The Laws of Connection: 13 Social Strategies That Will Transform Your Life

In the early 1960s scientists at the University of California, Berkeley set out to establish the key factors effecting health and longevity. Their results, known as the ‘Alameda 7’, you already know: don’t smoke, drink in moderation, sleep seven to eight hours a night, exercise, eat regular meals, maintain a moderate weight, eat breakfast. Years later, however, the same team discovered an eighth factor, one that proved more important than all the others: social connection.

When we form meaningful bonds with others, our wounds heal faster, we shake off infections more quickly and our blood pressure drops. We are less likely to have Alzheimer’s, heart attacks or strokes. When people feel that they have strong social support, they perform better on tests of mental focus, memory and problem solving. Greater connection can fuel creativity, increase our financial stability and enhance our work productivity. But making friends can also be daunting.

In The Laws of Connection, David Robson does two important things: he takes us through the fascinating science behind the effects of social connection and he unpacks the research that shows that we are all better at being social than we might think. We will meet ideas such as ‘the liking gap’ and ‘the gratitude gap’, learn to recognise ‘frenemies’ and discover a powerful conversational strategy known as the ‘fast-friends procedure’ that promotes instant rapport. Being social doesn’t have to mean having dozens of friends, it can also mean having one true, deep connection with another person. As Robson shows, we can all benefit from the laws of connection.

Reviews of The Laws of Connection: 13 Social Strategies That Will Transform Your Life

Praise for The Expectation Effect: 'This book is entertaining, eye-opening, extremely useful and best of all, evidence-based — CLAUDIA HAMMOND Mind-changing science . . . One of Robson's many strengths is to take what might seem familiar and show just how much deeper the rabbit hole goes — OLIVER BURKEMAN Based in science and packed with smart advice — DANIEL H. PINK This is an utterly riveting and transformative book. You can't afford not to read it! — NIGELLA LAWSON Visionary, original and exciting — WILL STORR Jaw-dropping — PANDORA SYKES