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Matthew D. Lieberman
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Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect Kindle Edition

by Matthew D. Lieberman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 717 ratings
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We are profoundly social creatures--more than we know. 

In Social, renowned psychologist Matthew Lieberman explores groundbreaking research in social neuroscience revealing that our need to connect with other people is even more fundamental, more basic, than our need for food or shelter. Because of this, our brain uses its spare time to learn about the social world--other people and our relation to them. It is believed that we must commit 10,000 hours to master a skill. According to Lieberman, each of us has spent 10,000 hours learning to make sense of people and groups by the time we are ten.
 
Social argues that our need to reach out to and connect with others is a primary driver behind our behavior. We believe that pain and pleasure alone guide our actions. Yet, new research using fMRI--including a great deal of original research conducted by Lieberman and his UCLA lab--shows that our brains react to social pain and pleasure in much the same way as they do to physical pain and pleasure. Fortunately, the brain has evolved sophisticated mechanisms for securing our place in the social world. We have a unique ability to read other people’s minds, to figure out their hopes, fears, and motivations, allowing us to effectively coordinate our lives with one another. And our most private sense of who we are is intimately linked to the important people and groups in our lives. This wiring often leads us to restrain our selfish impulses for the greater good. These mechanisms lead to behavior that might seem irrational, but is really just the result of our deep social wiring and necessary for our success as a species.
 
Based on the latest cutting edge research, the findings in Social have important real-world implications. Our schools and businesses, for example, attempt to minimalize social distractions. But this is exactly the wrong thing to do to encourage engagement and learning, and literally shuts down the social brain, leaving powerful neuro-cognitive resources untapped. The insights revealed in this pioneering book suggest ways to improve learning in schools, make the workplace more productive, and improve our overall well-being.
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  1. Print length
    385 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Crown
  4. Publication date
    October 8, 2013
  5. File size
    6.8 MB
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It seems natural that when a person is rewarded with a cash prize there is intense activity in the pleasure centers of his or her brain. But why do we experience neurally identical pleasure when giving away money? Why is the emotional pain of being left out of a game of catch identical to that of physical injury? Using the latest research in neuroscience, Lieberman, an award-winning social psychologist, shows readers how their brains may be wired, first and foremost, to harmonize and connect with others, rather than simply to act in their own interests. With the help of new functional MRI technology, Lieberman explores the surprising new science of social interaction, investigating how our perceptions of others affect our cognition and, even more elementally, how social interaction and its absence can produce the same mental responses as physical pain and pleasure, as well as what that fact might mean about the evolution of the brain. Lieberman's findings are convincing: over the course of their evolution, humans have developed sophisticated means of responding to group challenges and the norms of altruism and cohesion have become ingrained in neural biology. The end of the book outlines how to integrate social cognition into teaching and management. Social is a far-ranging and sometimes long-winded introduction to how humans think together. Agent: Max Brockman, Brockman Inc. (Oct.)

From Booklist

Do we really know what drives us? Compelling evidence is emerging that shows that, more than money or other extrinsic incentives, the human brain gets a hefty reward by forging connections with others. That evidence, much of it uncovered by Lieberman, a pioneer of social cognitive neuroscience, is presented in a collegial manner in this often-surprising account. He contends that the human brain has been primed by evolution to view the world in social terms. With the details from study after study, many of them based on imaging scans that examine activity in certain parts of the brain, Lieberman’s book is perfect for Malcolm Gladwell fans who want to delve much deeper into the biology behind our social abilities. The investigations reveal the impressive social abilities we hold, often unappreciated but noticeable when lacking in others, and so ingrained they may influence our very sense of self. The book provides anecdotes and insights sure to be shared with others because, after all, we’re social creatures. --Bridget Thoreson

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CCPII14
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown (October 8, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 8, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6.8 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 717 ratings

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Matthew D. Lieberman

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
717 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They find it informative and interesting, with insightful studies and lessons about connectivity. The author explains how humans are wired to connect with others from a young age.

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ReadabilityInsightConnectivity
66 customers mention "Readability"58 positive8 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the author's clear explanations and practical suggestions for overcoming physical pain. The book is described as an easy and compelling read with lots of research.

