A new study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, found that communication that included voice, like a phone call or video chat, created stronger social bonds than communication through typing, like text messaging or email.

In the study, researchers used various experiments to measure connectedness. In one, they asked 200 people to make predictions about what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone and then asked people at random (随机地) to do one or the other. Although people expected that a phone call would be more awkward, hearing someone’s voice actually made the experience better.

“People reported they did form a significantly stronger bond with their old friend on the phone than by email, and they did not feel more awkward,” study co-author Amit Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing at the McCombs School of Business, said in a statement.

In another experiment, the researchers had strangers connect by either texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio. They found that both forms of voice communication-whether video or audio only-made the strangers feel significantly more connected than when they communicated by texting.

Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard trained clinical psychologist based in New York City, says people tend to text or email instead of calling because of convenience, as they see it as a controlled form of communication where they can “exchange information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person.”

Romanoff says that in reality, texting can make it hard to determine the true meaning behind a conversation. “A phone call is actually more convenient when considering the exact effects of the message，” she explains. “Each party is more present, and therefore, able to measure the meaning behind the content without reflecting on the endless possible meanings behind words.”

Sometimes picking the right music or lighting for a dinner date can be daunting, but research suggests you should be focusing on the color of your napkins too.

A new report examining the relationship between colored napkins and the flavor of food found that color is a powerful contributor. The report reveals which colors pair best with which dishes to help give your dinners an extra bit of flavor. Napkin brand Tork partnered with Swedish food stylist and chef,Linda Lundgren,who paired dishes with a range of colored napkins.

She told trade magazine The Caterer : “How do you make a strawberry mousse sweeter and richer-tasting? The answer isn't more strawberries and sugar. Instead,try serving the dish with a coral pink napkin. The color actually increases the perception of sweetness and decreases bitterness, making it perfect for desserts. ”

“The experiments found that aqua blue napkins enhance the flavor of eggs and Indian food. This is because it brings out orange and yellow as contrast colors and makes the dishes seem less salty, " Ms Lundgren said.

Coral pink helps to decrease the bitterness of dishes like grapefruit and makes meals taste sweeter,while pink or rose red works best with desserts.

Mustard yellow helps to improve the flavor of green dish such as sprouts and salads,as well as tart flavors including fish and sea food. Anthracite grey helps to contrast the tones of lighter colored table settings and meals ,   meaning grey napkins give Mediterranean food a richer taste.