Star Trek Psychology: The Mental Frontier by Travis Langley

Star Trek Psychology: The Mental Frontier Reviews

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  Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin

  4.5 Stars
  
  Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
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  Jackie Hope

  Wonderful -- and thoughtful -- book! I recommend it to Trekkies and psych majors both!
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  Dr. Madeline Henry

  Such an interesting read! I would definitely recommend this to all fans of Star Trek!
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  June

  I received a copy of this book from the Goodreads Giveaways program in exchange for an honest review. Besides the obvious outer-space action, the Star Trek series always had an explicit inner-space aspect (as just a few examples, Mr. Spock’s conflict between logic and emotion, discussion of leadership styles, various kinds of madness). It was a vision of a future time in which humanity had overcome its conflicts of the present and was ready for space exploration. Walter Koenig is quoted in an interview: "Gene Roddenberry - I certainly don't know if he's a genius, but his concept was so innovative and so new and so fresh and groundbreaking that it should always be remembered that he was able to do that. He was able to bring together a multinational, multiracial cast and show them in an environment in which they all got along."
  
  This collection of essays looks at the entire series, especially the original Star Trek and The Next Generation, with various perspectives from modern psychology. It’s an accessible and fun read for fans of the series and/or psychology students.
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  Eileen

  Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook, so someone let me know if I've misremembering anything.
  
  As someone who was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, I want to talk about the essay "Gene Roddenberry Saw the Future . . . and the Future is Asperger's" by Frank Gaskill, a psychologist who describes himself as having some of its traits. Now I know many of us use the alien metaphor to articulate our experiences as social misfits (in fact "Wrong Planet" is the name of a popular autism support site), but an implication arises when you actually apply this to a science fiction context that Gaskill completely overlooks in his enthusiasm to be seen as a Vulcan or android. Star Trek's image of the "human" contrasted to a Vulcan, AI, or ex-Borg is very much a neurotypical one. If Data effectively has an Aspie personality, then isn't he arguably already very human? When was Spock ever shown interacting with an autistic human crewmember who connects with his logical outlook better than Kirk & Co. ever did? Gaskill never considers this. Even when represented by sympathetic characters, autism is being framed as literally alien or robotic and therefore not human.
  
  Surprisingly, Gaskill never even mentions Seven of Nine. Every example of an autistic person or autistic-adjacent character he points out is male. Considering how often autism is overlooked in women and girls due to gender stereotypes and differences in presentation, and that Gaskill is a mental health professional who works with autistic people, this is disappointing.
  
  The rest of the book was pretty cool, though.
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  Tiffy McKay

  This book is for Trekies and it is for psychology lovers; preferably both, for you will be the ones getting the most out of this collection. I am both.
  
  Whenever I study psychology, I make sure to use it introspectively. I was taught in my first psych class to use psychology as a tool for unlocking my own potential. From that perspective, I gained so very much by reading this book.
  
  I found it at Barnes & Nobel after my sister gave me a copy of the Star Wars psychology book (which I keep meaning to crack open, but never felt the need to throw other books aside to get to). However, when I read the first few lines of the forward to the Star TREK psychology book in the store, the meme “shut up and take my money” played out over the cafe counter.
  
  This book dug up a lot of healing for me, explained a lot of personal behaviors I exhibit, and shined a light on possible future versions of myself should I choose to walk the paths less traveled.
  
  If you’re a keen explorer of the mind, the galaxies, science fiction, and beyond, then I believe you’ll appreciate this book. There is something in it for many age groups ranging from young adults to parents to old age as they touch on so many topics depicted throughout the many Star Trek series.
  
  Every series is mentioned at some point from TOS to Discovery. And it was exceedingly exciting to experience psychology talks with like minded people from my own fandom culture.
  
  Happy reading my fellow Trekies. LLAP.
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  Dom

  A fun Trekky read, lots of good essays of varying quality. Lovely Trek references across all classic shows, though mostly focuses on TOS which ugh. Would be interested to see more writing on gender and sexual expressions among Trek once Disco and modern Treks start moving past heteronormativity. I would also love to read a book about Trek depictions of race, racism and how we can overcome racial inequality and injustice as societies.
• 
  Becca

  Meh.
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  Anne

  I received Star Trek Psychology as a part of the Goodreads giveaway program. The book was well researched and descriptive in its Star Trek background which was imperative as I am familiar with the series but not a die hard fan. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in psychology particularly those who have military experience. There are quite a few examples that explain the similarities of Starfleet to the US Military.
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  Elowen

  This is a very interesting exploration of the psychological aspects of Star Trek, and enjoyable as a different way of looking at the franchise, its many characters and its themes and storylines. If you're into Star Trek and interested in psychology then this could also serve as a very accessible (popular-scientific) introduction to the field, with plenty of references to articles and books for further study.
  
  
  
  
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  Christina

  Amazing essays about the human psyche and how each element of the Star Trek universe symbolizes the psychological mechanisms. I enjoyed other works by Langley and wasn't disappointed. I binched the book in one sitting and was mesmerized by the details and analysis that went into it - Trek fan or not (I am not, but enjoy the fictional world occasionally). Recommended for all who are onto psychology and deep-diving in fictional story universes (sci fi or not).
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  James Huston

  4.5 really but surprisingly good
  
  - professional medical analyze on fundamental psychology
  - fictional characters and scenarios from Star Trek provide relevant examples
  - anecdotal interviews with Star Trek alumni are also relevant
  
  This is well-edited and well-researched, and FUN
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  Susan

  I won this book through Goodreads. Interesting and informative. So much information..it's amazing.
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  Trent Gillespie

  Heard on audiobook. An interesting look at the psychology behind the characters and plots of the Star Trek universe.