Jonathan Haidt Books

Jonathan Haidt, PhD, is a social and cultural psychologist at the University of Virginia. He studies morality and emotion and his research has also led to the publication of The Happiness Hypothesis.

  1. 1The Happiness Hypothesis

    The Happiness Hypothesis

    Jonathan Haidt

    Putting Ancient Wisdom and Philosophy to the Test of Modern Science

    4.5 (299 ratings)

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    What's The Happiness Hypothesis about?

    In The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt examines the ideas of famous ancient thinkers in light of modern knowledge and uses scientific findings to answer the question, “What makes a person happy?” The book will provide you with a better understanding of human social behavior and enable you to increase your own happiness.

    Who should read The Happiness Hypothesis?

    • Anyone looking for more happiness and meaning in his or her life
    • Anyone interested in psychology and research on happiness
  2. 2The Coddling of the American Mind

    The Coddling of the American Mind

    Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

    How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

    4.4 (328 ratings)

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    What's The Coddling of the American Mind about?

    The Coddling of the American Mind (2018) seeks to go behind the scandalized reporting and to establish what’s really happening on US college campuses. Drawing on psychological theory and wide-ranging research, The Coddling of the American Mind demonstrates that university life has taken a worrying turn.

    Who should read The Coddling of the American Mind?

    • Baffled readers trying to understand campus politics
    • Parents of college-aged kids
    • Citizens concerned about accelerating political polarization
  3. 3The Anxious Generation

    The Anxious Generation

    Jonathan Haidt

    How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

    4.3 (536 ratings)

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    What's The Anxious Generation about?

    The Anxious Generation (2024) argues that the decline of play in childhood and the rise of smartphone usage among adolescents are the twin sources of increased mental distress in Generation Z. Grounded in psychological and biological research, this eye-opening text explores how the profound shift from play-based to phone-based childhoods has disrupted adolescent development – and offers practical advice to address this crisis.

    Who should read The Anxious Generation?

    • Parents and carers concerned about their children’s smartphone use
    • Educators and psychologists perturbed by increased rates of mental illness among Gen Zers
    • Anyone addicted to their smartphone