My favourite stories are the ones where minimal connections between a tapestry of strangers (or acquaintances/weak ties) come together to tell a story. These stories seem more and more plausible in our increasingly connected world. Despite this, we now live in a culture of disconnection: People find it hard to make friends, and suffer emotionally and physically from a lack of belonging. My research addresses this apparent contradiction by focusing at the micro level, examining how seemingly insignificant social interactions and everyday behaviours can influence and improve well-being. This line of research examines the following questions:
- When and how do people benefit from feeling connected to others?
- When and how do social interactions lead to feelings of connection?
- What personal and cultural factors promote/inhibit social interactions?
- What fears do people have about talking to others?
- How do fears vary across people (e.g., due to individual differences) and across types of conversations
- How do fears affect the success of a social interaction?
- Can interventions target fears to improve the success of social interactions?
Click to access each publication and each media article. If you would like to read a paper, but can’t access it, please email me and I’d be happy to send a copy for your personal use. Click here for more resources.
Publications
Sandstrom, G.M., & Boothby, E.J. (2021). Why do people avoid talking to strangers? A mini meta-analysis of predicted fears and actual experiences talking to a stranger. Self and Identity, 20(1), 47-71.
- Data and materials available publicly at: https://osf.io/75z24/
Sandstrom, G.M., & Whillans, A.V. (2020). Why you miss those casual friends so much. Harvard Business Review.
Boothby, E.J., Cooney, G., Sandstrom, G.M., & Clark, M.S. (2018). The liking gap in conversations: Do people like us more than we think? Psychological Science, 29(11), 1742–1756.
- Data and materials available publicly at: https://osf.io/dw5fm/
Sandstrom, G.M., & Rawn, C.D. (2015). Embrace chattering students: They are building community and interest in your class. Teaching of Psychology, 42, 227-233.
Sandstrom, G.M., & Dunn, E.W. (2014). Social interactions and well-being: The surprising power of weak ties. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40, 910-922.
Sandstrom, G.M., & Dunn, E.W. (2014). Is efficiency overrated?: Minimal social interactions lead to belonging and positive affect. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5, 436-441.
- Data and materials available publicly at: https://osf.io/nmxz7/
Selected Media Coverage
- Washington Post. Mar 25, 2021.”After a year of covid life, we’ve run out of things to talk about. Try these conversation tips.“
- Toronto Star. Feb 20, 2021. “Just an acquaintance? What we’ve missed as the pandemic robs us of our ‘non-friends’”
- Wall Street Journal. Feb 16, 2021. “You should talk to strangers – Even during the pandemic”
- The Atlantic. Jan 27, 2021. “The pandemic has erased entire categories of friendship”
- CTV News. Dec 28, 2020. “Why we need ‘micro-friendships’ more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic”
- CBC News. Dec 27, 2020. “Casual social contacts can help combat loneliness and improve well-being during pandemic, psychologists say”
- New Scientist. Aug 15, 2020. “Missed connections: The surprising ways little social interactions affect your health.”
- BBC: Worklife. Jul 3, 2020. “Why your ‘weak-tie’ friendships may mean more than you think“
- MEL magazine. Sept 11, 2019. “Why talking to strangers is the best thing you can do for your mental health“
- National Public Radio, Life Kit. Aug 19, 2019. “Accept the awkwardness: How to make friends (and keep the old ones)”
- The Sunday Times. Aug 18, 2019. “Weak ties: Why casual acquaintances might be the key to happiness”
- National Public Radio, Shots (Health News). Jul 26, 2019. “Want to feel happier today? Try talking to a stranger.”
- BBC News. Jun 12, 2019. “The surprising benefits of talking to strangers”
- NBC News, Better. Jun 5, 2019. “How to have better conversations with people you’ve just met, according to science“
- Wall Street Journal. May 11, 2019. “The surprising boost you get from strangers”
- Vice. May 7, 2019. “How small talk with almost-strangers profoundly affects your happiness“
- New York Times. May 6, 2019. “Why you need a network of casual, low-stakes friendships”
- Chicago Post-Tribune. Dec 6, 2018. “Despite your doubts about first impressions, strangers probably like you”
- New York Times. Sep 23, 2018. “Want to seem more likable? Try this”
- Time. Sep 17, 2018. “People like you more than you think, a new study suggests.”
- Forbes. Sept 2018, “People Like You More Than You Think, Study Finds”
- The Atlantic. Sept 2018, “How to Make Friends, According to Science”
- Washington Post. Jul 7, 2018. “How casual daily interactions protect your health”
- Quartz. Nov 21, 2017. “Nice weather, eh? The emotional benefits of small talk outweigh your fear of being awkward”
- The Today Show. Mar, 2017. “Small talk can provide a big boost in your mood”
- NBC News. Mar, 2017. “Master small talk: Why you need chit-chat in your life”
- The Atlantic. Oct, 2016. “Do people need small talk to be happy?”
- CBC Radio. Aug, 2015. “Study suggests idle chit chat in class could have benefits”
- CBC News. Aug, 2015.“Talking in class could have benefits, says new UBC research”
- Washington Post. Mar, 2015. “Treat your spouse like a stranger and other surprising research on how to be happy”
- Business Insider, UK. Mar, 2015. “Science says chatting with your barista will make you happier”
- Wall Street Journal. Nov, 2014. “Walk this way: Acting happy can make it so”
- The Sydney Morning Herald. August, 2014. “Why you should talk to strangers on your commute”
- Psychology Today. July, 2014. “Why Other People Are the Key to Our Happiness”
- New York Magazine. July, 2014. Why New Yorkers – and Everyone Else – Should Pursue Small Talk More
- Psychology Today. May, 2014. “Why We Need All the Acquaintances We Can Get”
- New York Times. Apr, 2014. “Hello, Stranger”
- Harvard Business Review. Oct, 2013. “Chatting with the Cashier Will Improve Your Mood”
Podcasts
- American Psychological Association, Speaking of Psychology. Apr 14, 2021. “Why you should talk to strangers“
- Guardian, Science Weekly. Mar 9, 2021. “What are we missing out on by not talking to strangers?“
- BBC Radio 4, Word of Mouth. Aug 11, 2020. “Talking to Strangers“.
- BBC Radio 4, All in the Mind. Nov 12, 2019. “The need for possessions, predicting effective use of CBT, talking to strangers” (starts at 19min30sec).
- National Public Radio, Life Kit. Aug 19, 2019. “Accept the awkwardness: How to make friends (and keep the old ones)”
- Art of Manliness. May 2, 2019. “Why you should talk to strangers”
Blog posts
- May 19, 2021. “Why do people avoid talking to strangers?“
- June 11, 2019. “Small talk doesn’t need to be meaningless: The benefits of talking to strangers“
- June 11, 2019. “Nervous about talking to strangers? It’s not as hard as you think, and you’re probably already better at it than you know!“
Resources
- Talking to strangers
- Missions we used in our scavenger hunt game: Scavenger hunt missions
Gillian M. Sandstrom 