The Yale professor who studies how human biology and health are shaped by (and in turn shape) social networks brings his expertise to CSH.
We are honored to announce that Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, has joined the Complexity Science Hub’s Science Advisory Board.
Nicholas A. Christakis is a Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University, where he directs the Human Nature Lab and co-directs the Yale Institute for Network Science. His work has profoundly advanced our understanding of how social networks influence human behavior and health.
Christakis’s studies have demonstrated, for example, that health behaviors like smoking or obesity are not solely determined at the individual level but can spread through social networks, akin to contagious diseases. His research has also shown that emotions, like happiness, are transmitted within social networks, affecting groups far beyond the individual level. This research uses statistical and mathematical models to understand the dynamics of evolving networks, focusing on the spread of health behaviors, emotions, and ideas both online and offline. It includes large-scale randomized field studies in countries such as Honduras, Uganda, and India, as well as online experiments to explore collective action in human social interactions.
Christakis has made significant contributions to the study of the genetic and evolutionary foundations of social behavior. His work explores how our genes shape the way we form and maintain social networks, and how these networks, in turn, influence our biology. A third key focus of Christakis’s work is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) agents to simulate and understand social processes within networks. His research in hybrid systems, where humans and AI interact, explores how these systems can influence behavior and decision-making in large social groups, both online and offline.
A GLIMPSE INTO HIS CAREER
Christakis began his career in 1995 at the University of Chicago, where he taught as a professor of sociology and medicine. From 2001, he continued his work at Harvard University before becoming a professor at Yale University in 2013. He is the author of over 220 articles and several books, including Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives and Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society.
In 2009, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In the same year, he published the bestseller Connected and a year later, in 2010, he gave a TED Talk on the hidden influence of social networks. In 2024, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. His work is highly regarded for its interdisciplinary approach, combining social science, biology, and technology to explore complex human behaviors.
