Âé¶ą´«Ă˝

Mind

How to reconnect with long-lost friends, according to science

We are generally as reluctant to contact a long-lost friend as we are to talk to a stranger, but scientists have come up with an approach so it's easier to make the first move

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

9 May 2024

Contacting someone you haven’t spoken to in a while can be daunting

ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images

We often fear that long-lost friends wouldn’t want to hear from us or that reaching out would be awkward. Now, scientists have come up with an approach to ease our anxieties around making contact.

“People aren’t averse to the idea of reconnection, they’re just worried about the risk of doing it,” says at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada. “They don’t want to be the…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶ą´«Ă˝ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop