November 21, 2022, 4:55 am | Read time: 2 minutes
A little compliment here, a bit of praise there–many people talk to their houseplants. A survey has now revealed this.
No one home? No reason for silence. Many people then talk to their houseplants, objects like the computer, or their pets. And this is not all that uncommon, as shown by a YouGov survey commissioned by the Flower Office. The survey included 2,067 participants. While houseplants are not the most popular non-human conversation partners, they do come in second place.
Houseplants Are Popular Conversation Partners
About half of those who own houseplants talk to them (51 percent). For 31 percent, this happens several times a month. Behind this is also the hope that the plant will grow better, a belief held by 57 percent of those who talk to plants. For 35 percent, chatting with the plant is also a way to feel less lonely at home.
Even more popular than houseplants as conversation partners are pets–not least because there is a chance of a response. Seventy-five percent of pet owners reported in the survey that they talk to their pets.
By the way, many people also talk to technical devices. Forty-three percent of all respondents said they talk to their smartphones and computers, and 27 percent to kitchen appliances like the stove.
More Praise or Criticism?
And what is the content of all these conversations with objects and greenery? The survey shows that praise and criticism are almost balanced. Thirty-two percent of respondents talk to objects because they are satisfied with their performance. However, 35 percent also express anger in such conversations.
Incidentally, giving a personal address to a cactus or toaster is not uncommon: 27 percent of respondents said they give names to objects.
With material from dpa