A positive interaction with a stranger is more than a mood boost. These interactions embed us within communities and remind us of our shared humanity.

I am Dr. Taylor West. I study social connections with strangers and acquaintances. I am particularly interested in how positive interactions with strangers may lead to benefits conducive to societal and organizational flourishing.

I am a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab, where I also completed my doctorate.