One good conversation with a stranger doesn't stick - and that's the problem
What they found
Talking with a stranger made people more hopeful about the next conversation - briefly. Within two weeks most of that optimism was gone; they again expected less than they got.
How they know
Three preregistered experiments, 780 adults: 10-minute video chats between strangers, two with a randomly assigned no-chat group. In the first, 68% preferred conversation to a break before chatting, 83% after, 69% two weeks later.
What it means for you
Low expectations before meeting someone new return even after a talk that beat them. Treat yours as a guess that runs low - go anyway.
The limits
Self-report, not behavior; scheduled video calls; one team; a university-and-community pool, mostly women. No-chat participants' preference fell too as the call neared (52% to 38%), so part of the dip may be nerves.
This is a short takeaway in our own words, not a reproduction of the study. For the method, the sample and the caveats, read the original. Mind lives inside the Booking Minds app under the brain icon, where you can save and share each piece.