Book interventions and reading selection
This project asks whether carefully selected nonfiction books can function as psychological interventions. The practical challenge is to identify books that are plausible, ethically appropriate, engaging, and theoretically linked to prosociality, polarization, empathy, motivation, identity, or well-being.
The public framing is “Reading Books Changes Lives: Investigating the Effects of Popular Psychology Books on Prosociality and Polarization.” The core hypothesis is that popular nonfiction books with prosocial themes may foster inclusive social identities, reduce polarization, and promote compassionate or cooperative behavior.
Current work includes refining the study design, consulting experts on book selection, preparing pilot materials, running AI-assisted simulations of possible participant responses, and moving toward preregistration.
Main group: van-bavel-lab.
Public materials
- Mind & Life article: Reading and Repair: Tackling Social Division Through Contemplative Research
- Grant announcement: 2024 European Varela Award recipients and projects
Design notes
The current public description frames the project in two phases. First, AI-assisted evaluation and expert feedback help select promising popular psychology books. Second, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial tests the selected book over about ten weeks, comparing a main reading group with an active control book and a waitlist group.
Candidate outcomes include polarization, aggression, compassion, inclusive identity, intergroup ties, and qualitative responses to the reading experience.
Current status
- IRB approval and amendments are in progress.
- Pilot design and materials are being refined.
- Book curation and AI-assisted reliability checks are active work.
- Preregistration and pilot data collection are near-term goals.