Gillian Sandstrom

Gillian Sandstrom, Senior Lecturer in the Psychology of Kindness, discusses the misconceptions and benefits of talking to strangers. She explores fears and interventions, lasting changes after engaging with strangers, conversation starters, cultural considerations, societal norms, and flexibility of social norms in social interactions.

Gillian Sandstrom, a psychologist focused on social isolation, shares insights on the significance of weak ties and their surprisingly positive impact on happiness. She discusses how casual conversations with strangers can boost emotional well-being. Erica Bailey, a researcher on authenticity, responds to listener questions about revealing true selves in various social contexts. They touch on the challenges of authenticity in the workplace and the importance of creating safe environments for genuine expression.

As you're going about your day, you likely interact with family, friends and coworkers. These relationships can help you feel cared for and connected. But what if there's a whole category of people in your life whose impact is overlooked? In the second episode of our "Relationships 2.0" series, psychologist Gillian Sandstrom reveals some simple ways to make your life a little more joyful and maybe even a little less lonely. Did you catch the first episode in this series, about how to engage in conflict more productively? You can find it here. And if you like our work, please consider a financial contribution to help us make many more episodes like this one.