An influential neo-behavioralist known for his experiments on rats illustrating environmental influences on behavior, Skinner is a subject of Chapter 1 where Slater examines both his groundbreaking work and the controversies surrounding his reputation.

Featured in Chapter 2, Stanley Milgram is the Yale researcher famous for his study on obedience and authority, which Slater discusses alongside insights into Milgram’s artistic inclinations and his perception of the distance between art and science.

David Rosenhan, profiled in Chapter 3, is a Stanford psychologist known for his critical study on psychiatric diagnosis, "On Being Sane in Insane Places," highlighting his bold approach to research and the tragic health decline he suffered later in life.

In Chapter 4, John Darley and Bibb Latané are profiled as researchers who studied "the bystander effect" following the murder of Kitty Genovese, observing the influence of situational factors over personality in determining human behavior.

Leon Festinger, explored in Chapter 5, is a psychologist who developed the concept of "cognitive dissonance." His work and personality traits are presented, as well as his study involving a doomsday cult.

Harry Harlow, detailed in Chapter 6, is known for his controversial research on emotional attachment using monkeys, as well as his personal struggles with alcoholism and depression.

Chapter 7 introduces Bruce Alexander, a psychologist who argued against the biological basis of addiction through his "rat park" experiment, emphasizing social factors as central to understanding addiction.

Featured in Chapter 8, Elizabeth Loftus is a psychologist known for her work on the malleability of human memory, with Slater giving a portrayal of her driven personality and some skepticism regarding Loftus's findings.

Eric Kandel, discussed in Chapter 9, researched the biological basis of memory using sea slugs, with Slater acknowledging his Austrian heritage and the personal history that influenced his scientific pursuits.

In Chapter 10, António Egas Moniz is recognized as the pioneer of the lobotomy procedure, receiving a Nobel Prize for his work, though it later became regarded as ethically questionable.