Members in the Media
From: msn

Even Strangers Can Make You Feel Left Out

msn:

The need for a connection to other people is so powerful that being ignored by a stranger can make someone feel left out, according to a new study.

People need to feel they are part of a group or connected to others in order to be happy, the researchers explained. This sense of belonging can come from joining a club, a friendly neighbor or — as this study reveals — even eye contact from a stranger.

In conducting the study, researchers randomly chose people walking on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Ind. A research assistant either looked them in the eye, looked them in the eye and smiled or looked in their general direction but not directly at them. Once they passed the research assistant, the study subjects were asked how connected they felt to others.

Read the whole story: msn

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