Siła Innych

by Michael Shaw Bond

Teenage cliques, jihadist cells, army units, Arab Spring protesters, polar expeditions, and football hooligans – on the face of it, each of these groups might seem exceptional, but the forces that bind and drive them can affect us all. In recent decades, psychologists have uncovered how and why our innate socialness holds huge sway over how we think and act, propelling us to both high achievement and unthinking cruelty. We are beholden to our peers, even when we think we’re calling the shots. This is the power of others.

In this captivating work, science writer Michael Bond investigates the latest breakthroughs in social psychology to reveal how to guard against groupthink, build better teamwork, identify shared objectives, become more ethical, and survive moments of isolation. A fascinating blend of evolutionary theory, behavourial science, and remarkable case studies, The Power of Others will teach you to truly harness your collective self.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help

318 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2014

About the author

Michael Bond has been writing on psychology and human behaviour for more than fifteen years as a regular contributor to New Scientist, Nature, Prospect, the Observer, the Daily Telegraph, the Financial Times, and others. During the Arab Spring, he also served as lead researcher for the Royal Society report on science in Egypt. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Abby]

Peer pressure, group think, and how the people around us shape everything we do- count me in!

[Sara Pascoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read on how we are fundamentally social animals. Like bees, we can't really understand out behaviour in a vacuum, or only within the context of family. Bond brings a lot of research together or us, to give us an exellent basis for undersanding human behaviour as it should be--an expression of the society that person is in, along with the other species and individual variables.

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

People with an interest in personal growth will have heard that the people you hang with determine your destiny. This book explores the science to back up that idea.

[Cullen Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Group identity comes before self-identity, and co-operation before autonomy. We are pulled by many currents, but it is the people we swim with who make us who we are’ - Michael Bond

We think we’re acting independently, yet so much of our lives is influenced by the actions of ‘the tribe’; more than we’d like to admit...

There are many communities in the world, from market leading companies, to army units, to teenage cliques, to jihadist cells to rugby fans; all on the surface may seem exceptional, the forces behind the scenes that drive and bind can affect us all.

Psychologists have been studying the realm of Social Compliance for decades and have uncovered why and how the influence of peer pressure and being left out propels us to both unthinking malice and high achievement. Philip Zimbardo’s Stamford Prison experiment is a testament to the former.

Did you know, the culture at Lehman Brothers was actually one of positive team unity; alas, to the detriment of all, because no one wanted to speak up and break the collective illusion of, ‘All is well’...

No matter one’s opinion, the fact is, we are beholden to our peers, even when we think we’re in the driving seat. This is Bond’s Power of Others; an engaging read that reveals how we can guard against Groupthink, build better teams, make effective moral decisions and changing the question from, Can I do it? to, Should I do it?

For more on Social Compliance, watch the documentary, ‘Derren Brown’s - The Push’ on Netflix (AUS)...when you do, ask yourself honestly, what would you do?

https://youtu.be/doFpACkiZ2Q

[Sami Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating examination of social connections and group dynamics have on individual behaviour. The book begins by delving into the fundamental human need for connection, drawing from a rich background of psychological studies, historical events, and personal anecdotes.

I like how Bond has a great skill in being able to humanise extremely difficult psychology concepts into simple language. He does this without sacrificing any nuance.

Bond effectively illustrates how our thoughts, emotions, and actions are often subconsciously moulded by those around us. From the impact of peer pressure in adolescence to the subtle and sheds light on the pervasive nature of social influence.

The darker side of group dynamics like groupthink and cults was fascinating!! These sections are particularly compelling, providing cautionary tales of what can happen when the need to belong overrides critical thinking and individual moral judgement.

Bond goes very deep into the positive influence of social influence and we as human need it.

I recommend this book, its highly psychological in nature but I believe a lot of marketers and business people would enjoy it

[murali]

An interesting book. We think we are in-charge of our lives not aware that knowingly or unknowingly , to what extent our behaviour is influenced by people around. The author goes on to analyze , mob psychology, criminal psychology and issues like how a terrorist is born .

