The researchers studied seven types of communication, which are holding hands, having meaningful conversations, joking, caring, listening, valuing others and their opinions, and giving sincere compliments.
When compared to control groups, participants who engaged in the expected behavior experienced an increase in well-being.
After a long hard day, all you need is company with your friends to make you feel better. Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that chatting with a friend once a day can increase your happiness and reduce stress levels. Whether it’s to catch up, have a good time, or just let them know you’re thinking about them, that’s all you need.
Professor Jeffrey Hall, a communication studies and friendship expert, co-authored this new study with Amanda Holmstrom, Natalie Pennington, Evan Perrault and Daniel Totzke. “Quality Conversations Can Increase Daily Well-Being” was published in the journal Communication Research.
The study took as its basis the theory of the communication bond. According to Oxford Academics, CBB theory proposes that social interaction operates within a homeostatic system. This system evolved from our inner need to satisfy our need to belong. It is also shaped by competing desires to invest and conserve social energy, and to adapt to new social conditions and technological costs.
The study identified seven candidate communication episodes and behaviors. There were a total of three studies with varying numbers of participants. The first study had 347 participants, the second study had 310 participants, and the third study had 250 participants. These were randomly assigned to engage in one of these communication episodes or behaviors. He then completed the end-of-day measures of well-being.
The researchers studied seven types of communication, which are catching up, talking meaningfully, joking, caring, listening, valuing others and their opinions, and giving a sincere compliment.
When compared to control groups, participants who engaged in the expected behavior experienced an increase in well-being. The results suggested that even if people had just one communication behavior with a friend every day, they could see improvements in their daily health.
Jeffrey Hall also drew from his previous research on the different ways of connecting in the age of social and mobile media. The study found that high-quality, face-to-face communication was better for our overall well-being than electronic or social media contact.
The study also explains why quality communication makes people feel better. This is because according to CBB theory people use interactions with friends to help them satisfy their needs. According to Jeffery, this drives home the point that quality conversation is important to improving our days.
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