At times of closed public life in Germany and elsewhere, talking has become an almost strange activity. But, regardless of whether we meet someone on the street or at a party, we simply talk about the weather, or if we talk to close friends, the conversations never seem to end to the satisfaction of the participants.
In fact, it is often difficult to initiate and develop a conversation, as well as to finish it properly, according to a study by behavior researchers at Harvard University.
In two parallel studies, the scientists focused on 932 conversations. In the first study, two people who did not know each other spoke, and in the second, two acquaintances spoke. You can end conversations whenever you want. Just when and how did the investigation end.
Finally, one of the volunteers was asked what she thought when the conversation ended. When would you like to finish it? When did it really end? When did the other person want to end it?
Did he say everything?
The result was as clear as it was surprising. It does not matter if it is a known or unknown person; The conversations almost never ended at the point the participants wanted, according to the study published in the specialist journal PNAS. Whether it was a normal conversation with a stranger, or an in-depth conversation with a trusted person, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they would like to finish before speaking to the other person.
In conversations a social bond is expressed. Communication is one of the most human activities. However, during this study, the interlocutors had little idea of when the other person wanted to end the dialogue, or how much their desire was different from that of their counterparts. Even with a trusted person, we assume they know.
Almost half of the participants wanted the conversation to be 25% longer or shorter than it was.
According to the investigation, the conversations ended at a time when, in only 1.59% of cases, both individuals wanted. And 46.8% of the conversations proceeded even though one of the interlocutors had long since wanted to end. And only in 9.52% of cases did the conversation end even though they both wanted to talk more.
We hide our feelings out of kindness
The reason for this very different appreciation of dialogue situations, according to the researchers, is due to “a classic coordination problem that humans do not know how to solve, because we need information that, in general, we hide from each other. As a result, most conversations seem to end when no one wants to happen.” That. “
We make a habit of hiding our true feelings of kindness while talking. They explain that the other person should not notice that we are uncomfortable or that we feel bored. This way we maintain the relationship with others.
What is crucial in this is not our own feelings, but in a conversation we try to anticipate the potential desires of our peers. This makes it difficult for both of them to find the right moment to end the dialogue.
In order to end the dialogue without harming the relationship, we often use fabricated reasons, such as: “I have to go, I’m sorry, I have a date.” The phrase is not always correct, but that makes it easy to say goodbye.
(cp / ers)
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Keep the distance, please!
These are the rules against Coronavirus as we know them: stay 1.5 to 2 meters from others, respect good hygiene and wear a mask. But this does not take into account the complex reality of how aerosols spread, according to researchers from Oxford, London and Cambridge (USA) who published the results of a study in the British Medical Journal.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Much? Or more?
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to hold a demonstration. But what exactly does his gesture mean? Should your fingertips be 1.5 meters away from the other person’s toes? That would be a reasonable explanation of the rule. But now the two arms only measure about 1.5 meters, so this can easily result in larger distances.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Is a distance of a sheep or a sheep sufficient?
The Icelandic Sheep Breeders Association has established its own rules: two lengths of sheep are suitable to avoid infection. It is correct to ask whether masks should also be woven with real sheep’s wool. Perhaps this young Senegalese shepherd is trying to find out how tall a sheep is by pulling its back leg. Icelanders already know the answer: 1 meter.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Natural breaks
Of course, this can also work. The standard length of a dog’s leash fully complies with current Coronavirus rules. Could it be a coincidence that a 2-meter handlebar is usually prescribed for places where handlebars are mandatory?
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Where does the 2 meter base come from?
The team of Lydia Boroweba, an expert in fluid dynamics and disease transmission at MIT, says this rule is outdated. The distance recommended by the German physician C. Vlog in 1897 was 2 meters. The droplets that it took from that distance were still contagious. A study from 1948 showed that 90% of streptococcus coughed up in droplets did not fly beyond 1.7 meters.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Two meters is not enough
A 1948 study published in the American Medical Journal showed that 10% of streptococci flew much farther – up to 2.9 meters. If so, the people on this meadow on the Rhine in Düsseldorf would probably be safe, if you left every second circle free. But wait a minute: It’s not about streptococci – which are bacteria – but about viruses.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Influenza and coronaviruses spread through aerosols
Viruses are much smaller than bacteria, so they can float for hours. This is why researchers recommend that distance between people is not the only safety criterion, but other factors are also taken into account: good room ventilation, people wearing a mask and staying silent, and if they talk, sing, or shout, it does. nicely.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
Don’t sing or cough
Several recent studies have also shown that coughing can push true virus loads up to 8 meters through the air. Talking or singing out loud also causes lots of sprays and drops to spread throughout the room. However, if people only speak quietly, such as in a library, and are seated outside, safety distances may become shorter again.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
How long can I stay in the room?
The time you spend in a contaminated room and the number of people in it are critical factors in assessing the risk of infection. These factors were taken into account in the traffic light model: In rooms with high occupancy, you generally only have to stay for a short time, make sure they are well ventilated, wear a mask and speak quietly.
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Epidemiological measures: how much physical distance is sufficient?
On deck there is no need for a mask
Here, however, the traffic light for the US UK investigation team will be green. Outside, people can be safe for long periods of time even without protection, as long as there are few people around, everything is well ventilated, and no one talks too much. But still, would the distance between the chairs here be sufficient?
Author: Fabian Schmidt
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