Connected

Connected looks at how social ties shape our lives. They affect health, moods, love, income, and how we vote. Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler study these links. They ask how people shape what others do and feel. They argue that this effect can cross three social links. So people we have never met can affect our lives.

This social science book is for readers curious about human ties. It looks at weight loss and finding a partner. It covers eating disorders, substance abuse, suicide, and fraud in politics. It also explores voting, new ideas, and acts of kindness. What can groups do that one person cannot do alone? The authors seek answers to this question.

They ask how networks form and spread effects between people. Culture, place, politics, wealth, and genes all help shape these ties. The internet lets these links reach a vast new scale. Such patterns raise questions about free choice and our shared duties. Gang violence and revenge show how ties can spread harm. People can also use ties to help each other. Examples include organ donations and raising funds as a group.

Christakis draws on his work as a doctor and sociologist. His work on social ties, health, and lifespan began in 1999. He has studied the risks people face when their spouses die. Fowler draws on political science, biology, and social behaviour. He worked in Ecuador with the Peace Corps. This helped spark his interest in how groups cope with hardship. A shared circle of friends brought the two researchers together. This edition forms part of the Outliers series.