Striking up a conversation—especially with a stranger—is a lot like adding kindling to a fire pit and hoping it ignites. Choose the wrong starter, and the flame will fizzle out. But when you get it ...

You’re standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. “Hello, how are you?” the stranger greets you. “Good, and you?” might be your response. Your conversation partner ...

Small talk has a bad reputation. People roll their eyes at it and see it as a dreaded necessity that they need to get out of the way before the real conversation begins. It has effectively become one ...

Increased daily happiness: Research shows that “simple social interactions,” such as engaging in conversation with strangers or acquaintances, predict greater life satisfaction, suggesting that these ...

When Gillian Sandstrom was a graduate student in Toronto more than a decade ago, she encountered a stranger on the subway who was carrying a scrumptious-looking cupcake. Sandstrom had long considered ...

Think about what it's like to be at a birthday dinner where you have to interact with your friend's neighbors for the first time, or what it's like to be waiting for a Zoom to begin with coworkers you ...

ATLANTA — You're standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. "Hello, how are you?" the stranger greets you. "Good, and you?" might be your response. Your conversation ...

Many people noticed that their social skills got a little rusty during the pandemic. My latest book discusses the psychology of mirrors and reflections. Research explains why being reflected by others ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I explore personal branding and storytelling in the digital age. Networking is an effective business practice; however, for some ...