The word “yapping” has existed for a long time, but recently, it has found new relevance on social media. The term took off on TikTok sometime in the middle of 2023 as a way to poke fun at someone for talking a lot.
In the past, it was used to demean women, but now the act of yapping is being celebrated.
A 2023 study has found that yapping, gabbing, or chatting up a storm with friends can actually have positive impacts on your well-being. It doesn’t really matter what you’re discussing.
Whether the topic of conversation is about the bleak state of the economy or what happened on the latest episode of your favorite reality TV show, the social interaction is good for us.
In the study, the effects of seven types of chats were compared —catching up, joking around, meaningful talk, listening, showing care, offering compliments, or valuing others’ opinions.
The results showed that the type of conversation didn’t make much difference in participants’ feelings of connection and well-being. It was specifically the act of engaging with a friend that counted.
“Chitchat is the social glue that holds communities together and helps us feel like we’re part of something larger than ourselves,” said Andrea Bonior, an author and a clinical psychologist.
Any kind of socialization is beneficial, as it works to prevent isolation and drive away feelings of loneliness. But casual conversation, in particular, can bring a sense of lightheartedness and provide some much-needed laughter in our daily lives to counteract all the negativity we see on the news.
In addition, reaching out to chitchat with a friend is a healthy distraction from overthinking, ruminating, and being anxious. The positive effects of conversation still hold whether you’re meeting up in person or chattering over the phone.
Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
So, if you don’t have much opportunity to talk to people throughout the day, make time for a quick call to a friend or family member when you’re in between tasks.
Another wonderful thing about yapping is that you can just talk about whatever happens to pop into your mind.
But if you’re not a natural yapper, it can be a struggle to come up with some discussion topics. Conversations can also get old when you resort to chatting about the same things with someone you’re familiar with.
To switch it up, try yapping about what you’ve been reading, watching, and listening to. You can also come up with ideas for new activities to do the next time you hang out, plan out your dream vacation, or reminisce about past memories.
The conversation should not feel forced. The goal is to connect with people without the pressure of needing to sound interesting or be super detailed. Keep it light and fun for a good-quality conversation!
The study was published in the journal Communication Research.
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