Day 9: One thing I learned today...
Do you like to talk to strangers? Does this make you happy? Or do you hate small talk? This paper tells us that talking to strangers makes us happy. This is true even if you are reluctant. Supposedly, both you and the stranger get a boost in happiness.
One study was conducted on commuter trains and public buses. Participants were placed in three groups. 1)sit in isolation (solitude) 2) talk to a stranger (connection) 3) do what they would normally do (control). Individuals were also asked to predict which they would prefer.
People predicted they would have a more positive commute if they sat in solitude vs talking with a stranger. The experiment demonstrated a consistent disconnect between the anticipated and actual consequences of connecting with a stranger. People actual prefer to connect with others.
I am honestly not sure how I feel about this. I do not utilize public transportation much and when I do I keep to myself. In other public situations (prior to 2020), I feel others would not want me interrupting what they are doing in order to have a conversation. I am not typically one to start a conversation with a stranger however I will respond. I guess I feel a boost in happiness when I do so.
How about you?
There were several different studies in this paper. Another addressed topics such as productivity. I have experienced a time in which I was at a coffee shop working and within the same day I was interrupted two separate times by individuals who wanted to talk to me about what I was doing. I felt very unproductive. This does not happen frequently though.
Source:
Epley & Schroeder (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980.
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