Annoying : : the Science of What Bugs us

AADL has no copies of this item

"Two crackerjack 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."-- Provided by publisher.
"A scientific look at something that affects us all--annoying spouses, car alarms, fingernails on a chalkboard, coworkers, missed planes, bad dreams, dropped calls, bed bugs, even the sounds coming out of everyone else's iPod--while still being humorous, surprising, and helpful"-- Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Summary / Annotation
Table of Contents
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

So cool! submitted by Blackberry Elf-Glitter on July 13, 2013, 2:34pm This book was AMAZING! So much cool stuff! All about why things were annoying, and what kinds of annoyances there are, and so so so so so much more!!!! I learned so much! Did you know that pain is good for us? People can have perfect pitch? What can attract you to someone in the beginning can become the thing you hate about them? You can buy little buggies that make people annoyed? I can't wait to walk up to the next person I see and start telling way too much than they needed to know about reactive electrophiles.