Social Butterflies

Traditionally, social influence has been something to be studied and guarded against, and this has become even more of a concern recently with the acceleration of modern social media. From Russian trolls posting fake news to sophisticated, artificial-intelligence-led campaigns by Cambridge Analytica, it has become clear that the Trump election and the Brexit referendum were both swayed by deliberate campaigns to manipulate our social selves and change the course of history. But what about the flip side of these powers that influence social behaviour? Can we use these same effective techniques to make us happier and healthier? Behavioural scientists understand the value of the social world, not just as an object of study, or as the driver for our fears and insecurities. In fact, social influence impacts all of our lives in a variety of positive ways and can be harnessed for even greater good. In this groundbreaking book, the Nudge Unit's Chief Scientist, Michael Sanders, and his deputy Susannah Hume, examine the dark side of social influence, the astonishing reach of social networks and why we need to reclaim their power to effect positive change in our professional and private lives.