EBOOK Heroes:What They Do and Why We Need Them

Abraham Lincoln, Princess Diana, Rick in Casablanca--why do we perceive certain        people as heroes? What qualities do we see in them? What must they do to win our        admiration? In Heroes, Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals offer a stimulating        tour of the psychology of heroism, shedding light on what heroism and villainy mean        to most people and why heroes--both real people and fictional characters--are so        vital to our lives. The book discusses a broad range of heroes, including Eleanor        Roosevelt, Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Senator Ted Kennedy, and explorer Ernest        Shackleton, plus villains such as Shakespeare's Iago. The authors highlight the        Great Eight traits of heroes (smart, strong, selfless, caring, charismatic,        resilient, reliable, and inspiring) and outline the mental models that we have of        how people become heroes, from the underdog who defies great odds (David vs.          Goliath) to the heroes who redeem themselves or who overcome adversity. Brimming        with psychological insight, Heroes provides an illuminating look at heroes--and into        our own minds as well.