Find Request It
Cover Image

The other side of change who we become when life makes other plans

In this nonfiction work, cognitive scientist Maya Shankar examines how individuals respond to major, unexpected life changes. Drawing on interviews with people who have experienced significant personal disruptions, Shankar combines narrative case studies with insights from psychology and cognitive s...

Full description

Saved in:
Main Author: Shankar, Maya (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language:English
Published: New York, NY : Riverhead Books, 2026
Subjects:
Life change events.
Change (Psychology)
Self-actualization (Psychology)
Adaptability (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Resilience (Personality trait)
Self-help publications.
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Summary:In this nonfiction work, cognitive scientist Maya Shankar examines how individuals respond to major, unexpected life changes. Drawing on interviews with people who have experienced significant personal disruptions, Shankar combines narrative case studies with insights from psychology and cognitive science to explore how change affects identity, decision-making, and emotional resilience. The book analyzes common patterns in human responses to upheaval and considers how periods of instability can lead to personal growth, new perspectives, and shifts in values. Through research-based discussion and real-life examples, the work invites readers to reconsider their understanding of change and its potential role in shaping personal development.
Physical Description:xvi, 233 pages ; 24 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-223) and index.
ISBN:9780593713686
0593713680
Author Notes:Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans , previously named "Best Show of the Year" by Apple. She served as a senior policy advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and chaired the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team. She was also appointed as the first behavioral science advisor to the United Nations. Maya has a BA from Yale and a PhD from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience at Stanford. She has been profiled by The New Yorker , has been a guest on NPR, CBS Mornings , and Today , and was featured as a neuroscience expert on National Geographic's Limitless with Chris Hemsworth . She is a former violin student of Itzhak Perlman at Juilliard. Maya lives with her husband in California.

Similar Items