"A very compelling book on the physical goings on within our minds during our most average everyday lives...." Read more

"...This is one of the best books I've read, and feel the implications discussed in this book are some of the most important we need to be aware of in..." Read more

"...It was a really easy read, and many of the claims/statements were super obvious...." Read more

"...research on humanity's need for social connections and explains, clearly and in a manner accessible to laypersons, how our human brains are built to..." Read more

59 customers mention "Insight"57 positive2 negative

Customers find the book informative and interesting. They say it's written in a way that makes it interesting to professionals while being accessible to a wider audience. The studies presented are interesting, and the book provides a readable summary of neuroscience developments to date.

"...It also gives a comprehensive understanding as to how our society has evolved into the social dependency it is today...." Read more

"...There was just so much good information in this book that I see myself rereading it over the years to fully internalize and understand what to do..." Read more

"This is another strong offering under the general category of evolutionary psychology...." Read more

"...This is an important book which will make the reader (at least it made this reader) appreciate the necessity of human connection." Read more

4 customers mention "Connectivity"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's message about connectivity. They say it's important to connect with others and that we are wired for this from a young age.

"...will make the reader (at least it made this reader) appreciate the necessity of human connection." Read more

"...He proves that we, from a very young age, are wired to connect to others and makes a convincing argument how the social cortex of the brain is the..." Read more

"...narrative, that we are both psychologically and physically dependent on social connection, even as we counter-intuitively pursue the wholly..." Read more

"Connecting to others is essential...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Steve W
    5.0 out of 5 stars Social....
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A very compelling book on the physical goings on within our minds during our most average everyday lives. Dr Lieberman is a psychologist who has dedicated his life to understanding the functionality of the brain and why it responses the way it does. This book breaks down how nature has adapted our evolution as a social society and why. This gives a great insight to what portions of the brain react to certain situations and why. It also gives a comprehensive understanding as to how our society has evolved into the social dependency it is today. Dr Lieberman is not shy about sharing his own possibility embarrassing experiences in order to further his point on our social dependencies. For that..... I give five stars. Although I probably would have done so anyway because his research is fascinating on its own. 😃
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Robert B. Lloyd
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant and enlightening book
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2018
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    So my background is in therapy, and am always looking for books to enhance my understanding of human nature. This is one of the best books I've read, and feel the implications discussed in this book are some of the most important we need to be aware of in appreciating who we are. The author made a persuasive case with this book that our social connections really make or break us. There was just so much good information in this book that I see myself rereading it over the years to fully internalize and understand what to do with this important information.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing you didn't already know
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2018
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    I had this professor for one of my college courses and this book was a required reading. It was a really easy read, and many of the claims/statements were super obvious. Like someone else had already mentioned, he didn't really support his research claims with extensive experimentation, aside from the fMRIs. Also, he didn't give a perspective of introverts and people who aren't overly social (and don't want to be). This is an important aspect of being social. Overall I enjoyed it, but also found it to be a bit superficial- I want more.
    38 people found this helpful
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  • George
    5.0 out of 5 stars We are more EO Wilson's ant than Ayn Rand's architect
    Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2013
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    This is another strong offering under the general category of evolutionary psychology. However, what makes this book different -- and shocking -- is the conclusion drawn toward the end. We are fundamentally mistaken about "who we are" because our evolved brain regularly tricks us into thinking we are taking certain actions or thinking certain thoughts on behalf of ourselves when, really, these actions & thoughts are on behalf of our social group. For some reason I was reminded of the '70's move, Soylent Green, where at the climax Charlton Heston raises a bloodied hand and shouts: "Soylent Green is People!" Well, Matthew Lieberman, as an academic, understandably shies away from using bloody hands, agonized cries, or even exclamation points, but you could easily imagine the unstated climax of his book as being: "The Self is People!"

