Researchers cite ancient fears of exclusion
(NEWSER) - Just four seconds of silence in the middle of a conversation can be excruciating, research finds: That pause can leave us feeling left out and awkward, reports Time . “Conversational flow is associated with positive emotions, and a heightened sense of belonging, self-esteem, social validation and consensus,” researchers report in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology . “Disrupting the flow by a brief silence produces feelings of rejection and negative emotions.” More»