Books for Understanding 'How we Work'

How we think is a constant curiousity to me! Why do we do what we do? What are the influencing factors? Is there anything we can do to make life easier? I'm really about the make life easier part.

These books have been interesting enough for me to mention.

10/29/13
I've just begun reading this book, and am pleasantly surprised to learn that the IQ test was originally intended to track the success of school systems in teaching children -- not to quantify the intelligence of children!  The most common quote I've found online is: 

"Binet himself did not believe that his test measured a permanent or inborn degree of intelligence (Kamin, 1995)."

The book mindset centers around the idea that one particular approach to life has far reaching consequences to how our lives play out: it is the difference between the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom (Paperback) by  Jonathan Haidt (Author)

This is a really fun book to read!  As well as enlightening.  The basic premise is that our happiness in life depends in large part upon our ability to 'train the elephant' (our unconscious) -- which carries us through life where ever it wishes.  
  No Mind Left Behind: Understanding and Fostering Executive Control--The Eight Essential Brain SkillsEvery Child Needs to Thrive, [paperback] by Adam J. Cox, Ph.D.  

Being one of those detailed types, I like the way the information in this book is presented.  It's rather methodical, and perhaps a little dry, but thorough, and I like the thorough.  

Part of the thorough are the examples.  The beauty of the examples are that they illustrate what he means in the way he means it.  As you learn, you experience the way he suggests imparting information to the kiddos, so it's not just dry words.  It's positive change.

The quiz at the beginning helps you identify which aspect of the organizing process is out of whack and how that is impacting current life and will affect future life.

So to my mind, even if this reads a tiny bit like a text book, it's well worth it.