The Friendship Effect

There has been a lot of writing on the value of good friends (watch this space for more of it), but some of my best insights have been uncovered in the awe-inspiring We Feel Fine. This online compendium of human emotions started in 2005, and ever since has been recording every feeling expressed online. It can tell us a lot about happiness, friendship and those around us. The image above is a selection of words which appear most commonly with "friend". Clearly friendship lies at the very heart of our well-being.

The value of deep connections

This week the New York Times asked if we would all be happier if we spent more time engaged in meaningful conversations with friends, rather than indulging in small talk.

Dr. Mehl, who conducted the study, said that those subjects who spent more time in deep conversation were happier than those who just skimmed the surface. "We know that interpersonal connection and integration is a core fundamental foundation of human happiness," he said.

Though it was only a small study, and there is further work being done on the hypothesis, it does seem intuitively true. Humans are social animals and feel the need to connect with other people. We have all experienced those moments where you feel truly connected with another person. And though we might accept it as read, it is gratifying to remind ourselves of the importance of real relationships, when so much of our inter-personal contact is now filtered through online networks, where they ultimately become superficial and less emotionally rewarding.


Image source: Flickr