Most subjects predicted they would find conversing with a stranger less pleasant than solitary activity, but most of them were wrong. For one experiment, subjects were asked to either interact with a stranger on the subway or to keep to themselves.

Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago, and doctoral student Juliana Schroeder tested the hypothesis in Chicago.

Collectively, this work suggests that we should consider at least an occasional chat with a random stranger, and that technology, rather than hindering such connections, may be able to facilitate them. And ignoring the passengers around us is a proud and longstanding tradition for American city-dwellers.īut social scientists have begun to investigate whether this is a wasted opportunity -whether we would enjoy interacting with our fellow commuters more than we think - and at least one researcher is devising a technology to help us do so.

Sharing personal space with strangers is an unavoidable part of commuting by public transit.

8 Train roulette