Idle Chat: Brits spend a whole week of every year engaged in small talk
Idle Chat: Brits spend a whole week of every year engaged in small talk
Three in ten Brits (28 per cent) have admitted that they dislike making small talk, shattering the illusion that as a nation we love to make conversation.
However, despite many of us hating it, we are still being forced to make small talk up to 218 times per year, spending an average of 50 minutes locked in unwanted chit-chat per week, the equivalent of one whole week per year.
The research by Privilege Insurance found that waiting for public transport is the most dreaded location to make small talk (21 per cent).
Other areas of avoidance when it comes to idle chatter include at the hairdressers or barbers (20 per cent), sitting in the doctor’s waiting room (18 per cent), and seeing others at the supermarket (16 per cent).
Toilet talk is also unpopular, particularly with men, with nearly a quarter (24 per cent) reluctant to strike up a conversation whilst at a public urinal.
The most hated topics of conversation include gossiping about people (37 per cent), politics (27 per cent), sports results (26 per cent) and TV shows (17 per cent).
Going against the classic British stereotype of the obvious conversation starter, a quarter (25 per cent) of us dislike talking about the weather.
Many have also become well versed in diversion tactics, with over a quarter of us (28 per cent) pretending we’re in a rush to avoid making conversation, whilst over a quarter (27 per cent) will simply pretend they haven’t seen someone to evade an awkward encounter.
However, some of us are willing to take more extreme measures with 3.1 million admitting that they would go as far as hiding behind a pillar or post to avoid detection from others.
Other small talk diversions include crossing the road (18 per cent), taking another route (16 per cent), scanning their social media or just playing around on their phone (13 per cent).
In fact, so strong is our distaste for idle chit-chat that one in seven (13 per cent) of us would rather miss a meal than engage in small talk, and 20 per cent of millennials would rather run a whole mile than be forced to make conversation.
Going against the typical stereotype of southern abruptness, almost a third (31 per cent) of Londoners are indeed happy to engage in small talk, whilst the least likely city is in fact in the north of the country, in Liverpool, with 37 per cent admitting they would prefer to refrain from making small talk.
Christian Mendes, Head of Privilege Home Insurance, said: “As a British brand we wanted to find out if Brits do live up to the stereotype of enjoying small talk. The results show that we’re not as willing to strike up a conversation as first thought, which could be a sign of how busy our lives have become.
“Although it may seem insignificant, chit-chat is often a gateway to much deeper conversation and we think it’s important that our customers try to remember that sometimes good friendships can come as a result of light conversation.”
Most hated small-talk topics
1. Gossiping about people
2. Politics
3. Sports results
4. The weather
5. People asking about your health
6. TV shows
7. Traffic
8. Work
9. Holidays plans
10. Weekend plans
Situations where small-talk is a ‘no-go’
1. Public transport
2. Hairdressers/Barbers
3. Public toilet
4. Doctor or dentist waiting room
5. The supermarket
6. Family gatherings
7. At work
8. On a flight
9. Taxi
10. Beauticians
Most anti-social cities
1. Liverpool
2. Southampton
3. Newcastle
4. Edinburgh
5. Brighton
6. Sheffield
7. Plymouth
8. Leeds
9. Glasgow
10. Belfast
Ploys for avoiding small talk
1. Pretend to be in a rush so you can’t stop
2. Pretend not to see someone
3. Cross the road/take a different route
4. Walk the other way
5. Scan social media or playing on phone
6. Putting earphones in
7. Go to the bathroom
8. Pretend to take a phone call or phone someone purposefully
9. Run away before you are spotted by someone you recognise
10. Read a book
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Georgie Bruer at Richmond & Towers:
[email protected] / 020 3179 0720
Notes to editors:
Research carried out amongst a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults by Opinium Research between 8th October and 9th October 2019.
Privilege
Privilege Insurance specialises in home insurance for homeowners and landlords. It also offers car insurance and breakdown cover by phone or on-line.
Privilege general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Privilege and UK Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.
Customers can find out more about Privilege’s products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 0515 or visiting www.privilege.co.uk