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The Leap: The Science of Trust and Why It Matters
We re not supposed to trust others. Look at the headlines. Read the blogs. Study the survey data. It seems that everyone is wary, that everyone is just looking out for themselves. But a sense of social trust and togetherness can be restored. In "The Leap," best-selling author Ulrich Boser shows how the emerging research on trust can improve our lives, rebuild our economy, and strengthen society. As part of this engaging and deeply reported narrative, Boser visits a radio soap opera in Rwanda that aims to restore the country s broken trust, profiles the man who brought honesty to one of the most corrupt cities in Latin America, and explains how a college dropout managed to con his way into American high society. Boser even goes skydiving to see if the experience will increase his levels of oxytocin, the so-called "trust hormone. A powerful mix of hard science and compelling storytelling, "The Leap" explores how we trust, why we trust, and what we can all do to deepen social trust. The book includes insightful policy recommendations along with surprising new data on the state of social trust in America today."
162 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2014
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915 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 26, 2014
In order for people to get the most out of The Leap: The Science of Trust & Why it Matters, they will be required to take a leap of faith of sorts. In an America increasingly seized by cynicism and distrust towards our political leaders, corporate America, and even our own neighbors is fairly common, Ulrich Boser makes a fairly unconventional argument when he argues that human beings even in times of cynicism are hard wired to trust people. Further, trust is vital for the functioning of the institutions of civilization as we know it.
Now that Boser has outlined the stakes and the need for trust, he spends the next 173 pages writing in a very free and loose manner that strikes a middle ground between journalism and academia anecdotally about why trust matters and how to recapture it. His anecdotes feature a mix of famous people and people you might walk past every day. This gives the book a certain common touch because all levels of society are represented in the trust game. I was particularly touched by the Rwandan genocide section and the section on the people with Williams Syndrome.
It is a very brief read at less than 200 pages, yet the message contained in this book is a necessary message. By embracing cynicism, we are actually going against our human nature. Yet, cynicism hovers like a black cloud over much of the world. The Leap is a sobering reminder that mistrust is actually uncommon. Highly recommended.
Now that Boser has outlined the stakes and the need for trust, he spends the next 173 pages writing in a very free and loose manner that strikes a middle ground between journalism and academia anecdotally about why trust matters and how to recapture it. His anecdotes feature a mix of famous people and people you might walk past every day. This gives the book a certain common touch because all levels of society are represented in the trust game. I was particularly touched by the Rwandan genocide section and the section on the people with Williams Syndrome.
It is a very brief read at less than 200 pages, yet the message contained in this book is a necessary message. By embracing cynicism, we are actually going against our human nature. Yet, cynicism hovers like a black cloud over much of the world. The Leap is a sobering reminder that mistrust is actually uncommon. Highly recommended.
December 31, 2014
In the Leap, the author explores the neurochemistry and social behavior aspects of trust and why trust matters in order for societies and relationships to work. It's a fascinating read into the behavior of trust and how that behavior works as well as what happens when it doesn't work. I found the case studies to be particularly insightful, especially because he focused on a diverse range of experiences and levels of trust. If you want to understand trust and how to apply it in your business or life, this book will give you some excellent insights that you can use. It's thought-provoking and will help you look at trust in an entirely new way.
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March 8, 2020This book was strong in its use of examples. It could have been a little bit stronger if the ideas tied more could have been tied more closely together into something I could summarize in this review. The closest I think I can come is to say that it started by talking about what trust is, what affects our ability to trust others and then in part II it kind of fell apart for me. The chapters were Teams, Economy, Government, Politics, Technology....I listened to them all but am struggling to articulate the takeaways.
Let's focus on the positives and the things I liked, learned or found interesting. There was a section talking about the trust that had to happen to keep the rugby team survivors of the plane crash in the Andes. It made me want to read the two books referenced.
I found it interesting to read about how we need socialization (no matter how introverted we may be) and stories of prisoners in solitary confinement and the self-harm that occurs when living in isolation.
Touching increases trust which is why shaking on a deal is important. Making eye contact is huge for building trust.
