Science Of Small Talk

The science of social behavior, one interaction at a time

Sam Sommers, Ph.D., is a social psychologist at Tufts University. See full bio

December 5, 2008

Whither O.J.?

Today's the day that O.J. Simpson finds out his prison sentence for his recent convictions for kidnapping, armed robbery, and assault. There is many a question this saga might inspire in the curious behavioral scientist: How much of a role did Simpson's past play in his current treatment by a Nevada jury and sentencing judge? How are those Americans who celebrated Simpson's acquittal in 1995 reacting to his recent legal problems? Will the available technology in the prison library be sufficient to allow Simpson to continue his fledgling literary career? And so on. Read More

November 17, 2008

Aggressive Drivers Anonymous

Last week I was driving my daughters to a birthday party when I pulled over to let a fire engine through. Naturally, one driver decided to use the speeding truck as his personal blocking back, tailing close behind and passing those of us who had pulled to the side. He made just enough progress before getting to the stoplight that I found myself totally cut off once the truck passed, forced to sit there and wait through yet another cycle of the light. I could have just let the transgression go, of course, but I experienced an uncontrollable urge to honk my horn as we waited at the red light.

So I did. Twice. Long ones, too. Read More

November 5, 2008

Race and the Race, Epilogue

I've never wanted this to become a one-topic blog, and I promise that it won't. But even though I've already posted a few entries on race and the election in recent weeks, it seems difficult to let the events of the past 24 hours go by without commenting. So here goes, one last set of psychological questions generated by the presidential campaign... Read More

November 4, 2008

The Power of Us

Customers who insist on paying with a personal check at the grocery store. Waitresses who don't write down your order. People who sit right in front of you at the movies when there are other free seats in their row. Drivers who insist on backing into spaces in wide-open parking lots. Squirrels. All of the above would make my list of Top 10 pet peeves. But at the top, without question, would have to be people who charge into elevators, head down, without waiting to see if anyone is getting off. That's what made the following interaction such a dissonance-inducing moment for me. Read More

October 22, 2008

More on Prejudice and the Election

My colleague, Roy Baumeister, raises some interesting issues in his recent post regarding the contemporary study of racial prejudice. Specifically, he argues that researchers are missing the boat by probing this year's election for signs of racial prejudice, when instead they'd be rewarded more by exploring the more overt, less ambiguous forms of partisan prejudice practiced by both Democrats and Republicans. Perhaps. But consider the value in setting out for unchartered waters... Read More

October 21, 2008

In Search of the "Real America"

I'm not much of a seafood connoisseur. Accordingly, dining companions often offer suggestions for fish that they're sure I'll like: for example, I'm often told that fresh fish doesn't taste fishy. Words can be funny that way. And I've been pondering the non-fishiness of fish this past week as we hit the homestretch in the presidential election. Specifically, I've been thinking about how just as some fish apparently doesn't taste like fish, some Americans apparently aren't really American... Read More

October 14, 2008

Who's Going to Vote for "That One"?

If you thought we've been drowning in political opinion polls for a while now, just wait to see what the next three weeks brings as Election Day approaches. And the $64,000 question, as always, remains how accurate are these polls? This is a particularly perplexing query this year given the potentially biasing impact of the notorious Bradley Effect... Read More

October 7, 2008

I’ll Analyze My Own Debate Perceptions, Thank You

Tonight's second McCain/Obama debate just ended, and I've finally reached an important decision. No, I'm not one of the uncommitted voters in Ohio who gets to go on TV and become a Warholian celebrity because of my own lack of decisiveness. I mean, who knew that the inability to make up one's mind could get you so much national airtime? Really, how long does it take these people to choose what to wear each morning? No, my decision is a different one... Read More

October 1, 2008

Learning (Not) to Talk About Race

I was at the grocery store not that long ago and overheard a young boy, maybe 3-years-old, say to his mother, "look mom, that man's face is brown." To me, the color of the face of the boy's mother was far more noteworthy. If she were a crayola crayon, she would have been I Just Saw A Ghost Pale. She looked horrified. She actually couldn't even muster the speech to shush her son, but rather sped away like a bank robber fleeing the scene. Read More

September 22, 2008

''I don't think we're supposed to be talking about this...''

Q: “I haven’t seen the new guy at the office yet. Do you know what he looks like?”

A: “Oh, he’s about my height, broad-shouldered, mid-30’s, dresses really well, always smiling... also he’s... (voice lowered to a whisper) Black...”

There is a growing trend in America today, especially among White Americans, to embrace the idea of literal colorblindness when it comes to race relations... Read More

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