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The psychology behind why you dread small talk
By Emily Kwong0% Regina G. Barber0% Ailsa Chang0% Rachel Carlson0% Jeffrey Pierre
4/17/2026, 7:00:00 AM
Topics: Short Wave
BS Summary: The article has not yet been analyzed.
Do you avoid small talk with that co-worker near the water cooler or that neighbor in the elevator?
Well, if so, you might want to think again.
According to a study just published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, even when participants were primed that a conversation would be boring, they ultimately found it more interesting than expected.
Researchers looked at nine different experiments that totaled 1800 participants and found the same result each time: Conversations about boring topics are actually enjoyable and engaging.
Elizabeth Trinh, the lead author of the study, mentioned these results may be due to the loneliness epidemic described in the 2023 report out of the US Surgeon General's office.
Trinh says the most interesting part of the results was that engaging with another person drove enjoyment more than the topic itself.
"So people assume that interest comes from having a fascinating subject that you're talking about," she said.
"But in reality, what makes conversations really enjoyable is that it's the sense of connection."
She suggested you lean into small talk and reap the benefits.
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson and Jeffrey Pierre.
It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata.
Tyler Jones checked the facts.
The audio engineers were Maggie Luthar and Ted Mebane.
Analysis
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