The best conversations may follow a hidden mathematical rhythm called pink noise, according to new psychology research
Enjoyable conversations tend not to stay in perfect agreement. A study of thousands of chats found that those with a stronger “pink noise” pattern of drifting apart and coming back together were rated as more enjoyable.
New research published in Science Advances suggests that enjoyable conversations may exhibit a mathematical pattern known as "pink noise." This pattern involves speakers moving in and out of alignment on topics, bringing fresh ideas in while reconnecting, leading to greater enjoyment and deeper connections.
The study, conducted by Dartmouth College, analyzed 1,656 online English video chats between strangers. Conversations scoring above the random baseline of 0.5 on a scale of 0.5 to 1.0, representing white and pink noise respectively, averaged 0.62. Pink noise, a middle ground between random changes and rigid repetition, was found to foster more engaging conversations than the traditional model of alignment and synchronization.
Written by urgent.news from PsyPost's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
