New Books in Psychology Sunita Sah, "Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes" (Random House, 2025)
Apr 24, 2026
Sunita Sah, a physician-researcher studying why people comply or resist, discusses research-backed ways to speak up. She explores insinuation anxiety, reframes defiance as a trainable skill, and lays out a five-stage model for vocalizing concerns. Practical strategies include using questions to shift group dynamics and building organizational cultures that support dissent.
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Silence Often Comes From Insinuation Anxiety
- People stay silent from insinuation anxiety: fear of signalling someone is incompetent or biased.
- Sah links this anxiety to nurses and co-pilots who notice errors but avoid calling them out to protect others' face.
Rosa Parks Followed Years Of Compliance
- Rosa Parks' famous refusal followed many years of compliance rather than instant bravery.
- Sah uses Parks to show defiant acts are often preceded by hundreds of compliant moments and practice matters.
Follow The Five Stages Of Defiance
- Use Sah's five stages of defiance: notice tension, acknowledge it, vocalize, threaten noncompliance, then say no.
- Stage three (vocalizing via simple questions) often triggers ripple effects that make later defiance easier.
