London - One in five adults admit they have not said a word to their neighbours in a month – and some have never spoken to them at all.
Research found that 17 percent of us have not said hello to our neighbours in more than a week, and 43 percent have left it longer than a month.
Of more than 2 000 people polled, almost 10 percent last spoke to their neighbours more than six months ago, while three percent have never spoken to the people living next door.
Two-thirds of them said keeping themselves to themselves was the main reason for not striking up a neighbourly conversation.
Increasing use of smartphones – owned by two in three adults – is also to blame for lack of face-to-face communication, said the study. It found 55 percent of those polled experience feelings of loneliness.
Richard Pennycook of the Co-op, which commissioned the survey, said: “The days of taking time to get to know our neighbours appear to belong to a bygone age.
“A quick ‘Hello, how are you?’ or just a smile might make a difference to someone’s day.”
Daily Mail