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Mind

We 'click' better with others when conversations flow more quickly

The more quickly people respond to each other during a conversation, the more likely they are to feel in sync

By Richard Sima

28 January 2022

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Speedy responses in a conversation make people feel connected

Justin Lambert/Getty Images

The connection we feel to others when we have a good conversation isn’t based solely on the content of the chat. Research shows that the faster people respond to one another during a conversation, the more likely they are to feel in sync.

Conversations involve turn-taking, with back-and-forth replies happening within a mere quarter of a second on average.

This response speed is key for feeling social connection, according to experiments by Emma Templeton at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and her colleagues. The faster the…

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