
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" Getting to Yes, And… | Kate Murphy – “Why We Click”
Feb 12, 2026
Kate Murphy, journalist and author of Why We Click, explores the science of interpersonal synchrony and how people physically and neurologically align. She connects improvisation to research on mirroring, discusses mother‑infant bonding and left‑side cradling, and explains why video calls drain us. Short, curious, and full of surprising social science.
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Improv Anticipated Synchrony Science
- Improvisation anticipated modern synchrony science by using mirroring, shared movement, and trust exercises to create connection.
- Those practices physically align participants' neural and physiological signals and foster rapid rapport.
Bodies Sync Beyond Behavior
- Humans subconsciously sync movements, heart rate, respiration, pupils, and hormones during interactions.
- This multisensory alignment explains rapid feelings of chemistry and forms the basis of trust and relationship viability.
Left-Side Holding Aids Infant Sync
- People cradle infants on the left to align with the mother's heart and aid newborn physiological pacing.
- Lateralized emotional decoding also influences head-turning before kissing and other intimate cues.







