What makes new acquaintances or employees ‘click’ with each other? What does it mean to have ‘merged minds’ with a close partner or a coworker?
My research investigates the experience of exchanging knowing glances, finishing each other’s sentences, and thinking in synchrony. Specifically, my work has introduced the construct of Generalized Shared Reality (SR-G): the perception of sharing the same inner states (e.g., feelings, beliefs) with an interaction partner about the world.
My work has shown that generalized shared reality contributes to the experience of clicking and closeness between strangers and the experience of having “merged minds” between romantic partners. Generalized shared reality also shapes how people come to feel certain of their perceptions, achieve their goals, and experience greater meaning in life.
In organizational contexts, I have found that generalized shared reality can spark new professional relationships and contribute to important workplace outcomes like work meaningfulness and job performance. Building on this work, I am currently testing an intervention to increase shared reality between new acquaintances.
Please see the Measuring Shared Reality page for details about measuring shared reality through self-report or behavioral coding.