The psychology behind why you dread small talk ^0%

NPR - By Emily Kwong, Regina G. Barber, Ailsa Chang, Rachel Carlson, Jeffrey Pierre - 4/17/2026, 7:00 AM

Appeal to Authority 23.9% - Attempt to Sell a Product or Service 15.9% - Indoctrination 13.3%

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... more