Alison Wood Brooks

Yes, even a professor of conversation is not immune from the perils of small talk. About once a week, I would say, I have a conversation where I think, wow, I really messed up small talk there. This conversation, we were taking our three children out trick-or-treating. It was an unseasonably warm night. It was beautiful.

Yes, even a professor of conversation is not immune from the perils of small talk. About once a week, I would say, I have a conversation where I think, wow, I really messed up small talk there. This conversation, we were taking our three children out trick-or-treating. It was an unseasonably warm night. It was beautiful.

We have a wonderful flat neighborhood where we walk around and the kids trick-or-treat and get candy. And we joined up with a number of other families to go together. And we knew most of the other families, but there were two families we had not met before.

We have a wonderful flat neighborhood where we walk around and the kids trick-or-treat and get candy. And we joined up with a number of other families to go together. And we knew most of the other families, but there were two families we had not met before.

We have a wonderful flat neighborhood where we walk around and the kids trick-or-treat and get candy. And we joined up with a number of other families to go together. And we knew most of the other families, but there were two families we had not met before.

So at some point, as we're walking around on this beautiful night, watching our adorable kids pick up enormous candy bars, I strike up a conversation with one of the neighbors, one of these family members that I didn't know before. Uh-huh. And it was a man from Ohio. I overheard him saying that he was from Ohio.

So at some point, as we're walking around on this beautiful night, watching our adorable kids pick up enormous candy bars, I strike up a conversation with one of the neighbors, one of these family members that I didn't know before. Uh-huh. And it was a man from Ohio. I overheard him saying that he was from Ohio.

So at some point, as we're walking around on this beautiful night, watching our adorable kids pick up enormous candy bars, I strike up a conversation with one of the neighbors, one of these family members that I didn't know before. Uh-huh. And it was a man from Ohio. I overheard him saying that he was from Ohio.

And so as the two of us became isolated, I quickly started asking questions about Ohio. Where are you from in Ohio? Did you go to Ohio State? Oh, I've been to German Village. It's such a All of my Ohio knowledge to kind of find a way into this conversation.

And so as the two of us became isolated, I quickly started asking questions about Ohio. Where are you from in Ohio? Did you go to Ohio State? Oh, I've been to German Village. It's such a All of my Ohio knowledge to kind of find a way into this conversation.

And so as the two of us became isolated, I quickly started asking questions about Ohio. Where are you from in Ohio? Did you go to Ohio State? Oh, I've been to German Village. It's such a All of my Ohio knowledge to kind of find a way into this conversation.

My husband's from Michigan, so I start talking about Big Ten football or, you know, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, and I'm really going for it. But really, no matter what I say about Ohio... It doesn't seem like we can find a way out of it. We're sort of stuck.

My husband's from Michigan, so I start talking about Big Ten football or, you know, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, and I'm really going for it. But really, no matter what I say about Ohio... It doesn't seem like we can find a way out of it. We're sort of stuck.

My husband's from Michigan, so I start talking about Big Ten football or, you know, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, and I'm really going for it. But really, no matter what I say about Ohio... It doesn't seem like we can find a way out of it. We're sort of stuck.

We're trapped in Ohio. He's not really giving me a lot in response to my questions. And I chalked it up to a sort of small talk failure. And I said, you know what? I think I'm going to try again with this guy later in the night.

We're trapped in Ohio. He's not really giving me a lot in response to my questions. And I chalked it up to a sort of small talk failure. And I said, you know what? I think I'm going to try again with this guy later in the night.

We're trapped in Ohio. He's not really giving me a lot in response to my questions. And I chalked it up to a sort of small talk failure. And I said, you know what? I think I'm going to try again with this guy later in the night.

Absolutely. My mom is an amazing sort of intuitive psychologist. And when I was young, probably starting in late middle school, but definitely high school, we would drive home from social engagements and she would often ask us, hey, did you talk to anybody who was a really good question asker? And I'm grateful to my mom for that. It made me sort of pique my interest in interpersonal dynamics.

Absolutely. My mom is an amazing sort of intuitive psychologist. And when I was young, probably starting in late middle school, but definitely high school, we would drive home from social engagements and she would often ask us, hey, did you talk to anybody who was a really good question asker? And I'm grateful to my mom for that. It made me sort of pique my interest in interpersonal dynamics.

Absolutely. My mom is an amazing sort of intuitive psychologist. And when I was young, probably starting in late middle school, but definitely high school, we would drive home from social engagements and she would often ask us, hey, did you talk to anybody who was a really good question asker? And I'm grateful to my mom for that. It made me sort of pique my interest in interpersonal dynamics.