Resources

The reading list. Research, talks and evidence.

Curated articles, videos, and research on loneliness, friendship, belonging and the science of human connection. The evidence base behind what we build.

Loneliness & Public Health
Friendship & Social Connection
  • YouTube
    Simon Sinek & Trevor Noah on Friendship, Loneliness, and Vulnerability

    A wide-ranging discussion on the role of friendship in mental health and success, the loneliness epidemic among young men, and why vulnerability is a precondition for real connection.

  • Academic paper — PDF Nicholas Epley & Juliana Schroeder, University of Chicago
    Mistakenly Seeking Solitude

    Research examining why people avoid connecting with strangers nearby, despite strong evidence that those interactions increase happiness. One of the most cited papers on the gap between anticipated and actual social reward.

  • YouTube
    How one group is taking on the problem of male loneliness

    A look at efforts in Massachusetts to address the Surgeon General’s concern about male loneliness as a national epidemic — through community, vulnerability, and openness.

Belonging at Work
  • Harvard Business Review
    The value of belonging at work

    Social belonging is a fundamental human need — and 40% of people report feeling isolated at work. This piece examines why diversity and inclusion initiatives often miss the belonging piece entirely.

  • Harvard Business Review
    The power of work friends

    Gallup data on how workplace friendships correlate with business outcomes, retention, and engagement — and what organizations consistently underinvest in.

  • TED / Adam Grant
    We don’t have to fight loneliness alone

    Explores workplace loneliness and its health impacts, with practical strategies for building genuine connections inside organizations rather than performing belonging.

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