Paul Atkins, David Sloan Wilson, and Steven Hayes bring together evolutionary science, Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning research on cooperation, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to create a transformative approach for building productive, equitable, and collaborative groups. “Prosocial” offers both theoretical foundation and practical tools for anyone working to strengthen cooperation within teams, organizations, or communities.
The book’s framework rests on three integrated pillars: cooperation principles drawn from Ostrom’s Core Design Principles for managing shared resources, adaptability tools from Contextual Behavioral Science that help groups navigate change, and psychological flexibility practices from ACT that align individual actions with shared values. Together, these create a comprehensive system for conscious cultural evolution.
Rather than presenting rigid steps, the authors offer six flexible phases that groups can adapt to their unique needs: creating foundations for change, improving communication and awareness, building shared vision and purpose, exploring better ways to work together, identifying opportunities for progress, and evaluating actions as they happen. This approach empowers participants to take ownership of their collective future.
The ProSocial process has been successfully applied across diverse contexts—from healthcare teams and schools to businesses and community organizations—demonstrating that groups can consciously evolve toward greater cooperation when given appropriate frameworks. By combining personal growth, skill-building, open dialogue, and hands-on learning, the book provides a practical pathway for groups committed to creating positive change while honoring both individual well-being and collective flourishing.
