This collection of first-person accounts from legendary social psychologists tells the stories behind the science and offers unique insight into the development of the field from the 1950s to the present. One pillar, the grandson of a slave, was inspired by Kenneth Clark. Yet when he entered his PhD program in the 1960s, he was told that race was not a variable for study. Other pillars faced first-hand a type of sexism that was hardly subtle, when women were not permitted into the faculty dining room. Still others have lived through a tremendous diversification of social psychology, not only in the United States but in Europe and Asia, that characterizes the field today. Together these stories, always witty and sometimes emotional, form a mosaic of the field as a whole – its legends, their theories and research, their relationships with one another, and their sense of where social psychology is headed.

'This is a masterpiece of an introduction to social psychology. The greatest living scientists from the first three generations tell their stories about how they discovered, fell in love with, and, in many cases, transformed the field of their dreams with now classic studies of social experience and influence. As social psychologists will tell you, learning ideas through stories about people is the most effective way to learn a subject. Because it’s also the most enjoyable way, I’d recommend this book to any teacher of psychology who wants to both inform and inspire their students with these stories from the ‘golden age’ of social psychology.'

Joshua Aronson - New York University, USA

'Prominent social psychologists reflect candidly on their professional journeys, highlighting interconnections among theories, research questions, and people. By illustrating the way personal abilities, social circumstances, and mere chance combine to drive successful careers, these stories can inform and motivate future researchers and all those curious about human behavior.'

Susan Clayton - The College of Wooster, USA

'I love Saul Kassin’s collection of the life stories told by social psychology’s legends-and their stories of the legends that mentored them. For any social psychologist or student, these captivating accounts of serendipitous encounters, disheartening failures, creative moments, fruitful collaborations, and surmounted self-doubts will inform and inspire.'

David G. Myers - Hope College, USA, and co-author (with Jean Twenge) of Social Psychology, 14th Edition

'With the care of a master architect, Saul Kassin has assembled the personal stories of 48 leading ‘pillars’ of social psychology to build a monumental edifice with secret doorways connecting many of the rooms. At once thought-provoking and fun, this is a terrific book for anyone interested in psychology.'

Scott Plous - Wesleyan University, USA, and Executive Director of the Social Psychology Network

'This book is a treasure trove of wisdom and inspiration. Any one story provides a behind-the-scenes account of one scholar’s journey, but the collection reveals an immersive and interconnected history of how science unfolds.'

Toni Schmader - The University of British Columbia, Canada

‘This lively collection of the personal odysseys of our greatest social psychologists comprises a mosaic of social psychology itself, as one after another speaks of the combination of ‘accidents,’ ‘luck,’ colleagues, mentors, opportunities - and, oh yes, their own passions and motivations - that shaped their careers. A superb history of our field’s past, with warnings for its future.’

Carol Tavris - co-author (with Elliot Aronson) of Mistakes Were Made (but not by ME)