Todd Rose is the CEO of Populace, a nonpartisan think tank committed to ensuring that all people have the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives in a thriving society. Prior to Populace, he founded the Laboratory for the Science of Individuality at Harvard University. Todd is the best selling author of Collective Illusions, Dark Horse, and The End of Average.

Todd is the leading scientist in private opinion research. In 2024, his think tank, Populace, released the Social Pressure Index — a private opinion study that estimates the gap between Americans’ privately held beliefs and their publicly stated opinions on a variety of sensitive topics. This research found that despite widespread sentiment that America is more polarized than ever before, people privately agree on most issues. The real problem is not that we are divided — but that we believe we are divided, and the consequences become real as a result.

This myth of polarization in America today is an example of a ‘collective illusion’ — a term Todd popularized through his research. Collective Illusions are situations where most people in a group go along with an idea that they don’t agree with, simply because they incorrectly believe that most people in the group agree with it.

Todd believes that stories have an important role in shattering collective illusions. By highlighting our shared values and modeling how not to self-silence, we can shine a spotlight on what brings us together and shift popular culture in a fundamental way.

Follow Todd on socials at @ltoddrose.