Prisoners of Hate: The Cognitive Basis of Anger, Hostility, and Violence - Paperback

by Aaron T. Beck (Author)

"Prisoners of Hate offers a profound analysis of a most pressing human challenge: the causes--and prevention--of hatred. Of the many important books Aaron Beck has written, this may be his greatest gift to humanity." --Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

World-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Aaron T. Beck has always been at the forefront of cognitive therapy research, his approach being the most rapidly growing psychotherapy today. In his most important work to date, the widely hailed father of cognitive therapy presents a revolutionary look at destructive behavior--from domestic abuse to genocide to war--and provides a solid framework for remedying these crucial problems.

In this book, Dr. Beck:

Illustrates the specific psychological aberrations underlying anger, interpersonal hostility, ethnic conflict, genocide, and war;Clarifies why perpetrators of evil deeds are motivated by a belief that they are doing good;Explains how the offenders are locked into distorted belief systems that control their behavior and shows how the same distortions in thinking occur in a rampaging mob as in an enraged spouse;Provides a blueprint for correcting warped thinking and belief systems and, consequently, undercutting various forms of hostility; andDiscusses how the individual and society as a whole might use the tools of psychotherapy to block the psychological pathways to war, genocide, rape, and murder.

Back Jacket

World-renowned psychiatrist Dr.Aaron T. Beck, widely hailed as the father of cognitive therapy, presents a revolutionary and eye-opening look at destructive behavoir in Prisoners of Hate. He applied his established principles on the relationships bewteen thinking processes and the emotional and behavoiral expressions to the dark side of humanity. In fascinating detail, he demonstrates that basic components of destructive behavoir-domestic abuse, bigotry, genocide, and war-share common patterns with everyday frustrations in our lives. A book that will radically alter our thinking on violence in all its forms, Prisoners of Hate, provides a solid framework for remedying these crucial problems.