Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us
Two leading science journalists from NPR look at why some things (and some people!) drive us crazy.
It happens everywhere—offices, schools, even your own backyard. Plus, seemingly anything can trigger it—cell phones, sirens, bad music, constant distractions, your boss, or even your spouse. We all know certain things get under our skin. Can science explain why? Palca and Lichtman take you on a scientific quest through psychology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, and other disciplines to uncover the truth about being annoyed. What is the recipe for annoyance? For starters, it should be temporary, unpleasant, and unpredictable, like a boring meeting or mosquito bites
- Gives fascinating, surprising explanations for why people react the way they do to everything from chili peppers to fingernails on a blackboard
- Explains why irrational behavior (like tearing your hair out in traffic) is connected to worthwhile behavior (like staying on task)
- Includes tips for identifying your own irritating habits!
How often can you say you're happily reading a really Annoying book? The insights are fascinating, the exploration is fun, and the knowledge you gain, if you act like you know everything, can be really annoying.
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Book details
- Author
- Joseph Palca, Flora Lichtman
- Imprint
- Trade Paper Press, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Pages
- 272
- Formats
- Hardcover
- Subjects
- Psychology › Physiological Psychology
Psychology › Emotions
Psychology › Social Psychology - Topics
- psychology of annoyance · noise sensitivity · evolutionary biology · social psychology · human behavior · science journalism · emotions
- ISBN-13
- 9780470638699
About the authors
JOE PALCA is a science journalist and PhD psychologist who served as NPR’s science correspondent for thirty years, covering biomedical research and astronomy. He is the author of Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us.
Palca was president of the National Association of Science Writers from 1999 to 2000 and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019. He holds a PhD in psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and previously worked as a television producer and print journalist for Nature and Science magazine.
FLORA LICHTMAN is a science journalist, filmmaker, and broadcaster and the co-author of Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us.
Lichtman’s Emmy-nominated "Animated Life" series appeared in The New York Times Op-Docs. She served as multimedia editor and co-host of NPR’s Science Friday alongside founder Ira Flatow, created and hosted Gimlet Media’s Every Little Thing podcast, and has written for Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World.