Conversational Psychology (CONNECTING WITH OTHERS) with Nicholas Epley

Social anxiety icebreakers. Third spaces. Slumber parties with old friends. Helping out strangers. And why primates are wired to be better connected than we are now. Dr. Nicholas Epley – a distinguished Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago and the author of “A Little More Social” – explains how important social activity is for physical and mental health, why people are experiencing a friendship recession, how texting affects your hormones, how seeing other cultures can shape your life, the world’s friendliest cities, and the low expectations keeping us feeling lonely. Also: don’t be afraid to pick up the phone.

Visit Dr. Epley’s website (nicholasepley.com)

Buy his books, A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection (sites.prh.com/a-little-more-social) and Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want (penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209659/mindwise-b…)

A donation went to Ruby’s Rainbow (rubysrainbow.org)

More episode sources and links (alieward.com/ologies/conversationalpsychology)

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Jarrett Sleeper’s “30 Words for Love – a long poem (youtube.com/watch?v=KB91VzAQBec)”

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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions (maitlandaudio.com) and Jake Chaffee (jecmusic.com)

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer (kellyrdwyer.com/photo)

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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