Don't Talk to Strangers?

[Dr. Shane]

Did your mother ever tell you not to talk to strangers?  I never followed that advice.  If I was standing in line in the supermarket or stuck in a doctor's waiting room, I would always strike up a conversation with someone.  We now know that talking to strangers is mutually beneficial.  A study out of the Wisconsin School of Business has shown that people normally underestimate how much they will learn from a casual conversation with a stranger.  In addition, chit chatting with a stranger increases one's experience of connectedness.  Human beings are part of a interdependent social system.  In general, the more we talk to others, the better we feel about ourselves and the world we live in. 

Talking with strangers also gives us a chance to show our love for them.  I am not talking about preaching to them.  I am talking about listening to their cares and concerns.  Listening to whatever is on their mind.  And, if they start talking about politics or some controversial religious beliefs, try listening without agreeing or disagreeing.  I have learned that is an art but I have become pretty good at it.  When we talk to strangers, we are giving of ourselves.  And most times we are paid back well in the form of feeling more whole and part of something much bigger than ourselves.

  Atir, S., Wald, K. A., & Epley, N. (2022). Talking with strangers is surprisingly informative. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(34), e2206992119.