Only 2% of conversations end when we want them to – here's why that's cause for celebration

By Alessandra Fasulo, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth
Iris Nomikou, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth

Everyone’s familiar with the sensation of being trapped in a conversation for too long – be that over the garden fence or by the office water cooler. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve also experienced conversations that seem to end prematurely, leaving us dissatisfied and maybe even a little hurt.

Now, a Harvard study has found that this conversational disappointment may in fact be incredibly common. Involving 992 participants taking part in two-way discussions, the study found that less than 2%…

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