S12 Ep1: Why we need each other, not our devices: The science of social connection with Professor Nick Epley
The We Society with Will HuttonShow Notes
Around the world, we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness, and it’s increasing, particularly among the millennial generation and younger. Our devices and modern living have made it easier to avoid talking with the people around us and it’s become increasingly easy to spend large amounts of time alone. In a world that many people see as divided, with distrust and political differences driving people apart, building social connections could also play an important role in tackling wider social problems. In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, Will speaks to Nick Epley, the John Templeton Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioural Science at the University of Chicago. After an encounter with a stranger on his commute into work one morning, he became fascinated with the paradox that on the one hand we know that social interaction is vitally important for our wellbeing yet we often avoid it. With more than a decade’s worth of research, involving over 30,000 people and around 130 experiments, his aim was to uncover the reasons why we shy away from social interactions. And reassuringly, his results repeatedly found that people generally enjoy social interactions more than they expected to/expect. He talks to Will Hutton about his latest book published this year, ‘A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, And Connection’ (2026), in which he examines why it matters for our wellbeing and for the societies we live in to be a little more social. He explains that building social connections starts with the choices we make and that small actions, such as talking to a stranger or choosing to call rather than text, can have a positive impact on both ourselves and others. He also discusses how making these actions a regular habit can help us develop stronger connections over time. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, behavioural science, wellbeing, and how we can address the problems surrounding loneliness and loss of connection. In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don’t want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.
More from The We Society with Will Hutton
The We Society returns for its 12th season on Wednesday, so join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.
Google processes billions of searches every day, and the data behind the searches say a lot about us. The data analysis presents fascinating insights not just for social science, but for every person using search engines to navigate modern life. In the final episode of Season 11 of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Simon Rogers, Data Editor at Google, and author of What We Ask Google, as he talks about the two decades of data from the world’s biggest search engine that reveal our inner desires, moods and secrets. The data analysis findings are uplifting, with less division and cynicism than you'd expect, and a lot more curiosity, confusion, and kindness. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social science, data analysis, and internet history. In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida Finch Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences
It's the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, but the mood isn’t purely about celebration. If you've wondered why the US and US politics feel so unstable despite the country being richer and more powerful than ever, this episode explains the paradox. In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Adam Smith, Professor of United States Politics & Political History at the University of Oxford, and Edward Orsborn, Director of the Rothermere American Institute. They discuss why the country that once called itself "humanity's last best hope" is now better known for polarisation, misinformation, and political gridlock than democratic optimism. For more on US politics and political history, find Adam Smith’s podcast here: https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/podcast This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, contemporary US politics, US history and British / US relations. In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida Finch Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences
The UK’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system is buckling because of rising demand. One in five children now qualify for some form of SEND support, yet access still depends heavily on postcode and parental intervention. In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Alice Reeves, Research Grants and Programmes Manager at the Nuffield Foundation, as she unpacks the root causes of the SEND crisis, and what the government's new SEND White Paper proposes to do about it. The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being. They tackle the UK's biggest social challenges by funding research and guiding decision-makers to improve people's lives. To find out more about the research the Nuffield Foundation has funded when it comes to education go here. You can read more about the Government’s SEND White paper here. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, the UK’s education system, disability, and institutional change in education. In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida Finch Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences
The ongoing war in Ukraine has recently hit a grim milestone: in June 2026 it surpassed the duration of World War One. In this episode of the We Society, Michael Kofman talks to host Will Hutton about why what began as a bid for quick victory has become a grinding war of attrition, and now exhaustion, and how a social science lens aids his understanding of the conflict. Michael Kofman is one of the world's foremost authorities on the Russian military and the war in Ukraine. A senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he regularly presents evidence-led analysis of a conflict now in its fourth year. Born in Ukraine and travelling to the country every few months, he brings a rare combination of academic expertise and first-hand observation to a war that has reshaped modern warfare. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, the war in Ukraine, the efficacy of international sanctions and modern warfare. In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida Finch Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences