Study Smalltalk makes people happier

Study: Smalltalk makes people happier

09/12/2014

According to a new study Smalltalk makes people happier. In everyday life, a short conversation with the seller may be enough. People are social beings who want to be noticed.

Short conversation can make you satisfied
In our hectic life full of stress, we usually want to pay as fast as possible at the cash register and be the first outside of the store. However, sometimes it pays to spend a little more time on everyday things. Because, as reported in a message from the news agency dpa, people who, for example, have a short conversation with a salesman, feel happier afterwards than shorts. This is the conclusion of a study by psychologists from the Universities of Cambridge and British Columbia in the journal „Psychology Today“ (January 2015 issue).

Many possibilities in everyday life
Some of the volunteers were supposed to do errands in the investigation as efficiently as possible, while the others had eye contact and exchanged a few words with the staff in the shop. Afterwards the participants of both groups were asked how they feel. People are basically social beings. They generally have a need to be noticed and to feel involved. As the researchers write, everyday life offers several ways to feel happier.

Satisfaction also genetically determined
However, this may not be helpful to all, as one person's satisfaction is based on genetic factors, according to a study by psychologist and twin researcher Elisabeth Hahn of the University of Saarland. Among other things, the study examined how genetic traits affect people's satisfaction and the extent to which environmental factors are responsible for it. The psychologist came to the conclusion that the measure of satisfaction to about 30 to 37 percent depends on genetic influences. (Ad)