Something You Should Know
Why Most People Can’t Keep Secrets & Interesting Oddities of Language
Sep 5, 2024
Investigative journalist Andrew Gold dives into the intriguing psychology of secrets, revealing how keeping them can lead to stress-related health issues. He explains why we often feel compelled to share secrets, despite potential fallout on relationships. Linguist Paul Anthony Jones adds a quirky twist, uncovering the oddities of the English language—like the historical reasons behind capital letters and the unique placement of vowels. Together, they unravel the complex interplay between secrecy and language.
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Quick takeaways
- Engaged eye contact is essential for effective communication, with optimal durations varying by social setting to convey interest appropriately.
- Keeping secrets creates significant psychological stress, often leading to health issues, highlighting the importance of sharing them for emotional relief.
Deep dives
Understanding Eye Contact
Engaged eye contact plays a crucial role in social interactions, with norms varying based on the setting. In group scenarios, maintaining eye contact for about three to five seconds is considered appropriate, as longer gazes may be interpreted as staring. Conversely, in one-on-one conversations, optimal eye contact may extend to ten seconds, but it's necessary to balance this with periods of looking away to avoid appearing disinterested. Spending more than half of the conversation without eye contact can lead to perceptions of disengagement, emphasizing the importance of finding that right equilibrium in maintaining eye contact.
