In Psychology of Human Behavior, David Cooper provides a comprehensive primer on how the mind influences action.

For an entrepreneur with a vision, this book is particularly useful for building emotional intelligence (EQ) and understanding the psychological drives behind consumer habits and team dynamics.

1. The Power of Emotional Governance

Cooper argues that humans are fundamentally governed by emotions rather than logic.

Decisional Driver

Emotions are the primary catalysts for human decisions. Logic is often just the “veneer” we use to justify those decisions after the fact.

EQ Mastery

Success in any venture – especially building a brand – depends more on your ability to regulate your own emotions and emphasize with others than on raw IQ.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Fundimentals

The book introduces Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles as a tool for personal growth and leadership:

The Thought-Action Loop

Our thoughts create our feelings, our feelings drive our behaviors, and our behaviors reinforce our thoughts.

Reframing

Cooper teaches how to “reprogram” negative mental loops (like imposter syndrome or fear of failure) to maintain the “strong mindset” required for entrepreneurship.

3. Understanding Social Influence

Cooper bridges the gap between individual psychology and group dynamics:

Persuasion vs. Manipulation

He makes a clear ethical distinction. Persuasion is about moving people toward a goal than benefits them (alignment), whereas manipulation is about subliminal control for one-sided gain.

Social Skills as a Science

He views social interaction as a skill that can be dissected and improved through the study of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and behavioral observation.

4. The “Dark” Side of Behavior

To compliment the defensive strategies you saw in Will Hawkins’ work, Cooper explains the Dark Triad (Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy) from a clinical perspective.

Identification

He provides markers to help you distinguish between a high-achiever and a toxic personality type before they impact your business.

The “Champion” Mindset

He outlines how to train your brain to think like a “champion” – focusing on resilience, optimism, and high-level problem solving during career challenges.

5. Communication Effectiveness

Cooper cites a famous (though often debated) psychological statistic: 55% of communication effectiveness comes form body language.

• He emphasizes that even if your vision (the content) is perfect, it will fail if your delivery (the non verbal isn’t synchronized. This ties back perfectly to the Joe Navarro summary.

Key Takeaway for Your Brand

Cooper’s message is that you cannot influence others until you can master yourself. By understanding “why” behind human behavior, you can create products and content that speak to people’s deep-seated emotional needs rather than just their surface wants.