Do you have someone in your friend-group you haven’t talked to in a hot minute?
Maybe now is the time to reach out and make their day.
A study from the University of Pittsburgh put together a study that had people either thinking about the last time we reached out, or were the ones that someone reached out to. The results showed that the person on the receiving end of the message was very happy to get the contact, be it an actual call, a text or an email.
“People are fundamentally social beings and enjoy connecting with others,” said lead author Peggy Liu, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh. “There is much research showing that maintaining social connections is good for our mental and physical health. However, despite the importance and enjoyment of social connection, our research suggests that people significantly underestimate how much others will appreciate being reached out to.”
The researchers also tested out sending gifts out of the blue and got similar responses. The surprise element was a huge factor, as well as the length of time between contact.
