The Power of Words: How to Speak, Listen and Think Better

Despite being devalued in recent years and warped on social media platforms, conversation is humanity’s most vital tool for self-improvement, posits neuroscientist Sigman (The Secret Life of the Mind) in this energetic study. According to the author, small, in-person dialogues illuminate “mental processes that would otherwise go unnoticed,” and can open up new avenues of self-understanding. Alternatively, conversations that are chaotic or have too many participants, especially those on social media, can devolve into informational “bidding war[s]” in which participants aim to sway one another via social pressure. In surprisingly accessible chapters, he discusses how conversations can help interlocutors distinguish truth from fake news, make better decisions by drawing out “biases, errors, and priorities which would otherwise be impossible for us to see,” and even manage emotions (studies suggest that loneliness degrades the brain’s systems of control and cognitive regulation). Turning the focus to internal dialogues, Sigman teases out how language shapes emotional perception, showing that not verbalizing an idea or feeling can impact one’s ability to fully experience it. Gracefully translating complex science for lay readers, the author shares illuminating insights into how social interaction affects the formation of the self and makes a convincing case for the value of conversation and collaborative thinking in an increasingly individualistic culture. Readers will be captivated. (Sept.)