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The Conversation USA

Making eye contact and small talk with strangers is more than just being polite − the social benefits of psychological generosity

  • Written by Linda R. Tropp, Professor of Social Psychology, UMass Amherst
imageEyes down, headphones on – what message are you sending?vm/E+ via Getty Images

How much do you engage with others when you’re out in public? Lots of people don’t actually engage with others much at all. Think of commuters on public transportation staring down at their phones with earbuds firmly in place.

As a professor of social...

Read more: Making eye contact and small talk with strangers is more than just being polite − the social...

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