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Imaginary Realities: The Psychology of Everyday Delusions by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett

Imaginary Realities: The Psychology of Everyday Delusions

by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett
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Book cover type: Hardcover
  • ISBN13: 9780197817377
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • Subject: N/A
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Publisher Imprint: Oxford University Press
  • Publication Date:
  • Pages: 208
  • Original Price: USD 39.99
  • Language: English
  • Edition: N/A
  • Item Weight: 440 grams
  • BISAC Subject(s): Developmental / General

Why do people believe the unbelievable? Why do fictional ideas so often inspire real-world action-sometimes joyful, sometimes destructive-while the people inspired by them never recognize that they are fictional? In Imaginary Realities, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett explores the psychological and cultural forces that lead people to embrace beliefs that defy logic yet shape lives, societies, and history. From religious and magical thinking to conspiracy theories and superstitions, Arnett reveals how these "imaginary realities" help us make sense of a chaotic world and why we adhere to them even when they mislead us.

This groundbreaking book examines the psychological roots of irrational beliefs and how they soothe anxiety and foster social cohesion; how they underlie the double-edged sword of moral egoism, which motivates many of our best and worst behavior; the surprising role of imaginary realities in joy, humor, and group celebration; and the looming threats posed by modern myths surrounding AI, ecological collapse, and genetic engineering.

With clarity, insight, and cultural depth, Imaginary Realities challenges readers to rethink what we believe and why.

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett is one of the leading developmental psychologists in the world. He is a Senior Research Scholar in the Department of Psychology at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is the Founding President and former Executive Director of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood. His 2015 TED Talk "Why Does It Take So Long to Grow Up Today?" has been viewed over half a million times on YouTube. In 2023 he was the President of the American Psychological Association, Division 1, General Psychology and Interdisciplinary Inquiry. For more information, see www.jeffreyarnett.com.

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