Author(s): Michael Sanders; Susannah Hume

We're all social animals. From early civilisations to the present day, we exist in an increasingly tangled web of social threads that we rely on for our survival. But in the modern, hyperconnected world, our likes and dislikes, our opinions and beliefs have taken on a new prominence and power. Now our basic human need to belong increasingly overrides our better judgement, and our natural instinct to align ourselves with 'people like us' has exposed us to manipulation by everyone from tech firms to aspiring politicians.

But this is just part of the story of social influence. At a time when our trust in each other is being destroyed on a global scale, it's never been more important to understand the motivations behind our natural instincts and use our predictable behaviours to drive positive change. Rather than seeing human nature as weaknesses to be overcome, it's time to employ it as reliable asset to achieve our most important goals.

In this groundbreaking book, Sanders and Hume lay bare the value of the social world and provide a roadmap back to our better social selves. Building on the incredible findings of their own cutting-edge research, as well as illuminating case studies from experts and innovators around the world, they show how small changes in our environments can have a huge impact on where our instincts lead us, from helping us to run more cohesive and effective organisations, to building important relationships that make us, and those around us, happier and healthier.