    Now that we have this fundamentally new understanding of the Self, how do we live with it? Lieberman address this but, to me, it feels more like a piece of candy and a pat on the back after a visit to the doctor. What might be a better follow up is a book that would be something similar to The Robot's Rebellion, Stanovich's take on the implications of The Selfish Gene....or maybe even something like Camus' Myth of Sisyphus, but rooted in this brave new world of the "Self."
    9 people found this helpful
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  • NJ Person
    5.0 out of 5 stars He DIDN'T blind me with science.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    When I got to the passage explaining how Tylenol works as effectively on emotional pain as it does physical pain, I actually said "Wow" out loud. There are many such "wow" out loud passages in this book. Lieberman (and his colleagues, all of whom he generously mentions) has conducted quietly revolutionary research on humanity's need for social connections and explains, clearly and in a manner accessible to laypersons, how our human brains are built to crave emotional bonds with others and how that craving has helped us evolve. His research is impressive, his writing is engaging, his findings are illuminating, and the subject is fascinating. This is an important book which will make the reader (at least it made this reader) appreciate the necessity of human connection.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • j smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Super interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
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    A lot of interesting about our social brains, I’m recommending to everyone I know
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Super boring in the beginning
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2018
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    Super boring in the beginning. I put the book down multiple times and have regrettably not picked it back up since. I want to get into the information within the book but find it tiresome to sift through the evolutionist theory related to the main points.

    One day when I have more time or am so bored, maybe I'll make it through to the good content. FYI, I read little of the book and am writing this a while after. Maybe I'm wrong and just didn't read enough into the book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Paul M. H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars I think the chapter on education would be useful for teachers and administrators
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2015
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    Social is a fascinating book. I think this book would be of interest to a wide variety of people. While a book on neuroscience might seem relevant to a limited group of individuals, I found this book written in a way that makes it interesting to professionals and accessible to a more general audience. I think the chapter on education would be useful for teachers and administrators, particularly in middle school. Chapter on business, I feel, would be useful to a wide variety of individuals in business, particularly managers and CEOs. Personally found it interesting and useful as a mental health provider and as a meditation practitioner.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Theo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore 1 star reviews. This is a masterpiece
    Reviewed in Germany on May 4, 2021
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    Ignore 1 star reviews. This is a masterpiece
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in India on November 13, 2020
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    Good book. Teaches a lot about human interaction and how our ability to socialize and communicate has taken us forward in life as a species. While the book is to a large extent technical in its approach, I think if you have the patience and the openness to learn, there is great value in this book.
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  • Josué
    5.0 out of 5 stars Livro perfeito! condição entregue, a melhorar.
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 21, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    O produto é de excelente qualidade, tendo em vista o material do papel ser super confortável, não obstante ser imprescindível exímio cuidado no manuseio, a textura é finíssima e delicada, muito agradável, parecendo ser feita de seda. Eu Gostei bastante do material do livro. Excelente.
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    Josué
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Livro perfeito! condição entregue, a melhorar.

    Reviewed in Brazil on September 21, 2018
    O produto é de excelente qualidade, tendo em vista o material do papel ser super confortável, não obstante ser imprescindível exímio cuidado no manuseio, a textura é finíssima e delicada, muito agradável, parecendo ser feita de seda. Eu Gostei bastante do material do livro. Excelente.
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  • Cliente de Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente lectura
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 9, 2018
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    Excelente libro que nos ofrece un amplio conocimiento de la psicologia social, con información fundamentada y ejemplos aplicados a situaciones de la vida real, tiene algo de tecnisísmo pero al ser repetitivo nos vamos familiarizando con los términos de acuerdo a como se va avanzando en la lectura.
    La aplicación de este conocimiento en nuestra sociedad y a nivel personal puede traer grandes beneficios para mejorar nuestras relaciones personales y nuesta conexión con el entorno social.
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  • Thierry Landrieu
    5.0 out of 5 stars L'homme animal social ou part de société ?
    Reviewed in France on March 5, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Le livre est à la hauteur de ses promesses . Facile à lire , l'auteur n'hésite pas à revenir sur ses explications à travers de brèves synthèses . Interessant si vous vous intéressez aux théories de l'esprit .... et au fait qu'on est beaucoup moins égoïstes qu'on se plait à se l'imaginer .
    Va bien en complément de "sapiens " .
    Report

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