Word of Mouth

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them

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Word of Mouth: Talking to Strangers

The Language of the Pandemic

Talking to Strangers

BBC Radio 4 - Word of Mouth, Talking to Strangers

Professor Tanya Byron sitting in for Michael Rosen  on talking to strangers.

Professor Tanya Byron explores how we can talk to strangers and why it's important.

Do you enjoy having a random chat to a stranger?  
Professor Tanya Byron sitting in for Michael Rosen explores the benefits and barriers to talking to strangers.
The "liking gap" the "parasite threat" and "lesser minds": some of the terms used to describe the obstacles some of us face when it comes to talking to people we don't know. Fear of being rejected and straight up fear of other people can prevent us from engaging a complete stranger in conversation. But it's something psychologist Gillian Sandstrom and author Joe Keohane argue is vital for our wellbeing and on a wider scale reduces conflict and misunderstanding in increasingly fractious times.  Joe and Gillian join Tanya Byron to talk about how to talk to strangers and how to overcome some of the fears and prejudices we may have about people we don't know.  As for 'stranger danger' -  is it time to kick that term to the kerb?

Produced by Maggie Ayre

Gillian Sandstrom is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pyschology at the University of Essex
Joe Keohane is a New York based journalist and author of the forthcoming book The Power of Strangers

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