Do you avoid small talk because it bores you. Nine experiments involving nearly two thousand people found small talk to be more enjoyable than expected, but more importantly, good for you, too. A University of Michigan thesis found people consistently underestimated how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics would be. The article in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology says what really drives the enjoyment is engagement—that is feeling heard, responding to each other and discovering unexpected details about someone’s life. That social connection plays a key role in mental and physical health. The author says strong relationships are linked to greater well-being and lower risk of loneliness. So small talk is no small thing.