The person on the other end of the line can't even return a defensive glare. And although open work spaces may be a significant contributor, some experts believe reasons for the dipping epidemic go deeper. We want to broadcast instead of receive, talk instead of listen. Lee Harrington, an associate professor of sociology at Miami University in Oxford, blames what she calls the confessional nature of society for the rise in dipping. You can sit there and watch strangers talk about their personal lives.
People feel a greater right to participate in conversations, even personal conversations.
Technological advances also play a major role in our need to dip, Ms. Harrington says. Using e-mail creates a sense of communicating with anyone at any time. We often are forced to listen to private cell phone conversations in elevators and other public places. This helps erode our personal space. We're becoming more used to it so we may think it is less rude.