Art by Mark Samsonovich
Small talk is often considered tedious and vacuous. Yet however commonplace asking a colleague about their weekend or commenting on the weather may be, the social interaction it props up can actually make your smarter.
According to a study by the Social Psychological and Personality Science (SAGE) simple social interaction can provide cognitive benefits. A conversation requires us to juggle the goal of carrying out the interaction, engage with where the conversation is at, and guide where it is heading while limiting distractions. Plainly, if the conversation is friendly with both parties contributing and listening, our brain gets a boost.
How to have creative conversations
Sick of small talk? Here’s how you can spark creativity and collaboration by having better conversations with friends, colleagues, and yourself.
9 Jan 2015
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