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Psychology Gone Wrong: The Dark Sides of Science and Therapy Paperback – February 20, 2015

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

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Psychology Gone Wrong: The Dark Sides of Science and Therapy explores the dark sides of psychology, the science that penetrates almost every area of our lives. It must be read by everyone who has an interest in psychology, by all those who are studying or intend to study psychology, and by present and potential clients of psychotherapists. This book will tell you which parts of psychology are supported by scientific evidence, and which parts are simply castles built on sand. This is the first book which comprehensively covers all mistakes, frauds and abuses of academic psychology, psychotherapy, and psycho-business
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine and author of The Myth of Repressed Memory "Forbidden Psychology is a powerful and forceful effort to expose dangerous ideas in psychology that mascaraed as science. Readers who care about the problem of pseudoscience in psychology will love this book. And those who don't care really need to read it."

Susan Blackmore, Professor of Psychology and author of The Meme Machine "Do you need a therapist? Are you convinced there's something wrong with you and a wonderful new kind of psychotherapy will help - or that an ancient technique revealed for the first time will transform your life? If so, buy this informative and alarming book instead. 'Psychology Gone wrong' reveals the muddles, motivations and even the outright frauds that mean much of the popular psychology we consume is meaningless - and may even be harmful."

Scott O. Lilienfeld, Professor of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta "In this engaging and informative book, Tomasz Witkowski and Maciej Zatonski courageously take on the "dark side" of psychology, both within the hallowed halls of the academic world and the private walls of the psychotherapy room. In doing so, they expose the often neglected features of contemporary psychology that themselves require treatment. In this respect, their book is a helpful and much needed roadmap for forging a scientific psychology in the 21st century."

"I highly recommend this thoughtful and stimulating book to all. Not only should it be required reading for every psychologist and psychology student, but readers in general will benefit immensely as well, especially those who may be contemplating psychotherapeutic treatment. Its purview is broad, ranging from a penetrating examination of fundamental problems that plague academic psychological research to a critical analysis of the psychotherapy jungle, where pseudoscience thrives amongst the plethora of theories and practices offered to the public." --
Prof. James Alcock, York University

Harriet Hall, Science-Based Medicine "This is a well-referenced, well-reasoned book that is chock-full of information about the state of psychology today. It exposes a lot of dirty linen that would be of interest to any reader. I agree with James Alcock, Professor of Psychology at York University, whose back-cover blurb says it should be required reading for every psychologist and psychology student and anyone contemplating psychotherapy."

From the Author

Rouven Schäfer, SkeptikerThe authors are hard on various developments in psychology. It is their concern to clean the 'science house' of psychology. Thus, the book can also be understood as a declaration of their love to science.Prof. Michael Heap,  Association for Skeptical Enquiry, LondonFor professional psychologists, students and anyone who needs a working knowledge of academic and applied psychology (which includes all skeptics) this is an important book and I thoroughly recommend it. Cleaningthe Augean Stables
The fact ofnaming and pointing out the pseudoscientific nonsense, exposing the sterilityof many theories and psychological practices, weighing the rationale forexistence of conceptions that led to creation of cultural and academic demons,showing the mechanisms of psychobusiness and its impact on gullible peopledesperately seeking help - all those things must expose Witkowski to jointcontempt of the powerful caste of priests of pseudoscientific religion thatemerged among more than a few areas of psychology.
Auhtor'sundertaking and his passionate work reaches far above the simple classificationand description of the current state of affairs. He does not only look at thecurrent psychological resources but also throws away everything that stronglysmells of scientific nonsense or intellectual baloney. -- 
Dr Roman Zawadzki, psychologist

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Universal Publishers (February 20, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1627345280
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1627345286
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.69 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2015
    I have ordered this book via Amazon after reading the shorts at the back cover. They seemed to come from all the right people. And they did not disappoint. The book is relatively easy to read (despite fact-heavy content) and if you are - like me - interested in psychology and/or science - you will read it it one afternoon. I have one reservation - this is not a book about psychology. Or at least not only. This is a book about science. I particularly liked how authors pinpoint the deficiencies of clinical transparency. Authors do not only criticize various issues. Almost always all the criticism is followed by a proposed solution(s). You might agree or disagree with them - but it makes you think about the issues they discuss. Some parts are harsh - especially for those who used services of therapists in the past. But it is hard to disagree with many points authors made. Book is well referenced. There is a dedicated blog and a fan-page where you can discuss, ask questions and follow-up on many topics covered in this book. Long story short: this book stands out, makes you think, is enjoyable to read. And it continues to live on-line. Love it.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2015
    This book is so much more than just another book on psychology.
    Have you read all self-help books on Amazon? Surprised your life still sucks? Have you been seeing a therapist with your spouse and are wondering why it’s not getting any better? Is there something really wrong with you? Or is there something wrong with modern psychology?

