Summary: That awkward elevator chat or coffee-break banter might be the highlight of your day—you just don’t know it yet. A new study found that people consistently fall victim to a “boredom bias.”
After conducting nine experiments with 1,800 participants, researchers discovered that while we predict conversations about “dull” topics (like the stock market, math, or even onions) will be painful, the actual experience is significantly more enjoyable and interesting than anticipated.
Key Facts
- Underestimated Interest: Participants consistently rated their enjoyment of “boring” topics significantly higher after the conversation than before it.
- Universal Effect: The “boost” in enjoyment occurred regardless of whether the participants were talking to strangers or friends, or whether the talk happened in person or online.
- Social Health: Small moments of connection—even about mundane things—are critical for mental health, reducing the risk of loneliness and increasing overall well-being.
- Topic Diversity: The study tested everything from World Wars and the stock market to cats, vegan diets, and Pokémon. In every case, the social connection outweighed the “dullness” of the subject.
Source: APA
The small talk you try to avoid because you think it will be boring may actually be more enjoyable than you think, and good for you as well, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
“We tend to assume that if a topic sounds dull, the conversation will be dull too,” said Elizabeth Trinh, MA, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan and lead author of the research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. “But that’s not what people actually experience.”
In nine experiments involving 1,800 participants, researchers found that people consistently underestimated how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics would be.
Participants were asked to predict how much they would enjoy talking about specific topics they identified as boring. Topics were many and varied, including World Wars I and II, non-fiction books, the stock market, cats, and vegan diets. In some cases, participants were asked to suggest a topic they found boring (responses included such topics as math, onions and Pokemon). Participants then had real conversations with strangers or friends, in person or online. Afterward, they reported how much they enjoyed the conversations.
Across experiments, the pattern was clear: people expected the conversations to be fairly dull, but afterward they reported enjoying them much more than they had predicted. This pattern held even when both parties agreed the topic was boring.
“We were both surprised and excited by how robust the effect was,” said Trinh. “People consistently expected conversations about seemingly boring topics to be less interesting than they turned out to be.”
The reason may be that people focus too much on the topic itself, according to Trinh. Before a conversation begins, the topic is the easiest thing to judge. But once people start talking, the interaction becomes more important.
“What really drives enjoyment is engagement,” she said. “Feeling heard, responding to each other, and discovering unexpected details about someone’s life can make even a mundane topic meaningful.”
The findings matter because social connection plays a key role in mental and physical health. Strong relationships are linked to greater well-being and lower risk of loneliness. If people avoid conversations because they expect them to be boring, they may miss easy chances to connect.
“If we skip talking to a coworker at the coffee machine, a neighbor in the elevator, or a stranger at an event, we may be missing small moments of connection,” said Trinh. “Even a brief conversation about everyday life may be more rewarding than we expect.”
Key Questions Answered:
A: It’s about the person, not the taxes. The study shows that “feeling heard” and “responding to each other” creates a hit of dopamine that makes the topic irrelevant. You aren’t enjoying the tax law; you’re enjoying the social “dance” of the human you’re talking to.
A: Social connection is a “vitamin” for the brain. Avoiding these “dull” interactions because you think they’ll be a waste of time actually starves your brain of small hits of well-being that protect against depression and stress.
A: Yes—by focusing on the interaction rather than the subject. Ask a follow-up question or share a small, unexpected detail about your day. Once you transition from “reciting facts” to “engaging with a person,” the boredom bias disappears.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this social neuroscience research news
Author: James Sliwa
Source: APA
Contact: James Sliwa – APA
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Conversations About Boring Topics Are More Interesting Than We Think” by Elizabeth N. Trinh, Nicole Thio, and Nadav Klein. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI:10.1037/pspi0000521
