Want to have a better chat? Scientists say the secret is ‘pink noise’
Summary
Researchers at Dartmouth College found that conversations with more “pink noise”—a pattern that balances staying on a topic with introducing new ideas—were linked to greater enjoyment and connection. The pattern also predicted which speed-dating pairs met for a second date, though the study does not show that pink noise causes those outcomes.Key Facts
- The researchers analyzed more than 1,000 conversations between strangers and asked participants about their experience afterward.
- Participants reported more enjoyment, a greater desire to keep talking, and a stronger sense of connection when conversations showed more pink noise.
- A similar analysis of friends discussing formative experiences found that more pink noise was linked to greater enjoyment.
- In speed-dating conversations, more pink noise predicted which pairs met for a second date.
- The study describes pink noise as a balance between conversational stability and flexibility, with people returning to a topic while also bringing in new ideas.
- The researchers used an AI program called MPNet to score each conversational turn on 768 criteria related to meaning, tone, and context.
- The team also found that the pink-noise pattern increased across the first 50 episodes of podcasts hosted by two people.
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