Have you ever been to a party and heard "So what do you do?" about 30 seconds into every conversation? If you're like most people, you probably responded with your role and company's name. But if you ...

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 ...

For many people, small talk is not their favorite activity, but everyone engages in it at some point. When meeting new people, small talk is used as an icebreaker for conversation. It’s an interaction ...

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If you've ever had the unfortunate experience of saying the wrong thing at a staff meeting or a friend's housewarming party, you know just how easy it is to bungle small talk. The commonplace ...

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 is a bit of a misnomer. While it's defined as polite conversation about unimportant matters, it's an important social lubricant that can bring you big benefits - particularly at the ...

Social butterflies may thrive at small talk, but many of us dread it. After all, there's only so much talking about the weather or traffic that a person can tolerate. Still, small talk is present at ...