In this age of distraction , age of social media , the book is all the more relevant as our behaviour and thoughts are influenced by the real as well as the virtual world we interact with .

[Gwendolyn B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

From this book, I learned--among numerous other tidbits--that courageous acts are more about circumstance than character, that there is a positive correlation between racism/xenophobia and fear/uncertainty, and that suffering in isolation is more survivable when the victim can ascribe greater meaning to it. Shaw took on an ambitious topic and could only skim its surface, but the book is a great launching pad into further discussion and research.

[Nadirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look into how others surrounding you actually helped to shape you into who you are, and also how they continuously affect you. Lots of interesting case studies & anecdotes were inserted as examples, which were eye-opening and makes some puzzle pieces fit into how our interaction shape our society and affect all of humankind. Wish this is more widely read by everyone, because truly we need each other now in solidarity more than ever.

[David Inwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that argues that we are not in control of our own decisions. Peer pressure, authority figures, social structures, and the media control what we believe and what we do. The effects are so strong that any of us could be turned into heroes or criminals if we are influenced by the right people, and it's very hard to resist these pressures. I found the book to be very insightful.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We are as a rule, considerably diminished when we are disengaged from others. It is possible to connect, to find solace beyond ourselves, even when we are alone.

[Prajwal]

This is very well-researched and eye-opening book. The forces at play when you interact with society, it brings under the lens and dissects it.

[Target · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether we like it or not, we are social beings. We are social beings who crave people's approval no matter our status. Knowing this, one should try to balance.

[Ariadna73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is "Peer Pressure, Groupthink, and How the People Around Us Shape Everything We Do"
The subtitle is pretty self-explanatory: The book tells you how you are not alone in the world. There are also other human beings in this planet, and their existence affects yours.
This is the cover and back of the book I read:

Editorial page and the dedication to Jessica (an 'other' to the author)

The table of contents:

Prologue:

Epilogue:

Some tables and surveys that the author proposes in case you are interested on using this wisdom when boosting your leadership at your company:

... And the never-getting-old and very trendy topic of 'mindfullness"


What can I say in conclusion? This was a .... nice book to read. I will keep it on my shelf in case I need to remember some of its ideas for my future leadership positions in my professional carreer.


***

I also have a blog! Link here:

http://lunairereadings.blogspot.com

[J.E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the subtitle, I expected this book to be dispiriting, but quite the opposite. The author gives a broad overview of social psychology and the many ways human beings are affected by each other. He includes such important topics as Stanley Milgram's "shock" experiments and the "banality of evil" with which Hannah Arendt characterized Adolf Eichmann. He addresses (but can't answer) the question of why many individuals go along with group behavior, even evil behavior, while other equally ordinary people rise to heroism.

But there are many other areas of insight such as behavior of people in extreme isolation, from adventurers to prisoners, and group bonding in the military and emergency services. I would have liked at least an acknowledgment that the "lone wolf" terrorists whom Bond characterizes as having extreme social difficulty are all male. Gender seems never to cross his mind, which is odd since he ranges across so many other aspects of culture.

This is a good and readable overview. Particularly delightful is Bond's extensive references not only to scientific studies, but to writers including Milton, Shakespeare, Freud, John Steinbeck, William James, and many others.

There are also ideas for how we can use this knowledge to improve our lives. Eliminating solitary confinement, better reintegration of veterans, and knowing where the emergency exits are *before* an emergency happens are just a sample of the author's wide ranging suggestions. One memorable example: Bond shows the tendency of people not to evacuate a building promptly on hearing an alarm, but to mill around and see whether other people take it seriously. Resisting this social tendency could have saved many lives on September 11, 2001, and it could save yours or mine.

[Alia O · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has many interesting researches on how group or collaborativeness affects individual's character, behavior & more. not a very interesting read in all its parts..but took some good stuff out of it.

"We are pulled by many currents, but it us the people we swim with who makes us who we are".