Bobby McFerrin may have been wrong when he sang, "Don't worry, be happy." A new study shows that people who tackle heavy topics in daily conversation actually report higher levels of happiness than those who keep it light.
University of Arizona researcher Mathias R. Mehl had 79 undergraduates wear an Electronically Activated Recorder, or EAR, for three days. The EAR recorded 30 seconds of sound every 12.5 minutes. Researchers coded snippets of conversations picked up by the recorders according to whether the participant was alone or with others and whether the conversation was small talk, substantive, or other. Overall, about 18 percent of conversations qualified as small talk while 35.5 percent were substantive.
Twice in a three week interval participants also completed an inventory on how satisfied they were with their lives and were asked to assess the statement "I see myself as someone who is happy, satisfied with life."
One result from the study showed what previous studies have also shown: People who spent more time with others were happier. However the study also revealed that those who spent less time engaging in small talk and more time talking about substantial issues also experienced higher levels of well-being. Compared to the least happiest participants, the happiest in the study spent 25 percent less time alone and 70 percent more time talking, engaging in twice as much substantive talking and about one third the amount of small talk.
Whether there is a cause and effect relationship between talking about heavy topics and being happy remains to be seen. People who talk about more substantial things may, for example, be happier due to already existing intimacies in their lives. Next up, Dr. Mehl plans to investigate whether prescribing these sorts of conversations leads to an increase in well-being.
In the meantime you may want to dig a little deeper before your next conversation turns to the weather forecast.
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