Small talk acts like social glue – here’s how to get better at it

Small talk functions as 'phatic communion', a term coined by anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski for talk that creates social connection.

It is not meaningless but a tool to open, maintain, and signal relationships, with predictability as a feature.

After the COVID-19 pandemic and increased screen time, some worry people, especially young people, lack small talk skills.

Small talk adapts: mobile calls skip identity rituals, and AIs now perform small talk, often better than humans.

Neurodiverse individuals may appreciate the rule-based nature of small talk, while others find it obstructive.