Episode

When in Doubt, Reach Out: The Science of Social Connection

Podcast
The Next Big Idea Daily
Published
Jun 25, 2026
Duration seconds
1710
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://traffic.megaphone.fm/YAP4034637925.mp3
Audio
https://traffic.megaphone.fm/YAP4034637925.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/the-next-big-idea-daily-5988609/episodes/when-in-doubt-reach-out-the-science-of-social-connection
Markdown
/podcast/the-next-big-idea-daily-5988609/when-in-doubt-reach-out-the-science-of-social-connection.md

Actions

  • POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-next-big-idea-daily-5988609/episodes/when-in-doubt-reach-out-the-science-of-social-connection/transcription-requests
    Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
  • GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-big-idea-daily-5988609/when-in-doubt-reach-out-the-science-of-social-connection.md
    Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

Summary

Most of us know we should reach out more — call the friend, chat with the stranger, strike up the conversation. And yet we hold back. Why? Behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley has spent decades studying this gap between what we know and what we do, and his findings are both surprising and encouraging: connecting with others almost always goes better than we expect — and the payoff for our happiness and health is enormous. His book is A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection. And in the second half of the show, physical therapist Dr. Milica McDowell and chiropractor Dr. Courtney Conley join us with big ideas from Walk: Rediscover the Most Natural Way to Boost Your Health and Longevity―One Step at a Time. 🎁 Save 20% on a Next Big Idea Club membership when you use code PODCAST at nextbigideaclub.com ✉️ Get big ideas in your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe at bookoftheday.nextbigideaclub.com Sponsored By: Homeserve — Go to homeserve.com/nbid to find the plan that's right for you FODZYME — Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain. Go to icaneatagain.com/daily