Susan Pinker: What Makes Social Connection So Vital To Our Well-Being?

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Meditations On Loneliness

Psychologist Susan Pinker explains why face-to-face connection is a human necessity. But during this period of isolation, she says some ways of connecting online are better substitutes than others.

About Susan Pinker

Susan Pinker is a developmental psychologist and social science author. Her latest book, The Village Effect, explores how social, face-to-face interactions are critical not only for our short-term happiness, but also for our long-term health. Pinker currently writes a column on human behavior for The Wall Street Journal.

Prior to writing for wider audiences, Pinker spent 25 years in clinical practice and teaching psychology, first at Dawson College and then at McGill University.

She holds degrees from McGill University and the University of Waterloo. [Copyright 2020 NPR]