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Alex Pentland

Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World (The MIT Press) Paperback – September 24, 2010

by Alex Pentland (Author), Tracy Heibeck (Contributor)

32 customer reviews

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How understanding the signaling within social networks can change the way we make decisions, work with others, and manage organizations.

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.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A technology poised to change the world.

―Technology Review

A new understanding of organizational effectiveness.

―Strategy+Business

Pentland's lucid treatment of complicated psychobiological principles effectively enables lay readers to grasp difficult but significant concepts... Similar in scope to Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Pentland's book is better-suited and recommended for university collections.

―Library Journal

Review

Sandy Pentland, always ahead of everyone, has captured in this snappy and well written book, the deep signals we use to communicate and how they shape and reveal our social behavior. A must read.

―Michael S. Gazzaniga , Director, Sage Center for the Study of Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Series: The MIT Press
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: The MIT Press (September 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0262515121
ISBN-13: 978-0262515122
Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 32 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1009 in Cognitive Psychology (Books)
- #1160 in Interpersonal Relations (Books)
- #677 in Medical Cognitive Psychology

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Aloyuishus

Interesting theory by a great intellectual, but the reading was rather boring.

February 12, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Mr. Pentland is a genius and the theories explored in this text are quite amazing. However the book seemed to discuss the same points over and over again repetitive ad nauseam. In my opinion, for an author of this caliber, I felt the subject matter was dumbed down, I got bored about half way through and stopped reading it. So while I'm certain the author is a lot more accomplished in this area than me, I didn't enjoy the book.

4 people found this helpful

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S. Yogendra

Good premise, unfulfilled promise

January 20, 2011

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book belongs - very, very broadly - in the same space as Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational and to some extent, from an application point of view, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein's Nudges. The common thread that binds them is an exposition of what lies behind human decisions and how those decisions can be better understood and possibly influenced.

The core thesis of Honest Signals, by MIT Professor Alex Pentland, is that much human communication and decision making is about signals. Signals such as clothes and cars can be deliberate and planned, or influenced by emotion or culture. But not the unconscious or uncontrollable biologically based "honest signalling" which has evolved from ancient primate signalling mechanisms. The stories quoted are from the data collected by the author and his team using a device called a "sociometer" which is described in some detail in Appendix A in the book.

In the first four chapters, Professor Pentland describes: main kinds of social signals; how they can be combined for signalling social roles; how an understanding of the signals and social roles can help read people better; and how group dynamics works and evolves. In the following three chapters, he focuses on how networks, organisations and societies could be explained or could use the proposed thesis.

Books based on science and research are now commonly organised such that a good half of the book comprises explanatory or technical appendices and a bibliography. This book is no exception. The 98 pages of main text, including an epilogue that makes an important point that much current technology is socially ignorant, are followed by 52 pages of appendices rich in research context, 13 pages of notes to appendices, and 14 pages of bibliography. All in all it took about an hour and half to read the book.

One of the limitations of the book is due to the compact treatment. The description of the theoretical premise pitched in the book is interesting enough but the stories felt incomplete, half-told. Quite reminiscent of how an academic thesis includes a section that describes future research possibilities; that section really is an admission of the limitations of the thesis, whether imposed by time or scope definition or something else. The author of a book for popular consumption really doesn't face these limitations hence the dissatisfying experience. There is also not enough time spent on what in real life could be done with a sociometer or the findings of Professor Pentland's research with it.

Usefulness note: The book successfully articulates the concept of primate signalling and provides a quasi-framework that can be put to use in some situations. For instance, it may be handy in several situations including watching politicians and businessmen, and as the author points out, in social and work situations such as negotiation and dating. However if someone then tries too hard to "implement" the framework, it is hardly "honest" signalling and it can all potentially backfire. Recommended for a quick read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

12 people found this helpful

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Emre Sevinç

Sociometer: a concept and a tool for understing subtle points of human communication

June 13, 2009

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

One of the books that help us develop a new perspective on human communication and organization. The concept of network intelligence naturally makes me think about collective intelligence.

Even though the book has its problems (repeating something may be a good practice in some contexts but I believe this time it is overused). I was very surprised that the book did not include a single reference to Gerd Gigerenzer and his 'Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious' [1]

Whatever can be said about this book, I think it is worth its value even for introducing the concept of 'sociometer' ;-)

http://www.amazon.com/Gut-Feelings-Intelligence-Gerd-Gigerenzer/dp/0670038636

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Alex

Pithy and sophisticated, this book lays out a deep ...

October 31, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Pithy and sophisticated, this book lays out a deep argument linking social interaction, dynamics, and costly signaling in evolutionary game theory. I was struck both by how much insight computer science has to offer into processes in the traditional domain of anthropology and social psychology, and by how ripe for integration this insight is into these research traditions. This is a very clear introduction into Pentland's research, and something that will bear re-reading.

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Zack Burt

very interesting

June 12, 2011

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

this psychology book truly pushes it - it's not just a rehash of papers that you've read summarized in the news over the years. gives you TONS to think about, i'm really glad i read it. as some of the other reviewers have commented, i would enjoy more details on learning the proprietary algorithms that comprise the "sociometer", but hey, i think we'll be seeing plenty of that soon.

the next step is going to be a book about how to fake honest signals : or rather, how to train your body to corral your signals to honestly signal what you really want. you know practicing that presentation is over when ..

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Chris Woods

Must-Read, if you want to get along with other people!

April 21, 2017

Verified Purchase

A terrific education on the process of relationships that go on around us many times a day. Honest signals shows an important lens through which to read ourselves and others.

One person found this helpful

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Lisa Castillo

Not what I expected

March 17, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book accurately pinpoints the signals we all see but don't know how to describe or interpret. The information was very helpful toward recognizing these signals, but fell short in telling me where to go from there. I read it all, expecting to eventually learn how to use this insight to my advantage. I felt like I had been given a new tool with no instructions on how to use it.

3 people found this helpful

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Charlie

Great book

October 19, 2009

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

If you work with people, this is TH"E book you need. I a counselor at a local homeless service center and I've learned to really watch the actions of my clients to allow me to detect deception from a few professional con artist. There are always those who want something for nothing and there are those who really have a genuine need. This book helps to tell the difference na makes my job much easier up front.

One person found this helpful

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