Niobe Way

Niobe Way is a highly respected professor of developmental psychology at New York University (NYU) and a leading expert on the social and emotional development of adolescents. Her research focuses on the importance of close friendships for boys and young men as well as the negative effects of loneliness and isolation. She is the author of the book “Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection,” which highlights a major finding from her research: that boys often have deep, meaningful friendships early in life, but social pressures and gender stereotypes lead them to abandon these close connections as they get older. Niobe’s work argues that this “crisis of connection” contributes to higher rates of depression, loneliness, and violence in men. Niobe founded the Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (PACH), an organization dedicated to promoting human connection and empathy through research and education. She is also a frequent contributor to media outlets like The Huffington Post and Psychology Today, where she shares her expertise to help parents and educators better understand and support the emotional lives of young people.