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Conversations about boring topics are more interesting than we think.
Elizabeth N Trinh1, Nicole Thio2, Nadav Klein3
1Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.
People often underestimate how enjoyable conversations about boring topics can be. This miscalibration may cause them to avoid potentially rewarding social interactions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Conversations are vital for social connection and well-being.
- People often associate beneficial conversations with interesting topics.
- Everyday life includes frequent conversations on mundane or boring topics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the calibration between people's expectations and experiences of conversations about boring topics.
- To determine if this calibration differs for conversations about interesting topics.
- To understand the psychological factors influencing these expectations and experiences.
Main Methods:
- Conducted nine preregistered experiments with a total of 1,800 participants.
- Compared expectations versus actual experiences of conversations about both boring and interesting topics.
- Examined various conversational contexts, including virtual/in-person and with friends/strangers.
Main Results:
- Participants consistently underestimated the enjoyment and interest derived from conversations about boring topics.
- Expectations were more accurate for conversations centered on interesting topics.
- This pattern persisted across different settings and relationships.
Conclusions:
- A consistent miscalibration exists where people undervalue conversations about boring topics.
- This underestimation stems from overemphasizing static topic elements and underestimating dynamic engagement.
- Miscalibrated enjoyment expectations may lead individuals to avoid potentially positive social interactions.

