There’s something irresistible about ambiguity. You see two colleagues whispering in the hallway or two friends who seem unusually close, and the thought creeps in: Are they secretly lovers, or just socially awkward? In an age of hyperconnectivity and digital gossip, the line between romantic secrecy and introverted silence gets increasingly blurred. The real question is: Why do we always assume the worst — or the most scandalous? 👀 The Allure of Mystery: Why Silence Sparks Suspicion From celebrities caught in long hugs to coworkers who “leave work at the same time,” human beings are naturally drawn to interpreting behaviors —especially when they can’t explain them. Psychologists have long studied this phenomenon, which ties closely to what’s known as “social inference” . According to Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, “our brains fill in the blanks when social cues are missing, often inaccurately.” This means that when someone is ver...