30 minutes with a stranger
6 days ago
- #human-connection
- #social-research
- #trust
- Volunteers Kate and Dawn participated in a 30-minute video call as part of the CANDOR corpus research project.
- The project aimed to study conversations across different demographics like age, race, education, and political ideology.
- Participants initially felt average or worse about talking to strangers but reported feeling better as conversations progressed.
- Research highlights 'bonding' social capital (similar people) vs. 'bridging' social capital (diverse connections).
- A 2014 study found people underestimate the positive experience of talking to strangers.
- Conversations often touched on intimate topics, showing strangers can share meaningful exchanges.
- Most interactions were positive, even between people with differing backgrounds or views.
- Social trust is declining due to income dissatisfaction, job instability, and political distrust.
- A personal anecdote illustrates how strangers can come together to help in emergencies.
- The author advocates for rebuilding trust and connection to create a safer, more collaborative world.