Exploring evolution, animal behaviour and human psychology, THE SOCIAL INSTINCT reveals how and why cooperation has shaped and defined humankind - and what happens when it goes wrong. The first book by a brilliant evolutionary biologist, drawing on decades of research in the field.
Nichola Raihani is a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Professor in Evolution and Behaviour at UCL. Her group's research focuses on the evolution of social behaviour in humans and non-human species. She has been widely published in scientific journals, won the 2018 Philip Leverhulme Prize in Psychology for her research achievements, and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology in 2018. She has also worked in the BBC Science Development Team, and appeared on several podcasts and radio shows, including BBC Radio 4's 'Hacking the Unconscious' and 'Thought Cages'.
A phenomenally important book. The story of why we humans evolved
to become such a wonderfully cooperative, social species, and what
that means for the world today. Nichola Raihani will change the way
we think about ourselves.
*Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human
History*
This is a superb book about how important cooperation is in
biology, from molecules and cells to families and whole
societies.
*Alice Roberts*
The Social Instinct is surprising, thoughtful and, best of all,
endlessly entertaining, examining the puzzle and power of
co-operation from the decks of the HMS Bounty to the babbling birds
of the Kalahari. Absolutely loved it.
*Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling*
Excellent and illuminating
*Wall Street Journal*
A well-written book, easy to read - a pleasing juxtaposition of
insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes
*Richard Dawkins*
Cooperation is at the heart of our bodies, our societies and our
ecosystem. Nichola Raihani's stunning book flips the selfish gene
on its head, showing us not only how to better understand the
world, but also how to change it.
*Matthew Cobb, author of The Idea of the Brain*
In this captivating book, Nichola Raihani ... provides a compelling
argument that cooperation is the secret of human success and yet
has never been as crucial as it is now, during a global pandemic
and with the threat of the climate crisis. I found this intriguing
and beautifully written book hard to put down.
*Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, author of Inventing Ourselves: The Secret
Life of the Teenage Brain*
How did our superpower of cooperation evolve against the odds? This
engaging book wears its strong scientific credentials lightly. I
could not put it down.
*Uta Frith, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Development, University
College London*
This is a glorious book, with an insight on every page. Above all
it taught me that while our individual bodies and brains might
reward comparison with our primate relatives, in understanding our
social relations we would be much better off comparing the meerkat.
And the naked mole-rat. And the bower bird. And the
cleaner-fish.
*Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas
that Don’t Make Sense*
If you've ever wondered why people aren't as cooperative as they
ought to be, you'll find the answer right here - mapped out in
detail that is full of surprises at every page-turn.
*Robin Dunbar, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology,
University of Oxford*
A fascinating exploration of the ties that bind us from our
smallest cell to our grandest society. Raihani reveals the deep
evolutionary roots of cooperation, drawing on her own extensive
scholarship in an entertaining and insightful new look at the risks
and rewards of collaborating.
*Gaia Vince, author of Transcendence and Adventures in the
Anthropocene*
A well informed, pithy, provocative overview of the evidence that
cooperation is the key to success - for microbes and animals as
well as for humans.
*Tim Clutton-Brock, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
University of Cambridge*
Raihani weaves a captivating tale through the tree of life, to show
how our own societies are shaped by the same evolutionary games as
other animals. A beautiful, compelling and unstoppable read... This
book will change the way you view your own behaviour.
*Seirian Sumner, Professor of Behavioural Ecology, University
College London*
A fascinating deep dive into what makes us powerfully social
creatures. Raihani takes us on a gripping journey from the Kalahari
desert to modern city living. From economics to colonies of reef
fish, cooperation is one of nature's marvels and Raihani is a
compelling guide.
*Vaughan Bell, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology*
With colourful examples from ants to meerkats and cleaner fish to
chimps, Raihani expertly explores the biology and dynamics of
social interactions that underpin human cooperation and
competition... Essential reading for everyone from ecologists to
economists. Kept setting off idea fireworks in my brain!
*Kevin Mitchell, author of Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains
Shapes Who We Are*
The Social Instinct is filled with curious intellectual adventures
at every turn [and] achieves the difficult task of being accessible
to evolutionary novices and experts alike.... A must-read account
for anyone with an interest in how cooperation has shaped the world
around us.
*Nicole Barbaro*
From cells to cities, cooperation is one of the deepest trends in
the living world - and one of real keys to our success as a
species. Raihani does a great job of explaining where it came from
and why it matters. An insightful, entertaining, and extremely
informative book.
*Steve Stewart-Williams, author of The Ape That Understood the
Universe*
Nichola Raihani['s]... rewarding analysis ranges from genetics to
politics, and from the individual to the international, including
the COVID-19 pandemic.
*Nature*
The Social Instinct fascinatingly combines vivid descriptions of
the rich varieties of cooperation that exist in the natural world
with thoughtful insights into how cooperation between humans is in
some ways surprisingly similar and in others very different. A
great read.
*Matthew Taylor*
In her energetic analysis, psychologist Nichola Raihani
recontextualizes cooperation within the framework of evolution and
reveals the competition for survival that still bubbles below its
surface... Raihani offers insight into how our hardwired drive to
cooperate could help us meet the challenges rushing at us, from
pandemics to climate change.
*Scientific American*
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
