Must read books for Oxbridge Psychology applicants

Here are 3 must-read books if you are applying for any Psychology related course at Oxford or Cambridge. They’ll give you the fundamental knowledge you need to do well in the interview and will look great on your PS. 

The secret to Oxbridge success is reading, reading and more reading. I hope that if you’re going for a place at Oxford or Cambridge you truly love your subject. So reading lots of books and articles should not be a difficult task. Here are some crucial books, magazines and papers that will get your brain moving. 

1. Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour – Richard Goss 

This is a fundamental textbook that is the best in the business. It’ll give you all you need to understand the subject and it goes some way to cover the first year of the undergraduate syllabus as well. It’s a catch-all bible if you’re just starting out. 

2. Musicophilia – Oliver Sacks 

This is a very accessible applied book. It’ll show you how psychology can be used in the real world without giving you too much of a headache at the same time. If you’re interested in music then this is an absolute must and something you should enjoy getting your teeth stuck into. 

3. The Stanford Prison Experiment 

Reading through all the original notes and documents on The Stanford Prison Experiment is well worth your time. You’ll see how an experiment can be conducted and what processes need to be followed. If you’re not familiar with the experiment it’s also a key piece of knowledge you’ll need as it is a foundational modern experiment that set the tone for much of what we now know and think about when considering psychology.