APS

2026 APS Annual Convention · 2026

Reaching out to Friends: Why a Simple Hello Can Lift Your Mood

Barcelona, Spain · May 2026

Posters · Connection & Belonging: Relationships in Social Life

  • Kristina Castaneto
    Simon Fraser University
  • Lara Aknin
    Simon Fraser University

Abstract

Does reaching out to people we care for promote happiness? Findings from two well-powered, preregistered experiments suggest that spending 2-minutes writing a message to a current or old friend can lead to greater happiness and positive emotions than a control writing task.

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