Feature Interview: Why we've underestimated value of small talk

A five-second chat with a stranger can sometimes do what a week of self-care can't. Tiny moments like a comment in the supermarket line, a quick exchange at a café are more than awkward filler says Dr. Gillian Sandstrom . They're real opportunities for connection that can boost wellbeing, build social confidence, ease anxiety, and even strengthen communities. Sandstrom is an Associate Professor of the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex, and she argues we've massively underestimated the value of everyday small talk. Her new book is Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How "Small Talk" Can Add Up to a Big Life. Challenge to you: spark a conversation with a stranger and let us know how it goes! 2101 or afternoons@rnz.co.nz

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Feature Interview: Why we've underestimated value of small talk is an episode from Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan by RNZ.

This episode is 00:25:58 long.

This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

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