From Normal Gossip to Call Her Daddy, 2022 has been a great year for podcasts. But did you know that laughing along with The Receipts or marvelling at the twists and turns of Serial actually has psychological benefits?

According to a fascinating new study, podcast listening may help people fulfill their daily social needs. The study found that people who listened to more podcasts per month reported a greater presence of meaning in life and those who formed parasocial relationships with hosts reported a greater sense of relatedness.

Studies have shown that listening to podcasts may help satisfy our psychological need for social connection