    This book will give you answers to all those questions. You might not like what you learn, but if you have every asked yourself any of the questions above – you should read it now…

    I want to thank the authors for putting this together. I love it and recommend this book to everyone – not only those troubled. It’s a great journey through the modern world of marketing and a history of manipulation. Well done!
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2018
    I remember feeling extraordinarily vindicated after reading this. As other reviewers have noted, the English translation is poor. I'm not very good at reading (I think most of my "reading" consists of daydreaming), but this is one of the best psychology books of any kind I've encountered.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2015
    As a clinical social worker, working in behavioral health and having a practice of my own, I recommend that everyone in the field of psychology and social work read this book. I spend a good amount of my time educating people on the limits of this field of practice and a great deal of my own time reading about evidence-based treatments such as cognitive and behavioral therapy in an effort to help my clients, which is what I got into this business to do. I was a subscriber of the Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice and was disappointed to learn they are not continuing to research this field due to funding. As a clinical social worker, part of my role is to inform my clients about the limits of the field, and now I have more to offer them. Thank you.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
    Definitely not an easy read. If you seek entertainment, stay away. If you seek enlightenment, this book is for you.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2016
    Psychology Gone Wrong offers some immensely valuable insights about the ways that psychology is in many ways not a science but an industry, and offers some useful insights about some possible correctives. This book would be particularly useful for persons involved with therapy or counseling, to help them see through the jargon and false promises of the mental health industries. Sadly, the book is seriously compromised by abysmally bad translation from the Polish, and from an horrific failure of even the most rudimentary editing. I suspect that the translation was done either by computer program or by someone who thought their English was better than it actually is. Every page is filled with massive grammatical and syntactical errors. Some of these are simply amusing, but many of them seriously obscure the meaning of the text to the point that some sections are unintelligible. This book desperately needs a new edition that is overseen by persons who can translate and edit at a professional level.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2015
    This is truly a remarkable book - an analysis of three aspects of contemporary psychology - academic psychology, psychoanalysis and psychology as a business. It reads very well and is completely documented/referenced and fascinating. It exposes the great deal of fraud and pseudoscience found in psychology - a very informative and worthwhile read.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2015
    As a former graduate student in psychology at a major research University, I can file much of the information in Psychology Gone Wrong in the file titled "Suspicions Confirmed". Most of the reputable data on Psychoanalysis is non existent. Most of the data on learning behavior and personality development is from work with college sophomores and rats. Recent results linking most, if not all, mental illness with aberrant brain chemistry is much more reliable.
    The book was very helpful, and unmasks many fraudulent or unproven psychoanalytical approaches.
    9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • sharon l grant
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend it
    Reviewed in Canada on August 5, 2017
    Well write, yet easy to read. Fascinating subject, well researched and up to date.
  • Christine A. Sutherland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Even worse than I suspected
    Reviewed in Australia on December 14, 2022
    I cannot describe how much I like and respect this incredibly important book. As a clinical researcher I spend considerable time reading and analysing reports and clinical studies and for over 20 years have been dismayed at the poor quality of psychology research generally, and the fact that so much of it actually makes it to the coalface of therapy despite being utterly useless.

    Witkowski and Zatonski comprehensively blowtorch the junk that has polluted psychotherapy since the beginning, and continues to this day, scrupulously citing only the highest quality research and analyses in order to demonstrate conclusively the incredible damage that's been done not just to the profession, but to clients and the entire community.

    This text should be required reading and intensive study in psychology 101, prior to literally anything else. Perhaps then we stand a chance that a psych degree will mean something, that research will not be so pitifully incompetent, and that graduates will not hit the ground quite so gullible and ill informed.
  • CSPike
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and informative book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2016
    Excellent and informative book, written with passion. While I may not agree with all the authors' opinions or conclusions, I respect the fact that they write from a viewpoint that values objective truth and empirical evidence, even in the face of extreme criticism from their academic peers. I await the next book with eager anticipation!
  • C.J. de Jong
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2015
    Every psychologist and journalist writing on this subject should read this book: it's excellent! It explains what is wrong with (some of) the research in psychology and what should be done to improve the quality of research.
  • little punk jilly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent excellent excellent love it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2015
    Excellent excellent excellent love it!!! :) its defiantly a must have if you have a passion and interest for psychology its exactly as described but better!!!!!!! very very very happy thank you!!!! :) x