A provocative and witty look at how our private spaces-from boardroom to bedroom-reveal our personalities, whether we know it or not

Does what’s on your desk reveal what’s on your mind? Do those pictures on your walls tell true tales about you? And is your favorite outfit about to give you away? For the last ten years psychologist Sam Gosling has been studying how people project (and protect) their inner selves. By exploring our private worlds (desks, bedrooms, even our clothes and our cars), he shows not only how we showcase our personalities in unexpected-and unplanned-ways, but also how we create personality in the first place, communicate it others, and interpret the world around us. Gosling, one of the field’s most innovative researchers, dispatches teams of scientific snoops to poke around dorm rooms and offices, to see what can be learned about people simply from looking at their stuff. What he has discovered is astonishing: when it comes to the most essential components of our personalities-from friendliness to flexibility-the things we own and the way we arrange them often say more about us than even our most intimate conversations. If you know what to look for, you can figure out how reliable a new boyfriend is by peeking into his medicine cabinet or whether an employee is committed to her job by analyzing her cubicle. Bottom line: The insights we gain can boost our understanding of ourselves and sharpen our perceptions of others. Packed with original research and fascinating stories, Snoop is a captivating guidebook to our not-so-secret lives.

“Sam Gosling is an engaging writer, a brilliant psychologist, and a charming individual—and he must never, ever be allowed inside my office!”–Mary Roach, author of Stiff and Bonk

“I love this book. The content is fascinating, and Gosling presents it with great style and clarity. He teaches you to find clues about people in the most unlikely places—from the clutter in their closets to the smiles on their faces. If you want to know what your stuff really says about you, read Snoop.”–Jonathan Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis

“Snoop is a tour de force! It’s one of the smartest and most original books I’ve come across in a long time. I devoured it and then rushed over to clean up my desk and change my iPod playlist.”–Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class and Who’s Your City?

“If you are looking for a lover, a job, a new house, or a serial killer, Snoop is for you. It’s great science and a fun read by a world-renowned personality researcher.”–James W. Pennebaker, author of Opening Up and Writing to Heal

“Hugely enjoyable and insightful...Gosling has produced the perfect combination of rigorous research and lightness of prose to create a book that will transform every reader into a super snooper.”–Richard Wiseman, author of Quirkology

“Grounded in first-rate science, Snoop is an entertaining page-turner and a must read for anyone who wants to learn about the cutting edge of psychological research.”–Eric Abrahamson, coauthor of A Perfect Mess

“Gosling is the rarest of authors—a superb behavioral scientist who is as funny as he is smart. One of his great contributions is giving us fresh insight into what makes each of us who we are.”–Dan P. McAdams, author of The Redemptive Self

“Snoop isn’t conventional self-help. Instead, the psychology professor a the University of Texas-Austin draws on academic research to explain how to look at other people’s stuff – music, CD’s, books, personal websites, posters, email usernames – and figure out who they are in terms of five traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.”–USA Today

“…charming and well written…readable and practical guide to understanding the people around you.”–New Scientist

“Gosling's research addresses some fierce debates in academic psychology, and makes them lively and accessible to general readers in Snoop.”–Times Higher Education Supplement

“Gosling's work, reminiscent of Martha Stout's The Sociopath Next Door in its vivid, true-to-life portraits of people and places, is a unique blend of scholarly research and accessible vignettes. Expect future books from this young scholar, whose storytelling skills prove he's capable of bridging the gap between ivory-tower dwellers and street denizens.”–Library Journal, starred review

“Gosling, a psychology professor, shows us how the bits and pieces of our everyday lives can reveal more than we ever imagined. Did you know that the stuff you keep on your desk can tell a shrewd observer not just your likes and dislikes, but also your political leanings, your sexual interests, your fears, even your secret self-image (as opposed to the version of yourself you present to the world)?”–Booklist

“The basic premise behind "Snoop" is that you can tell an awful lot about a person based on their apartment; their work space; their favorite music; their style of dress - even their trash. (Gosling approvingly quotes Ward Harrison, a professional scavenger who made a career rummaging through the trash of celebs, who once said, "Garbage is a window into the soul.") This thesis puts "Snoop" firmly in "Blink" or "Freakonomics" territory.”–New York Post

Sam Gosling is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He has spent the last decade conducting research on how personality is expressed and perceived in everyday contexts. He has been profiled by the New York Times, Psychology Today, and other publications, and he is featured in Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink. This is his first book. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Imprint: Basic Books
Distributor: Perseus Books Group
Publication Date: 05-26-2008
Pages: 272
Measurements: 9.25in X 6.13in X 18.50lb