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Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World

Author

Listed:
  • Alex (Sandy) Pentland

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

How can you know when someone is bluffing? Paying attention? Genuinely interested? The answer, writes Alex Pentland in Honest Signals, is that subtle patterns in how we interact with other people reveal our attitudes toward them. These unconscious social signals are not just a back channel or a complement to our conscious language; they form a separate communication network. Biologically based "honest signaling," evolved from ancient primate signaling mechanisms, offers an unmatched window into our intentions, goals, and values. If we understand this ancient channel of communication, Pentland claims, we can accurately predict the outcomes of situations ranging from job interviews to first dates. Pentland, an MIT professor, has used a specially designed digital sensor worn like an ID badge--a "sociometer"--to monitor and analyze the back-and-forth patterns of signaling among groups of people. He and his researchers found that this second channel of communication, revolving not around words but around social relations, profoundly influences major decisions in our lives--even though we are largely unaware of it. Pentland presents the scientific background necessary for understanding this form of communication, applies it to examples of group behavior in real organizations, and shows how by "reading" our social networks we can become more successful at pitching an idea, getting a job, or closing a deal. Using this "network intelligence" theory of social signaling, Pentland describes how we can harness the intelligence of our social network to become better managers, workers, and communicators.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex (Sandy) Pentland, 2008. "Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262162563, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:mtp:titles:0262162563
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Prashant Das & Alan Ziobrowski, 2015. "The Relationship between Indian Realty Stocks and Online Searches," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Monti, Marco & Pelligra, Vittorio & Martignon, Laura & Berg, Nathan, 2014. "Retail investors and financial advisors: New evidence on trust and advice taking heuristics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1749-1757.
    3. Hätönen, Jussi, 2011. "The economic impact of fixed and mobile high-speed networks," EIB Papers 7/2011, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    4. Anna Kacprzak & Aneta Chrzaszcz, 2023. "Communication in Multigenerational Project Teams During the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Team Members," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3), pages 3-22.
    5. Erkin Altuntas & Peter A. Gloor & Pascal Budner, 2022. "Measuring Ethical Values with AI for Better Teamwork," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-28, April.
    6. Stefanini, Alessandro & Aloini, Davide & Gloor, Peter & Pochiero, Federica, 2021. "Patient satisfaction in emergency department: Unveiling complex interactions by wearable sensors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 600-611.
    7. Balachandra, Lakshmi & Fischer, Katrin & Brush, Candida, 2021. "Do (women’s) words matter? The influence of gendered language in entrepreneurial pitching," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    8. Hendrik Vollmer, 2013. "What kind of game is everyday interaction?," Rationality and Society, , vol. 25(3), pages 370-404, August.
    9. Strauss, Hubert & Samkharadze, Besik, 2011. "ICT capital and productivity growth," EIB Papers 6/2011, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    10. Arpan Kumar Kar & Sunil Kumar & P. Vigneswara Ilavarasan, 2021. "Modelling the Service Experience Encounters Using User-Generated Content: A Text Mining Approach," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 22(4), pages 267-288, December.
    11. Kai Fischbach & Peter A. Gloor & Detlef Schoder, 2009. "Analysis of Informal Communication Networks – A Case Study," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 1(2), pages 140-149, April.
    12. Brynjolfsson, Erik, 2011. "ICT, innovation and the e-economy," EIB Papers 8/2011, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    13. Gloor, Peter & Fronzetti Colladon, Andrea & Giacomelli, Gianni & Saran, Tejasvita & Grippa, Francesca, 2017. "The impact of virtual mirroring on customer satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 67-76.
    14. C. E. Jager, 2017. "A Question of Trust: the Pursuit of Consumer Trust in the Financial Sector by Means of EU Legislation," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 25-49, March.
    15. Carlos M. Fernández‐Márquez & Francisco J. Vázquez, 2018. "How information and communication technology affects decision‐making on innovation diffusion: An agent‐based modelling approach," Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(3), pages 124-133, July.
    16. Sandra Pauser & Udo Wagner, 2019. "A wearable sales assistant: capturing dynamic nonverbal communication behaviors using sensor technology," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 13-25, March.
    17. Darcy W. E. Allen & Jason Potts & Julian Waters-Lynch & Max Parasol, 2024. "Costly Signalling in DAOs," Papers 2406.18457, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    organizational learning;

    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General

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