In one experiment, college students wrote a short note to a classmate they had drifted away from. Then, the students guessed how much the gesture would mean to the recipient. The researchers delivered the notes, then asked the recipients how much receiving the note meant to them.
The guesses came in low.
Four researchers, thirteen studies, one stubborn result…
What’s waiting inside is the machinery.
How each experiment was built.
What the numbers actually said.
The study where the researchers set out to break their own theory.
The thing they tried that flat-out failed.
All this, plus an honest accounting of what this research can and can’t tell us about showing up for someone who is hurting.
Fifteen minutes, and you’ll know the research well enough to argue with it… agree with it… or study more about it.
After our launch period, the Research… Explored section will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the PDFs themselves.)
→ The Research: The Surprise of Reaching Out (PDF)
→ The Research Explored: The Reach-Out Gap (PDF)
Let me know what you think of this study. Were you surprised by the results? Might it change your behavior?
We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.
Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all!
Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...
Jepper