A Regent's Professor of cognitive science in the School of Public Policy and the College of Computing, Nersessian co-wrote the book with members of her research group: Lisa M. Osbeck and Kareen R. Malone at the University of West Georgia and Wendy C. Newstetter in biomechanical engineering at Georgia Tech.

The book reveals the complexity and richness of rationality by demonstrating how social relationships, emotion, culture, and identity are implicated in the problem-solving practices of laboratory scientists. A co-winner of the 2012 award, the book was recognized for its "scope and breadth in approach to a new conceptualization and application of general psychology."

Sponsored by Society for General Psychology Division I, the William James Book Award honors books that integrate material across psychological subfields or provide coherence to the diverse subject matter of psychology. Nersessian will make an award presentation at the APA (American Psychological Association) convention in Hawaii 2013.