Talking to strangers is unusual here in this country. A wasted chance if you can believe two psychologists from the University of Amsterdam and the University of Copenhagen. Because even a short conversation with strangers increases a sense of well-being, as Paul van Lang and Simon Columbus report in a research overview: “This is evident in interactions with bus drivers, other passengers on the bus or train , with the person behind the counter who sells coffee or accompanying other test subjects in an experiment.”
A team led by Simon Columbus recently relationships with strangers examined more closely. For this purpose more than 7000 test persons reported encounters with strangers for a week. Conclusion: Most of them were positive; Only 13 percent were particularly conflict-ridden. Thus relationships with strangers were on average more prone to conflict than those with partners, friends, or co-workers. But there were mostly common interests, people depended on each other, the balance of power seemed balanced, and this encouraged cooperation. “As a rule, conversations with strangers are very friendly,” summarize Van Lang and Columbus.
An experiment in Chicago in 2014 showed that talking to strangers makes you happier than you think. Bus and train passengers should assess how they would feel if they spoke to a stranger. Most believed that the journey would be less pleasant if they stayed on their own as usual. He also expected that everyone else he addressed would want to talk to him. but both turned out to be wrongAs observed by social researchers Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder.
The remedy for despair is within reach
“The misconception is particularly unfortunate because commuting is consistently described as one of the most unpleasant everyday experiences,” Epley said in a press release. One measure of passengers’ frustration is within reach: in the seat next to you.
social psychologist repeated the experiment A few years later in London, with the same result: Rail passengers felt better talking to strangers while traveling. It didn’t matter whether they thought they were extroverts or introverts. Recently a Turkish team has confirmed this happiness researcher With more than 1000 test persons.
According to Columbus and Van Lang, fleeting exchanges with strangers satisfy you as much as conversations with friends. And not only to the people who seek the conversation, but also to the people who join in. In addition, exchange between strangers benefits mental fitness because it requires social skills such as empathy and restraint. However, psychologists doubt that there is an optimal level of contact with strangers for most people. Excess of it does not lead to further increase in welfare.
