Episode 16

Being social scares us. It also makes us happier.

Published on: 29th May, 2026

What if being more social could change your life?

University of Chicago behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley talks with Kara about the surprising bump in happiness we get from being a little more social.

Being less lonely also has huge health benefits that often go unrecognized. But, as Epley points out, people routinely overestimate how unpleasant it will be to reach out to others. And they almost always underestimate how enjoyable the discussions will be.

Why do we put up these barriers to our own happiness? And how can introverts and extroverts effectively change their behavior?

Epley is the author, most recently, of A Little More Social (Knopf).

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About the Podcast

It Turns Out
"It Turns Out" reveals the hidden realities reshaping our world—from how marriage impacts inequality to the way that the tax code has transformed wealth.

Through conversations with experts who challenge conventional wisdom, award-winning journalist Kara Miller focuses each episode on groundbreaking research, changing how listeners see society, economics, technology, and human behavior. “It Turns Out” delves into data that directly impacts your life—whether you know it or not.

You can reach us at info@itturnsoutshow.com

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This work was done under Grant No. G-2025-79141.

About your host

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Kara Miller

Kara hosted the nationally-syndicated public radio program Innovation Hub, which she launched. The program won the 2021 Clarion Award for best Radio Talk or Interview Program and aired on more than 100 stations, including in New York, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It spotlighted compelling thinkers, including Steve Wozniak, Sherry Turkle, Yo-Yo Ma, Walter Isaacson, and Sal Khan.

She writes “The Big Idea” column for The Boston Globe and is a frequent contributor to The Boston Globe Magazine.

Kara has moderated panels and spoken about innovation and entrepreneurship at events hosted by The International Women’s Forum, PBS Digital Media for STEM, Harvard Medical School, Google, and MIT Sloan.

She has taught at Babson College and at the University of Massachusetts.