Short Wave The Lost Joys Of Talking To Strangers
Feb 2, 2021
Yowei Shaw, co-host of NPR's Invisibilia, explores the psychology of human connections. She discusses the surprising joy found in brief encounters with strangers and how these interactions boost happiness, especially during isolation. The conversation dives into the decline of spontaneous conversations during the pandemic and introduces Dial Up, an app fostering remote connections. Through amusing stories, they highlight how simple gestures, like smiling, can uplift spirits and remind us of the importance of social bonds.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Stranger Boost
- Elizabeth Dunn noticed her boyfriend would be cranky with her but cheerful with strangers.
- This led her to research interactions with strangers and their impact on happiness.
Happiness from Strangers
- Studies found that interacting with strangers can make people feel just as good as interacting with their partners.
- This challenges the prior focus on interactions with close relationships.
Coffee Shop Interactions
- In a coffee shop study, having brief conversations with a barista increased people's happiness.
- Even small interactions had a measurable positive effect on mood.