The Surprising Joy of Dull Conversations: Why You Might Enjoy Them More Than You Think

Conversations about mundane topics are often dreaded, but research suggests that people enjoy them more than they anticipate. A study involving 1,800 volunteers found that participants enjoyed chatting about dull subjects, such as the stock market or vegan diets, more than they expected.

The findings indicate that by avoiding potentially dull exchanges, individuals may miss out on the mood boost and health benefits that come with connecting with others. Elizabeth Trinh, a PhD candidate in management and organisations at the University of Michigan, noted that people tend to underestimate how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics can be.

Trinh and her colleagues conducted a series of experiments to gauge how people responded to conversations on dull topics. Participants were asked to predict how much they would enjoy discussing topics they considered boring, and then engage in brief conversations about those topics.

The results, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, showed that people consistently found the conversations more enjoyable than they expected. The surprise enjoyment arises because individuals base their expectations on static components, such as the topic and the other person, rather than dynamic components, like the conversation itself.

Trinh suggests that people may benefit from lowering the bar for what makes a conversation worth having and reframing conversational goals. Instead of focusing on enjoyment, individuals could think about what they might learn from the conversation.

Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioural science at the University of Chicago, added that the fear of a boring conversation shouldn’t prevent people from starting one. “If a conversation is boring once you’re in it, you also have a surprising amount of power to make it better!”