No matter where we live, we walk among others. We watch people, form opinions, follow the crowd or not. All day, we decide how to be with people. For decades, social scientists have studied and learned much about such human interactions. In the essays below, discover some of what shapes our social lives.
What runs through your mind as you're running around the city? The field of study called social cognition offers insights into how we think about other people. Explore some of the ways in which we size up those around us and make sense of our social world.
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Other people affect us constantly, whether we are aware of it or not. Scientists call this social influence. Even just thinking about other people can affect us. Explore some of the ways in which others shape what we think, feel, or do.
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The science is in: we’re happier, even healthier, when we make regular, positive connections with other people. How can we make the best of our social world?
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