare a studiare psicologia, o semplicemente sapere un po' di tutto.
Le grafiche semplici e colorate aiutano molto a comprendere i concetti.
Profile Image for Lady.
1,100 reviews17 followers
August 11, 2022
This was a fantastic read. The layout was just amazing. It was packed full of interesting diagrams and plenty of colour to improve the reading experience. If you have always been interested in psychology then this book is for you. It is a fantastic introduction into the subject. It was easy to read and understand. Each section of information was backed up with fascinating case studies. It was just so interesting I learnt so much from reading it. What I loved the most was the section on child development. I could of done with this book 10 years ago as it was so useful. As I am on the autistic spectrum I found it a useful resource. As it went through all the mental and brain affected health conditions. It really had everything you would ever need to understand the mind. I loved looking at one of them splodge pictures psychologist show. What do you see? I saw something completely different it was a bat lol. It was also so much fun to read and try and use the information to learn more about yourself. I just can't recommend this book enough. This book is aimed at adults but I think this would be a very useful resource for ages 16 plus who are interested in studying psychology at college.
Only the highest of praise goes out to the authors and publishing team for creating such a insightful book that I just couldn't put down.
16 reviews
May 8, 2024
This book was not at all what I thought it was going to be but I was happily surprised by it. it was filled with information all laid out perfectly it showed the early beginnings of psychology and psychology now it gave you a great understanding of multiple aspects and was very surprising at parts.
Profile Image for Hussam Eddin Zayyat.
33 reviews
February 21, 2025
Visuals are super catchy and nice. The papers, colors, and design are very attractive.It is really simple as the title. It takes you through the essence of psychology in very short and simple why. I loved it!
Profile Image for Papaya.
63 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2025
As the title says, this book explains psychology in a simple and playful way. It's a cute book and also a really easy textbook to read and learn from.
8,987 reviews130 followers
September 4, 2022
Think of this as postcards from a psychology course, as each subject, character or experimental idea gets just one tiny paragraph, alongside what is generally a very clever annotated graphic representation of the topic. It’s cursedly annoying, especially as an e-book, that sometimes the text comes before the image, and other times afterwards – and that when Freud splashes Freudianly onto our pages with a double-page spread, the visuals and captions are on the first page and the vital-to-read-first content on the second. It’s annoying the ‘the reading order we’ve lived with for millennia doesn’t matter’ idea has leaked from books for schoolchildren to ones that try to enliven a subject for adult learners, but this was always intended to be an introductory volume or revision browse. And on those lines, layout failures regardless, it succeeds – if being a whole lot more ‘woke’ than my Gross at A-Level.
372 reviews7 followers
December 21, 2022
Psychology is a wide, varied and fascinating subject. It involves every single one of us, whether you’ve got good or not so good mental health. It is far more than this. It is everything to do with our brains, how they function on a physical and emotional basis. It’s something that has caught the attention of many people for centuries.

Studying The Mind, Growth and Development, Self and Society, Disorders and Therapies, Identity and Difference are the man header topics covered in Simply Psychology.

The study of psychology and mental health and wellbeing, although talked about perhaps more predominantly these days, this book reminds people that in reality it goes way back in time to Plato etc. Even the Nature v Nurture debate is no new concept and the  phrase and was coined by Francis Galton in 1875.

Simply Psychology is fascinating. It shows what psychology is, the origins of thought, which grounds everything and will give people understanding of where modern thinking comes in and credits early psychologists. It will give readers a greater understanding when, how, why and where psychological theories originated and grew from. It’ll get readers thinking about how they relate to current thinking.

There is a section that explains disorders and treatments, that readers will also find fascinating, written in easy to follow snapshots of each. 

This isn’t as heavy as it sounds. It’s in an easy format with easy to follow language that won’t overwhelm. You don’t have to be studying a degree to read it.
Thanks to the publisher, DK Books for gifting me the book in exchange of an honest review.
372 reviews7 followers
January 9, 2023
Psychology is a wide, varied and fascinating subject. It involves every single one of us, whether you’ve got good or not so good mental health. It is far more than this. It is everything to do with our brains, how they function on a physical and emotional basis. It’s something that has caught the attention of many people for centuries.

Studying The Mind, Growth and Development, Self and Society, Disorders and Therapies, Identity and Difference are the man header topics covered in Simply Psychology.

The study of psychology and mental health and wellbeing, although talked about perhaps more predominantly these days, this book reminds people that in reality it goes way back in time to Plato etc. Even the Nature v Nurture debate is no new concept and the  phrase and was coined by Francis Galton in 1875.

Simply Psychology is fascinating. It shows what psychology is, the origins of thought, which grounds everything and will give people understanding of where modern thinking comes in and credits early psychologists. It will give readers a greater understanding when, how, why and where psychological theories originated and grew from. It’ll get readers thinking about how they relate to current thinking.

There is a section that explains disorders and treatments, that readers will also find fascinating, written in easy to follow snapshots of each. 

