The Research
People who are aware of OSS are more hopeful, report less division, and are more likely to respect, and feel respected by, people who have different beliefs.
Benenson Strategy Group Survey, Wichita, November 2023
Yale University
Yale University’s Social Perception and Communication Laboratory found that OSS participants felt more empathetic toward their interview partner after their conversation.
Yale University, Department of Psychology – One Small Step Report, May 2023
Contact Theory
One Small Step’s practices are based in the “contact hypothesis,” which states that interpersonal contact can lead to more positive attitudes, decreased stereotypes, and increased acceptance between individuals from different groups under certain conditions:
- Enduring and pleasant contact
- Two sides meeting as equals
- Working on a common goal
- Support from social and institutional authoritie
More in Common
More In Common discovered that OSS content convinces listeners that it is possible to have meaningful conversations with people who hold different beliefs, and can increase their willingness to engage directly with those with different points of view.
More In Common – Research Report on One Small Step, May 2023
The Sound of a Good Conversation
Check out Dartmouth researcher Katie O’Nell’s work using One Small Step conversations to investigate the math and the science behind Pink Noise, a frequency that indicates authentic connection.
Want to test the theory yourself?