Nicholas Epley at the Cambridge Public Library

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcomes Nicholas Epley—John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business—for a discussion of his new book, A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection. He will be joined in conversation by Daniel Gilbert—Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness, and host and co-writer of the award-winning NOVA television series This Emotional Life.

RSVP for free to this event or choose the "Book-Included" ticket to reserve a copy of A Little More Social and pick it up at the event. Following the presentation will be a book signing.

Note: Books bundled with tickets may only be picked up at the venue the night of the event, and cannot be picked up in-store beforehand. Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at Harvard Book Store up to 30 days following the event. This offer expires after 30 days. Please note we cannot guarantee signed copies will be available to ticket holders who do not attend the event.

We know that social connection enriches our lives—so why do we hesitate to connect?

There is a paradox at the core of human life. We are a highly social species uniquely equipped to connect with other people and doing so is better for us. Yet we so often choose to be unsocial. We avoid talking to the stranger who sits next to us. We struggle to move beyond small talk with an acquaintance. We are reluctant to express our gratitude to people we appreciate. Every day, we avoid opportunities to connect with strangers, neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family. By missing those moments, we miss out on all the benefits of a more social life—one that is happier and healthier for everyone.
University of Chicago psychologist and author of Mindwise, Nicholas Epley has spent his career studying the way we connect, and he has found that our social fears often keep us from reaching out. But Epley shows us how to seize the small moments with insights such as:

• Social connection is a choice we make based on expectations about how others will respond to us—expectations that tend to be overly pessimistic.
• Introverts and extroverts alike benefit from choosing to be a little more social.
• Mistaken expectations can cause us to avoid interacting in ways that create strong connections—such as having a conversation—in favor of less satisfying interactions—such as social media or texting.
• While many books promise one big fix, making a habit of small connections is much more likely to improve your life.
• The habits and practices that Epley advocates are approachable. The beauty of this book is that small acts have an outsized impact on the most important parts of our lives.

Bridging the gap between two people is easier than we think, and success more likely, if we choose to be a little more social.

Nicholas Epley is the John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is the author of Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want. He lives with his family in Chicago.

Daniel Gilbert is the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He has won numerous awards for his research and teaching. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, and a winner of the Association for Psychological Science’s William James Award for “a lifetime of significant intellectual contributions to the basic science of psychology.” His popular book, Stumbling on Happiness, spent 6 months on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold more than a million copies worldwide, has been translated into more than 40 languages, and was awarded the Royal Society’s General Book Prize for best science book of the year. He is the host and co-writer of the award-winning NOVA television series This Emotional Life, whose premiere was seen by more than 10 million viewers. His three TED talks have more than 30 million views, and his first remains one of the most popular of all time.

Masks are encouraged but not required for this event.

The Cambridge Public Library serves as a doorway to opportunity, self-development, and recreation for all its residents, and as a forum where they may share ideas, cultures, and resources among themselves and with people around the globe. Learn more at cambridgema.gov/cpl.

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