Social Chemistry: Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection

Review

“The latest book on the always fascinating topic of networks and networking… A useful guide, updated for the latest research, including her own, to mapping, exploring and developing your existing social links.”

—Financial Times

“It turns out, most of us are social nincompoops. We’re friends with whoever happens to be seated next to us at work or school. We go to happy hours to meet new people but end up talking to the three people we already know. We ghost our friends rather than face difficult conversations. And these seemingly small choices, taken together, have a huge impact on our life outcomes… King calls on us to be intentional not just with our individual relationships, but with our networks.”

—The New York Times Book Review

“The book is full of wisdom and entertaining anecdotes”

—The Economist

“It’s frequently said that we’re living in a “connected world.” But it turns out that the details of those connections matter, a lot.
Social Chemistry is a fascinating look at the particulars of impactful networks. Whether you take naturally to networking or think yourself allergic to it, there is practical information here that can help you form more productive relationships, and make better use of those you already have.”

—David Epstein, New York Times bestselling author of Range and The Sports Gene

“This is one of the most interesting and useful books ever written on networking. As a leading sociologist at Yale, Marissa King specializes in evidence-based insights on enriching our professional and personal connections. You’ll quickly recognize your own style—and some opportunities for growth and development.”
—
Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, and host of the chart-topping TED podcast WorkLife

“Marissa King skillfully brings to light how understanding the science of organizational behavior and networks yields benefits far beyond the workplace. Decoding social patterns can transform every corner of your life. By providing readers with prescriptive pathways towards greater connectivity and intention,
Social Chemistry helps you to create new relationships and strengthen your existing ones.”
—
Eve Rodsky, New York Times Bestseller of Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)

“In an age of both hyper-connectedness and extreme loneliness, Marissa King definitively cracks the code on human connection: what brings us together, what keeps us together, and how we make each other come alive.”

—Emma Seppälä, Ph.D, author of The Happiness Track, Science Director, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Stanford University 

“King’s wise, well-reasoned advice will be perfect for those aiming to climb the corporate ladder.”

—
Publishers Weekly
“King gives readers the big picture, showing what social networks are and demonstrating their importance in one’s career and personal life. A personable approach to one of the hot topics of our times.”

—Kirkus

“Using recognizable celebrities and anecdotes from interviewed individuals as examples, King blends large-scale research with personal stories to illustrate her findings.
Social Chemistry is a fascinating study for anyone curious about human interaction.”

—Booklist

About the Author

Marissa King is professor of Organizational Behavior at the Yale School of Management, where she developed and teaches a popular course entitled Managing Strategic Networks. Over the past fifteen years, King has studied how people’s social networks evolve, what they look like, and why that’s significant. Her most recent line of research analyzes the individual and group-level behaviors that are necessary for large-scale organizational change. Known to use wearable sensors to enhance traditional social science data, King’s research has been featured in outlets such as
The
New York Times,
The
Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post,
USA Today,
U.S. News & World Report,
Bloombe