Why We’re Lonely Together | Nick Epley

Why We’re Lonely Together | Nick Epley

From Behavioral Grooves Podcast by Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan

May 18, 2026 · 1h 36m · Episode 554

About this episode

Nick Epley discusses the psychology of loneliness and the importance of social interaction for happiness and belonging.

Why do we avoid talking to strangers when connection is exactly what we need most? This week, Nick Epley returns to explore the psychology of “under-sociality” and why we consistently underestimate how rewarding social interaction can be. Nick explains why even small moments of openness, from conversations with strangers to deeper honesty with the people around us, can dramatically improve happiness, trust, and belonging. Turns out, the biggest social risk often isn’t reaching out, it’s staying quiet. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Nick Epley [10:40] The Paradox of Being Social [19:12] Experiments and Findings [26:20] How Being Social Impacts Your Health [32:27] The Challenges of Being Social - Political Divides [46:00] Introverts, Extroverts, and What Maslow Got Wrong [54:30] Loneliness, Survival, and the Need to Belong [1:02:18] Grief, Adoption, and the Power of Connection [1:12:56] Desert Island Music [1:15:42] Grooving Session: Leadership, Conversation, and Connection ©2026 Behavioral Grooves Links About Nick A Little More Social by Nick Epley Join us on Substack! Join the Behavioral Grooves community Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube Support Behavioral…

People in this episode

Hosts: Kurt Nelson, Tim Houlihan

Guest: Nick Epley

Topics covered

  • loneliness
  • social interaction
  • psychology
  • happiness
  • connection
  • under-sociality

Keywords

  • loneliness
  • social connection
  • happiness
  • trust
  • belonging
  • under-sociality
  • introverts
  • extroverts

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