On the topic of eye contact there was an interesting story about a subway driver who on 9/11 was instructed not to stop in the station under the world trade center but as he was passing through, he made eye contact with a woman who had fear in her eyes. He stopped. So many people boarded that train and were shuttled away to safety.
He talked about the early days of eBay - do you trust sending money to someone you have never met to receive something that could be not what it is advertised? E-bay formed the very first "Feedback Forum" to help build trust and ratings and feedback ratings are now such a huge part of our online shopping experience today.
A pretty detailed section on how Oxytocin increases trust as does experiencing an emotional connection or a sense of empathy.
The psychology of risk> Risk = Probability x consequence. The author ads that Risk = Probability x consequence x dread.
If my notes seem like a bunch of disjointed thoughts, I think it is because that was my experience reading the book. Interesting stories, no clear and concise takeaway.
Let's focus on the positives and the things I liked, learned or found interesting. There was a section talking about the trust that had to happen to keep the rugby team survivors of the plane crash in the Andes. It made me want to read the two books referenced.
I found it interesting to read about how we need socialization (no matter how introverted we may be) and stories of prisoners in solitary confinement and the self-harm that occurs when living in isolation.
Touching increases trust which is why shaking on a deal is important. Making eye contact is huge for building trust.
On the topic of eye contact there was an interesting story about a subway driver who on 9/11 was instructed not to stop in the station under the world trade center but as he was passing through, he made eye contact with a woman who had fear in her eyes. He stopped. So many people boarded that train and were shuttled away to safety.
He talked about the early days of eBay - do you trust sending money to someone you have never met to receive something that could be not what it is advertised? E-bay formed the very first "Feedback Forum" to help build trust and ratings and feedback ratings are now such a huge part of our online shopping experience today.
A pretty detailed section on how Oxytocin increases trust as does experiencing an emotional connection or a sense of empathy.
The psychology of risk> Risk = Probability x consequence. The author ads that Risk = Probability x consequence x dread.
If my notes seem like a bunch of disjointed thoughts, I think it is because that was my experience reading the book. Interesting stories, no clear and concise takeaway.
January 12, 2018
Introduction to Trust
“The Leap: the science of trust and why it matters” goes into the following elements 1) what is trust 2) what is the chemistry behind it 3) why do we indulge in trusting someone else.
The author has created the material based on interaction with various researchers in this area. The stories about trust have been identified from various publications. These stories are related to all kinds of topics like politics, transportation, sky diving.
There is nothing which is earth shattering in the book. At times it appears that the author has gone off track and is not focused on the topic.
Overall it is worth a read if you are interested in knowing more about what is trust and why humans are wired to trust others.
“The Leap: the science of trust and why it matters” goes into the following elements 1) what is trust 2) what is the chemistry behind it 3) why do we indulge in trusting someone else.
The author has created the material based on interaction with various researchers in this area. The stories about trust have been identified from various publications. These stories are related to all kinds of topics like politics, transportation, sky diving.
There is nothing which is earth shattering in the book. At times it appears that the author has gone off track and is not focused on the topic.
Overall it is worth a read if you are interested in knowing more about what is trust and why humans are wired to trust others.
March 23, 2018
This was just a brilliant book that talked about the value of trustworthiness and the importance of trust in companies, government and society.
You really do forget the importance of trust in society, such as the trust we have with people we do not know when driving a freeway, and the importance of forgiveness to move to trust.
We all need to remind ourselves about the importance of trust, and this book is the perfect way to help us do this.
You really do forget the importance of trust in society, such as the trust we have with people we do not know when driving a freeway, and the importance of forgiveness to move to trust.
We all need to remind ourselves about the importance of trust, and this book is the perfect way to help us do this.
December 24, 2019
Trust is complicated
Well I learnt a lot especially of how trust can be referenced in politics, work, school, ideologies, war, terror, and even now, in technology. All in all, we need trust for a better future. The only thing that's missing is addressing some of the issues that are currently there. How do we address isssues of trust when it comes to races?
Well I learnt a lot especially of how trust can be referenced in politics, work, school, ideologies, war, terror, and even now, in technology. All in all, we need trust for a better future. The only thing that's missing is addressing some of the issues that are currently there. How do we address isssues of trust when it comes to races?
August 18, 2022
The book was interesting with the author trying to prove how trusting others is good for us and how oxytocin is the trust hormone. The evidence felt scattered and the reader needed to make leaps of faith before accepting all of it. The chapters felt disjointed and lacked a coherent flow.
May 2, 2019
Great 👍 read was very well written for a book about a science evidence based. Was fun U liked the experience described by the author.
June 13, 2019
An interesting but slight read.
December 7, 2020
Rwanda genocide
I didn’t know I was signed up for the Rwanda genocide history which filled almost half of the book. But there are some interesting parts.
I didn’t know I was signed up for the Rwanda genocide history which filled almost half of the book. But there are some interesting parts.
May 24, 2021
If I have one criticism of this book it is that it's forgettable. Otherwise I remember liking it.
October 9, 2021
Meh. A few good insights but mostly naive, neo-liberal talking points.
October 7, 2015
Ulrich explores notions of trust building that combine common sense with empirical research. The anecdotal value of this book is very helpful in visualizing how these concepts apply to such areas as economic and political philosophies.
The author relies on physiological research (especially neurological studies) to corroborate certain premises he is seeking to develop. At times I found these to be an elaboration of previously drawn conclusions in my personal journey. They were not so much revealing in their details but they offered a compelling explanation for interpersonal dynamics that corresponded with what I've experienced in various cultures.
Some strengths in this book are that it utilizes current events to extrapolate how trust breaks down (e.g., Rwandan genocide) and how it can be rebuilt. By using recent case studies, the reader is able to see an application of Boser's thesis that human connectivity is the result of intentional systems/messages propagated by those who influence culture. He extends this to the issue of technology's impact of social cohesion (he takes a generally positive view).
Team building (such as Bill Walsh) and relational engagement (like the farming cooperatives of Rwanda) are given as examples of how we can constructively fight against nihilistic notions on the nature of social discourse. People can change and relationships can heal but they will not happen in a vacuum. They are the result of individuals taking risks together and discovering the joys of a better way of life because this meets a basic human desire and our world is in critical need of meaningful connectivity.
The author relies on physiological research (especially neurological studies) to corroborate certain premises he is seeking to develop. At times I found these to be an elaboration of previously drawn conclusions in my personal journey. They were not so much revealing in their details but they offered a compelling explanation for interpersonal dynamics that corresponded with what I've experienced in various cultures.
Some strengths in this book are that it utilizes current events to extrapolate how trust breaks down (e.g., Rwandan genocide) and how it can be rebuilt. By using recent case studies, the reader is able to see an application of Boser's thesis that human connectivity is the result of intentional systems/messages propagated by those who influence culture. He extends this to the issue of technology's impact of social cohesion (he takes a generally positive view).
Team building (such as Bill Walsh) and relational engagement (like the farming cooperatives of Rwanda) are given as examples of how we can constructively fight against nihilistic notions on the nature of social discourse. People can change and relationships can heal but they will not happen in a vacuum. They are the result of individuals taking risks together and discovering the joys of a better way of life because this meets a basic human desire and our world is in critical need of meaningful connectivity.
August 11, 2015
The book starts out strong but its arguments loosen as it progresses. They sometimes lack coherency and the types of details that would instill, if I may be so bold to say it, trust in the author. Studies were done "a few years ago" and their methodology is not explained, which creates problems with understanding the results and how they support claims made. Ideas are introduced then abandoned without a complete picture being drawn. Examples jump around and feel unfocused. Paris Hilton is quoted more than once.
Additionally, the writer puts too much of himself into the picture. It is unclear what the writer's stake is in the information he is providing--is he a researcher? A journalist? A preface or the inclusion of this information in the introduction would have helped establish the writer's authority on the subject, but even halfway in we still don't know why the writer is writing this book. If he didn't insert himself into the scenes so much, it might not be such a nagging question, but it would be helpful to know what the motivation is (besides writing the book) that drives the writer to travel to Rwanda, interview scientists and friends of a con man, or research this subject generally.
Additionally, the writer puts too much of himself into the picture. It is unclear what the writer's stake is in the information he is providing--is he a researcher? A journalist? A preface or the inclusion of this information in the introduction would have helped establish the writer's authority on the subject, but even halfway in we still don't know why the writer is writing this book. If he didn't insert himself into the scenes so much, it might not be such a nagging question, but it would be helpful to know what the motivation is (besides writing the book) that drives the writer to travel to Rwanda, interview scientists and friends of a con man, or research this subject generally.
June 10, 2015
Eating your friends? Working with murders? Fooling the country? Putting your life in the hands of a complete stranger? This Book goes through some of the most amazing examples of trust, and explains the science, and the value behind them all. Each chapter tells a true story, such as ‘The Man in the Rockefeller Suit,” and explains the trust occurring, why it occurred, and how we can benefit from it. It outlines human trust in a way that the reader can really hold on to, it’s books like these that build a more trustworthy community, and overall planet. The author even talks about his own personal experiences with the people he talks about, which I thought was cool. The book was not too long, which I really enjoyed, and it did not go too far the the information. Many books I have read just throw information at you, which is useful in some sense, but not enjoyable to read most of the time. This book makes me want to learn more about trust, and how we can achieve it as a country. As somebody who really advocates trust and honesty I really liked this book. I would suggest it to anybody and everybody.
November 5, 2019
Not really what it claims to be.
The book is a series of separate stories in the style of investigative journalism, loosely connected with the idea of trust, but failing to build a cohesive narative about what trust is . Among other things, I think he fails to convince that oxytocin is the hormone of trust (one of the main ideas in the book) . Overall the "science" part of the book is cherry picked, anecdotal and inconclusive. Actually most of the book is inconclusive. Interesting at times, but not really that useful.
Then at 3/4 into the book he launches into a surprising and unwarranted attack on the Republican Party... What pretended so far to be a science book suddenly turns into a one sided political rant (he claims it's because the Democrat party doesn't have an extreme element like the Republicans do - talk about having a blind spot!)
So by the time one reaches the end of the book it's almost no surprise the grand proposal on how to improve trust in our society reads as a verbatim list of the Democratic platform...
I'm not a Republican, so I don't have a horse in this race, but this is one of the worst cases of politics masquerading as "science" in a book.
The book is a series of separate stories in the style of investigative journalism, loosely connected with the idea of trust, but failing to build a cohesive narative about what trust is . Among other things, I think he fails to convince that oxytocin is the hormone of trust (one of the main ideas in the book) . Overall the "science" part of the book is cherry picked, anecdotal and inconclusive. Actually most of the book is inconclusive. Interesting at times, but not really that useful.
Then at 3/4 into the book he launches into a surprising and unwarranted attack on the Republican Party... What pretended so far to be a science book suddenly turns into a one sided political rant (he claims it's because the Democrat party doesn't have an extreme element like the Republicans do - talk about having a blind spot!)
So by the time one reaches the end of the book it's almost no surprise the grand proposal on how to improve trust in our society reads as a verbatim list of the Democratic platform...
I'm not a Republican, so I don't have a horse in this race, but this is one of the worst cases of politics masquerading as "science" in a book.
October 24, 2015
Sometimes a book, no matter it's quality, just doesn't fit into your life. Right now The Leap is there for me. It took me over 2 weeks to read an under 150 page book. During those weeks, work basically exploded (which is putting it mildly), and I adopted a new kitten. She keeps trying to get on the keyboard while I type this, because my hands aren't allowed to do anything but pet her.
Point is, I managed to get through The Leap with some skimming, but I can't say that I really enjoyed it. And this isn't the book's fault. It was a case of right book, wrong time. It'll revisit this in the future, because I do think that the mix of science and real life stories was a great way to talk about trust. Right now, I'm just not in the headspace to appreciate this.
Thanks to Goodreads for providing me with a free copy to read & review!
Point is, I managed to get through The Leap with some skimming, but I can't say that I really enjoyed it. And this isn't the book's fault. It was a case of right book, wrong time. It'll revisit this in the future, because I do think that the mix of science and real life stories was a great way to talk about trust. Right now, I'm just not in the headspace to appreciate this.
Thanks to Goodreads for providing me with a free copy to read & review!
January 11, 2025
I’ve been thinking that trust is overlooked as an essential social character. I was happy to find this book so that I could see how researchers might be pursuing how to understand it. Boser provides a sampling of what trust is and how it could be understood in, not only, interpersonal relationships, but also in societies, politics and with the advent of new technologies such as social media. He ends with a compelling personal story about what happens biochemically within us when jumping out of an airplane. I wish he would have started with the story rather than ended with it.
There are many illustrative insights about trust in the book, but the issue begs for a broader treatment than this book provides. It’s good for whetting one’s appetite.
There are many illustrative insights about trust in the book, but the issue begs for a broader treatment than this book provides. It’s good for whetting one’s appetite.
March 27, 2015
This is fairly good as far as pop science goes. All of the examples fit well around a theme of trust, and are engaging enough to keep my interest through this relatively short book. The writing is quite good, but I found that the examples used here called attention to some serious flaws in psychological experiments for me, namely that results may not be broadly applicable, and results may depend upon socialization, so it's all rather a big jumble. Still, there was some here of interest, even if I'm not sure it was well explained why it might or might not be true.
November 10, 2016
The first part is interesting, as the author explains about trust from a scientific point of view, like the effects of oxytocin etc. The author also explains trust from the social aspect, how we can gain trust by leveraging our network (with an excellent example from a con crime case). The last part of the book mostly discuss about trust on government, the least interesting part for me personally.
January 30, 2015
References some of the most interesting studies on the nature of trust. I felt the book shifts abruptly from tragic circumstances in other countries to U.S. politics. I would've liked a more thorough exploration of the factors that contribute to and prevent those tragedies. Lessons learned there could be far-reaching.
October 5, 2015
Short with some interesting titbits. Not very focussed, doesn't all feel relevant. The scientist in me would love a deeper dive into most of the topics raised. I'll be reading some of the studies mentioned.
August 27, 2016
A ridiculously superficial take on an extremely important human subject "i.e. Trust". Based on the encounters of the writer with leading authorities in this subject (for instance Frans de Waal, Paul Zak, etc), I'd high expectations for this book.
September 3, 2016
Nice look into trust
Quite a comprehensive look into trust at both individual and social levels. Backed by social experiments and research findings, the book helps readers to learn about trust and how to build it amongst human interaction.
Quite a comprehensive look into trust at both individual and social levels. Backed by social experiments and research findings, the book helps readers to learn about trust and how to build it amongst human interaction.
May 8, 2017
Lots of anecdotal stories here and some isolated reports. This book needed to go deeper.
The title was a let down. There wasn't very much science in this. Nor was there any leaping. I feel ripped off a little.
The title was a let down. There wasn't very much science in this. Nor was there any leaping. I feel ripped off a little.
September 27, 2014
Very interesting book. The author makes some very strong points. Trust really does matter. Read the book and find out why.
November 1, 2014
Short but good read. Sometimes it feels a little too much like a dissertation or term paper, but the author has a lot of interesting points to make, and it's definitely good food for thought.
July 29, 2016
There's a lot of highly interesting facts in this book, especially in regards to politics near the end. I think I'm going to be a bit more conscious about how do I feel towards people from now on :)
September 25, 2016
Not very trustworthy, but an OK book for skimming through
Very thin in terms of research, but the author brings forward some interesting perspectives if you are new to the subject.
Very thin in terms of research, but the author brings forward some interesting perspectives if you are new to the subject.
December 21, 2016
Meh. I was hoping this would be more interesting than it was. This is The USA Today version of the Putnam's Cliff Notes version of Bowling Alone.
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