A Little More Social: Understanding the Science of Everyday Interactions - UChicago | Leadership and Society Initiative
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The University of Chicago
Conversation
A Little More Social: Understanding the Science of Everyday Interactions
Why do we so often choose to be alone when connecting with others makes us happier? And what small choices could transform our everyday interactions into moments of genuine connection?
Date:
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Time:
11:00 am - 11:45 am CT
Cost:
Free
Location:
Online
Register Now
About the Event
Why do we so often choose to be alone when connecting with others makes us happier? And what small choices could transform our everyday interactions into moments of genuine connection?
Join us for a conversation with Nicholas Epley, the John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavioral Science, as he discusses his new book,
A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection
. Drawing on decades of research in social cognition, Epley reveals a fundamental paradox: we are uniquely equipped to connect with others, yet we routinely avoid opportunities to reach out. He will explore how our overly pessimistic expectations keep us from connecting and share insights about why small acts of connection are easier and more rewarding than we imagine, showing how simple choices can transform our lives.
Who's Speaking
Nicholas Epley
John Templeton Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science, Booth School of Business
Nicholas Epley is the John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavior Science and Director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research. He studies social cognition—how thinking people think about other thinking people—to understand why smart people so routinely misunderstand each other. He teaches an ethics and wellbeing course to MBA...
Nicholas Epley is the John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavior Science and Director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research. He studies social cognition—how thinking people think about other thinking people—to understand why smart people so routinely misunderstand each other. He teaches an ethics and wellbeing course to MBA students called Designing a Good Life.
His research has appeared in more than two dozen empirical journals, been featured by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Wired, and National Public Radio, among many others, and has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Templeton Foundation. He has been awarded the 2008 Theoretical Innovation Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the 2011 Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology from the American Psychological Association, the 2015 Book Prize for the Promotion of Social and Personality Science, and the 2018 Career Trajectory Award from the Society for Experimental Social Psychology. Epley was named a “professor to watch” by the Financial Times, one of the “World’s Best 40 under 40 Business School Professors” by Poets and Quants, and one of the 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics in 2015 by Ethisphere. He is the author of Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want.
A Little More Social: Understanding the Science of Everyday Interactions
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 from
11:00 am - 11:45 am CT
Register Now
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