Social interactions shape our beliefs, identity, and personality.

Close social relationships can promote microbial sharing beyond immediate family members.

Our microbiome may influence our mood, cognition, personality, and social behavior.

In any group we are in, whether it is family, friends, or a workplace, we gradually share each other's customs, beliefs, and types of thoughts. This happens so smoothly and gradually that we rarely notice it; yet, it can profoundly shape the deepest layers of our identity. Our social interactions play a crucial role in shaping our identity and self-concept. The feedback we receive from those around us can either boost our self-confidence or lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and constant comparison with others. We may even modify or suppress some aspects of ourselves to conform to group norms. According to social identity theory and self-categorization theory, we largely define ourselves through our membership in groups. Many people derive their sense of importance from the groups to which they belong. These groups tell us “who we are” and “how we should behave.”

However, these influences are not one-way; we also impact the networks of which we are members. By joining a group, we change its dynamics. Our thoughts, behaviors, and even lifestyles, in turn, affect other members depending on our position within the group's hierarchy. It is a dialectical relationship: We create networks, and networks create us.

Professional networks also determine our success in career development: who we collaborate with, who notices our work, and who invites us to opportunities. Over time, small advantages in your network grow into big differences in visibility and opportunity. The good........

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