This isn’t as heavy as it sounds. It’s in an easy format with easy to follow language that won’t overwhelm. You don’t have to be studying a degree to read it.
3 reviews
July 6, 2024
As an IB high school student, this guide was a very interesting read and a valuable supplement to my rather text-heavy psychology textbook. There are brief and simple explanations about many topics across several branches of psychology with colourful, high-quality visuals, such as developmental, abnormal, as well as the three approaches covered in IB psychology, that being biological, cognitive, and sociocultural - though the guide places more emphasis on the cognitive and sociocultural approach, and less on the biological ones. Relevant topics covered in the guide that is also on the new IB syllabus include schema theory, social learning theory, evolutionary psychology, social conformity, heuristics, and classical conditioning among many others. There were also famous experiments and theories being highlighted, such as the Stanford Prison Experiment, Little Albert Experiment, all of which appears in the syllabus. The visuals make these pieces of information all the more entertaining to look through.

Overall, this visual guide concisely introduces to us why we think and behave the way we do. If you're looking for a more in-depth read, this book may not be for you, nor does it market itself to be an in-depth read, but rather psychology explained in a simpler way. Highly recommend for all learners, IB-takers or not.
1 review
April 18, 2025
The book "Simply Psychology" is an excellent introduction to the field of psychology that make complex concepts accessible to readers. The book is well-structured, with clear explanations that break down theories and studies in a way that is easy to understand. Each chapter features clear explanations, engaging examples, and helpful illustrations that aid in making the concepts easier to digest. The use of real-life examples and engaging illustrations enhances the learning experience, making it not only informative but also an enjoyable read. The book provides valuable insights and a solid foundation about psychology for all readers.
In addition to the clarity and organization, the book encourages critical thinking by presenting various perspectives on psychological theories. The engaging writing style keeps readers interested, making it easy to keep reading. Overall I feel that "Simply Psychology" is an excellent resource for students, educators, or anyone that takes a liking in psychology. It not only informs but also inspires a deeper exploration of the human mind and behavior, making it highly recommended for anyone that is looking to expose themselves to the fascinating topic of psychology.
Profile Image for Jan.
28 reviews
October 29, 2023
Ich weiß nicht ganz für welche Zielgruppe dieses Buch gedacht ist.
Für Psychologiestudierende ist es viel zu oberflächlich und auch an manchen stellen veraltet, fehlerhaft oder zu unvollständig. Aber auch ein Laie würde beim lesen einfach mit fragmentierten Oberflächlichem Wissen überschüttet werden.
Klassische Experimente/Befunde werden durchaus abgedeckt und es werden Namen genannt, jedoch keine richtigen Quellen.
Design oft hübsch, manchmal unnötig verkompliziert durch Designideen.
Höchstens Psychologie Erstis oder Leute die überlegen Psychologie zu studieren könnte ich diese sehr minimalistische, aber breite Übersicht über Psychologische Inhalte empfehlen. Für Laien ohne Kontext und Eimordnungsfähigkeit vom aktuellen Forschungstand würde ich dieses Buch nicht empfehlen.
4 reviews
August 28, 2023
This book gives you some basic information about psychology, for example, different disorders including bipolar disorder, and your self identity. I have actually learned quite a lot after reading this book and it deepened my understanding about psychology. This book just briefly introduces a part of psychology, but that is how “simply” is, this book is great for people who are interested in psychology but do not really know where to start, you can read this book and have an idea of psychology studies and see if you are interested in psychology or not.
Profile Image for Gary Sidoti.
20 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2023
I was not as interested in this book as the one Symply the Brain, as much of the book is historical giving reference to times and people of the psychology world. I found that it didn't give me new ideas or insights and was boring. Maybe it was the subject matter or possibly because it didn't peal back enough layers for me.
77 reviews
December 16, 2024
This was a good introduction to the world of psychology. There were several things I liked learning about, such as the id,ego, and superego and how the brain handles trauma, and the different types of therapy that can be used to help us overcome it. Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more about this subject.
Profile Image for Bret Legg.
138 reviews4 followers
July 26, 2024
This is a good basic primer covering the topic of psychology. It is textually concise and the info-graphics help the concepts stick as you’re reading. I would recommend this to students or anyone interested in gaining an overall view of the topic.
Profile Image for Sam.
33 reviews
September 5, 2022
Easy to read, not too long and gives a broad introduction to psycology. Interesting read.
945 reviews4 followers
October 18, 2022
I enjoyed this and it felt easy to understand, which is exactly what I wanted.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.
Profile Image for Irene Sitohang.
71 reviews7 followers
July 12, 2023
A good book for those who want to start learning psychology but still unsure which theory or topic to focus on.
Profile Image for VincentMeade.
21 reviews
July 23, 2023
good to get a grip on psychology, but i don't like the field so much. still, it's good to know what they've been getting at.
Profile Image for Surreptitious Bookworm.
157 reviews
July 29, 2023
Good to show just how many different aspects to psychology there are. Bit too brief and non-linear for me to really take anything in
Profile Image for Alisia Ritaccio.
44 reviews
April 20, 2024
Una rapida panoramica sulle principali teorie psicologiche, che dire.. grafiche bellissime e spiegazioni chiare! Un’ottima lettura per avvicinarsi alla psicologia
Profile Image for Marsha.
883 reviews7 followers
July 18, 2025
Good overview of major psychological concepts
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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