Jonah Berger — Contagious: Why Things Catch OnThere are reasons to believe that experiencing any sort of emotion might encourage people to share. Talking to others often makes emotional experiences better. If we get promoted, telling others helps us celebrate. If we get fired, telling others helps us vent.
Sharing emotions also helps us connect. Say I watch a really awe-inspiring video […]. If I share that video with a friend, he’s likely to feel similarly inspired. And the fact that we both feel the same way helps us deepen our social connection. It highlights our similarities and reminds us how much we have in common. Emotion sharing is thus a bit like social glue, maintaining and strengthening relationships.