Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits Of Being Bad

From the man who won the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2014 and married a human statue comes a book of weird and wonderful psychological science from the far-flung corners of human experience.

Richard Stephens became the focus of international media attention for his research on the psychological benefits of swearing, and here he turns his gaze on other pieces of surprising and occasionally bizarre scientific enquiry. What do you know about how fear can be mistaken for love? How about why parachuting can be the perfect antidote to stress, or how science makes everyone, even scientists, feel stupid (and why this is good)?

Black Sheep is a fascinating left-field tour of the world of psychological science. More pub conversation than science book, it casts a slant on a range of human experiences from life to death, sex to romance, from speed thrills to halting boredom and from drinking alcohol (in moderation) to headily excessive bad language.

Reading this book will change your opinions about sex, addiction, bad language and fast driving. You'll never think about love, stress, boredom or death the same way again. Get ready for the many hidden benefits of being bad that you really won't have seen coming.