Below you can find a selection of some of the key books from experts in the department over the last few years, covering topics across social psychology and behavioural science.
You can also view a full list of publications from the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science (dating back to 1985) on LSE Research Online.
By Saadi Lahlou
Drawing on a large body of empirical research, Lahlou shows that people’s behaviour is predictable and shaped by ‘installations’ combining three sets of factors: what is technically possible (affordances of the environment), what people are able to do (embodied competences), and what monitors and controls behaviour (social regulation). He shows how we can intervene at each of the three levels of installations to change human behaviour, and how we can combine them for greater effectiveness and direction, with a robust, step-by-step method.
Watch a video about the book.
Edited by Martin W. Bauer and Bernard Schiele
Common sense is the endless frontier in the development of artificial intelligence, but what exactly is common sense, can we replicate it in algorithmic form, and if we can – should we? In this new book, Bauer, Schiele and their contributors from a range of disciplines analyse the nature of common sense, and the consequent challenges of incorporating into artificial intelligence models.
By Frédéric Basso and Carsten Herrmann-Pillath
This book presents embodied economics as a foundational alternative to behavioural economics and other projects integrating economics and psychology inspired by the computational paradigm. It argues that embodiment grounds and bounds market processes, and, more broadly, economic life, and reinstates Political Economy against economic orthodoxy.
Edited by Joan Costa-Font and Matteo M. Galizzi
This book brings together a world-class line-up of experts, many affiliated with LSE and PBS, to examine the successes and failures of behavioural economics and policy in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how people changed their behaviours and use of health care and discusses what we can learn in terms of addressing future pandemics.
By Alex Gillespie, Vlad Glăveanu and Constance de Saint Laurent
Taking a pragmatist approach to methods and methodology that fosters meaningful, impactful, and ethical research, this book rises to the challenge of today's data revolution. It shows how pragmatism can turn challenges, such as the abundance and accumulation of big qualitative data, into opportunities.
Edited by Cass R. Sunstein and Lucia A. Reisch
This Research Handbook offers offers a comprehensive examination of the growing field of nudging and its impact on society. It includes a chapter on Behavioural science: ethics, expertise and systemic risk, authored by Liam Delaney, Atrina Oraee and Jet G. Sanders.
By Michael Muthukrishna (Basic Books, UK and MIT Press, US)
Michael's book offers a unified theory of human behaviour, culture, and society. It attempts to provide solutions for some of the most pressing problems of our collective future, such as polarization, inequality, the "great stagnation" in productivity, and the energy crisis.
Edited by Martin W. Bauer and Bernard Schiele
'Science communication: taking a step back to move forward' is the book from the first post-Covid19 in-person conference ‘Science & You Metz 2021’. The book aims to examine and elaborate on challenges in science communication.
by Thomas Curran (Penguin, UK and Simon & Schuster, US, 2023)
In his book, Dr Thomas Curran explores explores the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on everything from performance to social and financial inequality, and shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect - and how we can create a culture that celebrates the joys of imperfection.
Wellbeing: Alternative Policy Perspectives
Edited by Timothy Besley, Irene Bucelli (LSE Press, 2022)
Bringing together scholars from economics, psychology and behavioural science, philosophy and political science, the authors explore how different disciplinary approaches can contribute to the study of wellbeing and how this can shape policy priorities.
Professor Paul Dolan contributes the chapter Accounting for Consequences and Claims in Policy.
Professor Liam Delaney co-authors Incorporating Wellbeing and Mental Health Research to Improve Pandemic Response.
The publication is available open-access via LSE Press.
Public Communication of Research Universities: ‘Arms Race’ for Visibility or Science Substance?
Edited by Marta Entradas and Martin W. Bauer (Routledge, 2022)
This book sets the scene for research into institutional science communication and offers a framework to analyse public communication at the level of research institutes. One thing becomes clear in the light of the ‘Decentralisation Hypothesis’: there is work in progress to build capacity for communication at the level of research institutes, which potentially fosters capacity for open-ended civic science communication beyond the university marketing function.
Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build The Future You Want
by Grace Lordan (Penguin Life, 2021)
In this publication, Dr Grace Lordan looks at the small steps people can take to make big changes overall, as well as the behaviours that hold people back, drawing on research from behavioural science.