In a suspicious world, many of us are reluctant to interact with strangers. But talking to people we've never met before, even in passing interactions, can make us wiser and happier. Like many people ...

Depending on your natural level of extraversion, you may view chit-chat with strangers more like a mild form of torture than a mood booster (as an introvert, I hear you). But the research is clear: ...

As children, most of us were raised to not talk to strangers. The rule is meant to keep us safe, but carrying the idea into adulthood can cause us to miss out on enriching conversations. A new study ...

Hello! I’m Deborah Netburn, the faith and spirituality reporter for the L.A. Times filling in this week for your usual newsletter writer, Laura Newberry. Laura is one of my best friends at the paper — ...

This post was written in collaboration with Victoria E. Gillison, MSSP. When I lived in New York City and felt lonely, I’d look around and see tables of friends and wonder how they found their people.

A new study suggests that people who talk to strangers as well as family and friends are happier. It’s well known that there is a link between happiness and social connection, but researchers from ...

If you know me, you know I can talk with almost anyone, from the cashier at Hannaford to the local bank's president. I am endlessly curious about people, so I really enjoy talking with people and ...

Omegle was a popular site for online chatting and random video chats with strangers from all over the globe. Following 14 years of service, Omegle has terminated its services after being misused by ...

Think back to the last time you took public transportation. What were most people doing? If it’s anything like the planes, trains, buses and subways I ride (or used to ride pre-pandemic), people ...