It is surprising how little inter-human contact is made in the densely populated city centers. We seem to behave like crowds of isolated individuals. Most people think that talking to a stranger during their commute will be a negative experience. However, a study published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology, shows that people report a greater sense of well-being after talking to a stranger on the bus. Commuting is consistently reported to be one of the least pleasant experiences in the average worker’s day. “This experiment suggests that a surprising antidote for an otherwise unpleasant experience could be sitting very close by,” says study researcher Nicholas Epley. The message of the study is clear: People can improve the experience of their own day—as well as that of others—by being more social with strangers.
Talking to strangers leads to more wellbeing—for yourself and others
More of Today's Solutions
This simple Blue Zone habit can improve your longevity
How often do you find yourself sitting on the floor in your day-to-day life? It turns out, sitting on the floor, while it may ...
Read MoreSeven tips for cooling your home without AC
Many of us can already feel the heated start of Summer, along with the urge to crank up the air-conditioning. While heatstroke is a ...
Read MoreExposing the hidden threat: skin absorption of indoor air pollutants
Indoor spaces, where many of us spend the majority of our lives, conceal a hidden threat: contaminants that enter not only through the air ...
Read MoreGamers revolutionize biomedical research via DNA analysis
In a remarkable study published in Nature Biotechnology, researchers discovered gaming's transformative potential in biomedical research. Borderlands Science, an interactive mini-game included in Borderlands ...
Read More
