The Man Who Lied to His Laptop - by Clifford Nass & Corina Yen Paperback

Book Synopsis

Counterintuitive insights about building successful relationships- based on research into human-computer interaction.

Books like Predictably Irrational and Sway have revolutionized how we view human behavior. Now, Stanford professor Clifford Nass has discovered a set of rules for effective human relationships, drawn from an unlikely source: his study of our interactions with computers.

Based on his decades of research, Nass demonstrates that-although we might deny it-we treat computers and other devices like people: we empathize with them, argue with them, form bonds with them. We even lie to them to protect their feelings.

This fundamental revelation has led to groundbreaking research on how people should behave with one another. Nass's research shows that:

• Mixing criticism and praise is a wildly ineffective method of evaluation
• Flattery works-even when the recipient knows it's fake
• Introverts and extroverts are each best at selling to one of their own

Nass's discoveries provide nothing less than a new blueprint for successful human relationships.

Review Quotes

"If Dale Carnegie had been a Google engineer, this is how he would have written "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Cliff Nass shows us how much we can learn about people by understanding how people interact with computers."
-Chip Heath, coauthor of "Switch" and "Made to Stick"
"With the help of real experiments, rather than anecdotes or impressions, Clifford Nass uses people's interactions with computers as a window into social and professional life. The book is filled with insights about an increasingly important part of our lives."
-Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of "How the Mind Works" and "The Stuff of Thought"
"With engaging illustrations and compelling evidence, Clifford Nass shows how interactions with our most advanced machines reveal our most primitive workings."
-Robert B. Cialdini, author of "Influence: Science and Practice"
"Nass and Yen serve up a wealth of practical, h

About the Author

Clifford Nass is the Thomas M. Storke Professor at Stanford University and director of the Communication between Humans and Interactive Media (CHIMe) Lab. He is a popular designer, consultant, and keynote speaker, and is widely quoted by the media on issues such as the impact of multitasking on young minds. He lives in Silicon Valley.