Overview
Not just your regular textbook, this unique book uses popular culture as a teaching tool by taking the work of Stephen King, America’s top horror writer, to illustrate concepts that are essential to health psychology. This book uses his storytelling and character development to illustrate the science of how psychology “gets under the skin” to impact physical health. It examines the history of health psychology and the biopsychosocial perspective, the biology of stress and emotion, the science of behavior change, structural (social) influences on health, personality and sleep science, the role of psychology in disease, and the evidence of the mind‑body connection. This book provides definitions of many health psychology concepts and uses the works of Stephen King to couch them in an easy‑to‑understand context. The intrinsic enjoyment of relating to a popular fiction writer is used to present the most recent research in the field, including work in the neuroscience of health psychology and the science of intervention. From explorations of the placebo and nocebo effects in Holly and Thinner, to the social ecological impacts on health in The Running Man and the power of adverse childhood experiences in The Body, this book provides a wide‑reaching overview of health psychology that can provide context for psychology students as well as student engagement opportunities. Accompanied by supplementary teaching materials, this engaging reading is designed to motivate undergraduate health psychology students and educators. It is also intended for King’s Constant Readers – those who can’t get enough of the world of Stephen King.
Full Product Details
Author: Crista Crittenden
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint: Routledge
Weight: 0.453kg
ISBN: 9781032802077
ISBN 10: 1032802073
Pages: 204
Publication Date: 15 June 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Author Information
Crista Crittenden, PhD, MPH, LSW, is currently special faculty in psychology with a joint position at both Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. She teaches a wide range of courses, from introductory cognitive psychology lectures to upper‑level clinical and health psychology seminars. She is also a licensed social worker who provides supervised pro bono therapy, focusing on cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in brain and cognitive science from the University of Rochester, her master’s degrees in public health and social work from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and from the University of Pittsburgh, respectively, and her PhD in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University.
