Study findings show that simply talking with one friend each day – even briefly to joke around or catch up – or let them know you’re thinking about them can bring immense satisfaction and lower stress levels by the end of each day.
Researchers investigated forms of communication which had been shown in prior research studies to foster bonding through conversing.
There were seven forms of communication:
Engaging in playful banter, offering genuine compliments, listening attentively and appreciating others’ viewpoints are all necessary components for meaningful dialogue.
Over 900 individuals were instructed to participate in one of seven communication types for one day and report back at the end of their experience regarding feelings of loneliness, well-being, anxiety, connection, stress and quality of day.
No matter what form these conversations took, just the fact of intentionally connecting with someone was most essential.
The study was also designed to analyze both the quantity and quality of daily communications.
Studies have uncovered evidence proving that both interaction frequency and quality play an integral part in individual happiness and loneliness reduction. One interaction a day could make an impactful difference, while those engaging in more quality conversations had happier days overall.
Meaning, spending more time listening and appreciating other’s opinions could lead to greater happiness at the end of each day.
The study shows that it’s not only those living fulfilling lives who benefit from higher-quality conversations. Any individual can improve their mental well-being by setting aside time for high-quality dialogues – just one dialogue can change how we feel each day!
Researchers also reviewed past studies pertaining to different ways we connect via mobile phones and social media, and discovered that face-to-face communication was more strongly linked with well-being compared with social or electronic media communication.
Researchers also explain how quality communication increases happiness. Their Communicate Bond Belong theory states that individuals use conversations to fulfill their desire for belongingness through conversations.
Quality conversation was found to be most influential for both stress relief and connection. This evidence supports the idea that communication serves as a form of therapy to meet our basic need for belonging, helping reduce our levels of stress while doing so.
