Stranger in the Mirror

Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become?

From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes this provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the most personal and important of all landscapes: the physical and psychological entity we call our self.

Using a combination of case studies and cutting-edge research in psychology, biology, neuroscience, virtual reality and many other fields, Levine challenges cherished beliefs about the unity and stability of the self - but also suggests that we are more capable of change than we know.

Transformation, Levine shows, is the human condition at virtually every level. Physically, our cells are unrecognizable from one moment to the next. Cognitively, our self-perceptions are equally changeable: A single glitch can make us lose track of a body part or our entire body, or to confuse our very self with that of another person. Psychologically, we switch back and forth like quicksilver between incongruent, sometimes adversarial sub-selves. Socially, we appear to be little more than an ever-changing troupe of actors. And, culturally, the boundaries of the self vary wildly around the world - from the confines of one's body to an entire village.

The self, in short, is a fiction: vague, arbitrary, and utterly intangible. But it is also interminably fluid. And this unleashes a world of potential.

Engaging, informative, and ultimately liberating, Stranger in the Mirror will change forever how you think about your self - and what you might become.

“"[Robert Levine] offers an intriguing set of examples of how frequently we experience multiple identities without recognizing them as such. . . . Out of these varied examples, Levine creates an engaging tapestry that illustrates how, often, what we think of as our fixed identity is an illusion. A provocative and convincing case of the malleability of what we think of as 'our self, which in reality is a multiplicity of characters' developed through time and circumstances." K irkus Reviews”

"[Robert Levine] offers an intriguing set of examples of how frequently we experience multiple identities without recognizing them as such. . . . Out of these varied examples, Levine creates an engaging tapestry that illustrates how, often, what we think of as our fixed identity is an illusion. A provocative and convincing case of the malleability of what we think of as 'our self, which in reality is a multiplicity of characters' developed through time and circumstances." Kirkus Reviews

"Robert Levine's exhilarating journey in his classic A Geography of Time is amplified and nuanced in his new enchanting search for multiplexivity of the self. Witty, wise and wonderfully entertaining reading from its opening challenging paradox to its inspiring closing. It is surely a "must read" now selection." Philip G. Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and author of The Lucifer Effect?

"In this fascinating exploration of the human self, Robert Levine--one of psychology's great writers-blends mind-bending case stories (à la Oliver Sacks) with the insights of psychological science. Read this and prepare to have your self-understanding challenged and expanded." David G. Myers, Hope College and coauthor of Psychology, 11th Edition
"Combining solid research with charming anecdotes, Levine has provided us with a wise, witty, and provocative analysis of the many selves we each walk around with but often fail to understand." Elliot Aronson, author of The Social Animal and coauthor of Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me)
"From page one, Robert Levine opens a fascinating and thoroughly engaging window on scientific research on the self. His recounting of the science is state of the art while being spellbindingly human. Time and again, I wanted to shout 'yes, that's it!' I found this a deeply enriching and remarkably real book." Harry Reis, University of Rochester
"Stranger in the Mirror is the most engaging book I have encountered in a long time. The content is thoroughly delicious and Robert Levine writes with compelling clarity." David Dunning, University of Michigan

Robert Levine grew up in Brooklyn New York. After graduating high school in 1963, he enrolled at UC Berkeley where he had the blind good luck to experience the sixties from hippy central. After Berkeley, he went on to get a master's degree in clinical psychology from Florida State University in 1969 and a Ph.D. in personality/social psychology from New York University in 1974. He was a Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fresno from then until his death in 2019, with stints as Chairperson of the Department and as Associate Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. Over the years he also served as a Visiting Professor at Universidade Federal Fluminense in Niteroi, Brazil, at Sapporo Medical University in Japan, and at Stockholm University in Sweden. He won awards for both his teaching and research. He published many articles in professional journals as well as articles in trade periodicals such as Discover, American Demographics, The New York Times, Utne Reader, and American Scientist. His book, A Geography of Time (Basic Books, 1997), was the subject of feature stories around the world, including Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, CNN, the BBC, ABC's Primetime, and NPR's All Things Considered and Marketplace. It has been translated into six languages. His book, The Power of Persuasion: How We're Bought and Sold (John Wiley & Sons, 2003), has been translated into eight languages. An updated, paperback revision was published in 2006. He was former President of the Western Psychological Association and a Fellow in the American Psychological Association. (Website: .

Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become? From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes this provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the most personal and important of all landscapes: the physical and psychological entity we call our self. Using a combination of case studies and cutting-edge research in psychology, biology, neuroscience, virtual reality and many other fields, Levine challenges cherished beliefs about the unity and stability of the self - but also suggests that we are more capable of change than we know.Transformation, Levine shows, is the human condition at virtually every level. Physically, our cells are unrecognizable from one moment to the next. Cognitively, our self-perceptions are equally changeable: A single glitch can make us lose track of a body part or our entire body, or to confuse our very self with that of another person. Psychologically, we switch back and forth like quicksilver between incongruent, sometimes adversarial sub-selves. Socially, we appear to be little more than an ever-changing troupe of actors. And, culturally, the boundaries of the self vary wildly around the world - from the confines of one's body to an entire village.The self, in short, is a fiction: vague, arbitrary, and utterly intangible. But it is also interminably fluid. And this unleashes a world of potential. Engaging, informative, and ultimately liberating, Stranger in the Mirror will change forever how you think about your self - and what you might become.

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