New research finds that dull conversation makes us feel more connected.

Jessica Rendall is a reporter with experience covering a variety of health and wellness topics, including chronic disease, ...

If you’re avoiding small talk or casual chats because you think they’ll be boring, you may be missing out on meaningful ...

Parties have always been a contentious thing for me. I wasn’t particularly shy, and I didn’t dread going. I’d show up, make the rounds, do the thing. How are you, good thanks, what have you been up to ...

Why small talk is more important than we think - By avoiding boring conversations we may forget that engaging with almost any ...

Small talk, idle gossip or general chit-chat that many people try to avoid may actually be beneficial for our general ...

Small talk has been a pain point for me for years, but it sank to new lows at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was at the playground one day, sweating in a K-95 while pushing my maskless ...

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 ...

It's easy to say, "I'm not good at small talk" and simply try to ignore it, Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit argues that small talk isn't an innate skill, but rather a learned behavior.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. ‘If you think small talk is boring, that may be a skill issue.’Illustration: Guardian Design/Panther Media Global/Alamy ...

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s checking out at a store or trying to lull the awkwardness when meeting someone new, small talk has been used by all of us. For some people, having these little ...