From witty banter to deep philosophical conversations, few forms of communication are as dreaded as small talk. It’s the long-standing cultural norm of asking: How’s the weather? Got any fun plans this weekend? Or at its most basic -- a straightforward how are you?
Small talk or chit-chat, known to psychologists as short, superficial, or trivial communication not core to task completion, fills a third of daily speech. We do it every day, yet many people go out of their way to avoid it.
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Jessica R. Methot, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Emily H. Rosado-Solomon, California State University Long Beach
Patrick Downes, Texas Christian University
Allison S. Gabriel, University of Arizona