Our New Social Life Science-Backed Strategies for Creating Meaningful Connection

A fascinating introduction to the science of connection that will ultimately improve your social life and lead to better relationships.

In a world where everything seems to transform in a blink, anyone can suddenly find themselves scrambling for human connection. Someone who has always found it easy to connect can suddenly feel disoriented if they start a new job, move to a new region, or welcome a new member into the family. Others may have always found it difficult to connect, feel they've outgrown their circles, or may feel dissatisfied for a range of other reasons.

In Our New Social Life, social connection and happiness experts Natalie Kerr and Jaime Kurtz explain the science behind these struggles and steer us toward timeless skills to overcome these challenges. Unlike much of the guidance found online, this book is based on decades of research, which the authors make accessible and useful to the reader, and offers tools for introverts and extraverts alike. Whether the barriers to connection are a function of modern life--such as being distracted by our devices, feeling overworked, and living far away from loved ones--or are more timeless--such as simply not knowing how to connect, misunderstanding the thoughts and feelings of others, undervaluing moments of solitude, and avoiding the sort of vulnerability that creates deep bonds--this book offers hope, encouragement, and relatability to help readers have a richer and more vibrant social life.

Natalie A. Kerr, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at James Madison University, where she studies social connection and loneliness. Her work, which has drawn national attention, has been published in journals such as the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Personality and Individual Differences, and Social Influence. She also writes for Psychology Today and designs community programs for people who want to cultivate deeper connection in their lives.

Jaime Kurtz, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at James Madison University, where she studies happiness and savoring. She is an award-winning teacher and researcher whose work has appeared in journals such as Psychological Science, Emotion, Affective Science, and the Journal of Positive Psychology. She is the author of The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations (Oxford 2017), Positively Happy: Routes to Sustainable Happiness, and two Audible Original programs: Personality Tests and What They Can Tell Us and The Psychology of Happiness.