These "reductive" questions can instantly make a conversation feel heavy, etiquette expert Alison Cheperdak says.

I know I’m not alone in disliking small talk. Yes, I have a history of social anxiety. I mean, I once hid behind Tim Gunn’s grandfather clock to avoid small talk at a fundraiser at his apartment.

Often relegated to the status of useless chatter, small talk is once again at the heart of debates about our social well-being. Beneath the veneer of triviality, this form of exchange is actually an ...