They liked you more than you think

After talking with someone new, people tend to underestimate how much the other person liked them.

The study

The researchers found this gap among strangers getting acquainted in a lab, first-year college students getting to know their dorm mates, and members of the public meeting at a workshop. People consistently underestimated how much their conversation partners liked them and enjoyed their company. The gap showed up in conversations of different lengths and, for dorm mates, lasted for months.

Starting small

If you leave a conversation unsure how it went, it likely went better than it felt. That can make it a little easier to say yes to the next one.