In this book, The Power of Strangers, Joe Keohane explores the benefits of talking with strangers. He examines how even fleeting interactions can improve empathy, happiness, and cognitive development, ease loneliness and deepen our sense of belonging. AustraliaAustriaBrazilCanadaChinaCzech RepublicEgyptFranceGermanyGlobalIndiaItalyJapanMexicoNetherlandsPolandSaudia ArabiaSingaporeSpainTurkeyUAEUnited KingdomUnited States As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission when you … Continue reading The Power of Strangers: the Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World Joe Keohane (2021)
Abstract Recent findings indicate interventions can boost executive functions — mental processes that have long been thought to be static and not open to change. The authors examined whether and how short-term social interactions could create such cognitive benefits. Study 1 found that basic get-to-know-you interactions (with or without an explicit cooperative goal) boosted executive … Continue reading Friends (and Sometimes Enemies) with Cognitive Benefits: What Types of Social Interactions Boost Executive Functioning? Oscar Ybarra, Piotr Winkielman, Irene Yeh, Eugene Burnstein, Liam Kavanagh (2011)
Talk with strangers: As a child, we are taught not to talk with strangers, and as a 4-year-old with little experience of the world, this is sound advice. As an adult, however, talking with strangers can be rewarding. But why and how should you do it? Continue reading Talk with Strangers Why and how should you talk with strangers?
Make Big talk: We are all familiar with small talk. But what’s big talk? No, not boasting, bragging, or talking big, but big talk — deep, genuine, meaningful conversations. Continue reading Make Big Talk Make big talk not small talk
The London coffeehouses of the 17th and 18th centuries were the engines of creation that helped drive the Enlightenment, the European intellectual movement that emphasized reason and individualism rather than tradition. Their history is a fascinating one. Continue reading The London Coffeehouses of the Enlightenment Centers of Enlightenment thinking
Why Face-to-face Interaction Matters ** Verbal Judo ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Research shows that engaging in short friendly conversations boosts people’s performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. A study in 2011 by researchers … Continue reading Friends with Cognitive Benefits Engaging in short friendly conversations improves people’s thinking
Connection Before Content Understanding Debates Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Conversare events are social gatherings in public places where people engage in one-to-one conversations with strangers. Conversare events are the brainchild of Alan Stewart, who runs them … Continue reading Conversare Events Social gatherings which people engage in one-to-one conversation with a stranger
Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club The Dewaniya ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close The word Stammtisch is German. A Stammtisch is both a group of people, who meet regularly in a bar or restaurant, as well as … Continue reading Stammtisch Tables Tables in pubs or restaurants reserved for regulars
Randomised Coffee Trials at Red Cross Red Crescent Hong Kong MTR Coffee Evenings and Liaison Trains Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Some years ago, I attended one of Theodore Zeldin’s Conversation Dinners in Oxford. It was … Continue reading Intimate Conversations Conversations with strangers
Reverse Brainstorming Café Unhurried Conversations ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close The Conversation Dinner, inspired by Theodore Zeldin, connects strangers for meaningful conversation. With a unique menu of thought-provoking questions, it encourages open exchanges that move … Continue reading Theodore Zeldin’s Conversation Dinners Dinner and a stimulating conversation with a stranger
