Social lubricant
A social lubricant is any food, beverage, drug, or activity that stimulates social interactions or helps people feel more comfortable in social occasions.[1] Different cultures use different social lubricants for this purpose. Some common social lubricants are:
- Humor[2]
- Music[3]
- Alcoholic beverages (beer in pub culture, or wine in wine bars, for example)[4]
- Coffee (in coffee cultures, for example)[citation needed]
- Tea (at tea parties, for example)[citation needed]
- Tobacco (in cigarettes or a hookah, for example)[citation needed]
- Small talk (informal discourse or conversation, for example)[citation needed]
- Campfires and bonfires[citation needed]
Social lubricant is sometimes used as a euphemism for a bribe or other improper payment.[5]
Referring to alcohol or cannabis as social lubricants has been criticized because they have negative effects on empathy. Alcohol has the potential to increase aggression and cause disputes or violence.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Simmons, Nathaniel (2015). "Using Social Lubricants to Increase Conversationality". Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD. 2. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Reilly, Rosemary (2006). "Humor as a Social Lubricant in an Expert Thinking System" (PDF). The International Journey of Learning. 13. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ "The Impactful Beat: Understanding Why Music Sets the Event Tone". Inside Pulse. January 18, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ^ "Alcohol is a Social Lubricant, Study Confirms". Association for Psychological Science. August 21, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Moore, Fernanda (September 23, 2004). "The Priceless Payoff". New York Magazine. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Fairbairn, Catharine; Sayette, Michael (September 2014). "A Social-Attributional Analysis of Alcohol Response". Psychological Bulletin. 140 (5): 1361–1382. doi:10.1037/a0037563. PMC 4153408. PMID 25180806.