Why do you feel instantly attuned to some people while others are mysteriously repulsed by you? Do people radiate a certain energy? Is it possible to read the surroundings? Are bad habits contagious?
Kate Murphy, the international bestselling author of You're Not Listening, answers these and other interesting questions in Why We Synchronize?",\* the first book to explore the emerging science and enormous impact of interpersonal synchrony, the most important social dynamic most people have never heard of. Interpersonal synchronizationIt is the seemingly magical but now scientifically documented tendency of humans to harmonize and communicate with each other.
Not only do we unconsciously imitate each other's movements, postures, facial expressions, and gestures; Indeed, recent technological advances have revealed that we also coordinate heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, pupil dilation, and hormonal activity. The result is that subsequent feelings, moods, attitudes, and behaviors can be as contagious as any disease, and have a profound impact on our health and well-being.Why We Get Along blends science, philosophy, literature, history, business theory, and popular culture, with abundant real-world examples, to explain why phrases like “harmonious,” “compatible,” and “on the same wavelength” are more than just words. With his signature style of curiosity, brevity, and wit, Murphy reveals how our innate tendency to fit in with others drives much of our behavior, and how our deepest desires—to be known, admired, loved, and connected—are often thwarted in modern life.
