How to handle the awkward Thanksgiving conversation: Politics

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- There are three things they say you should never do at the dinner table, talk politics, talk about religion and talk with your mouth full.

Navigating the social terrain during the holiday season can bring a lot of joy as well as some challenges and fresh off election day earlier this month not talking politics could be hard to avoid.

Many around the table can have vast political views, values, and even just generational differences. ABC11 talked to an expert about how to handle political conversations should they come up during your Thanksgiving Day family or Friendsgiving dinner.

Dr. Kurt Gray is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, says there are some tricks to strengthening communication and resolving conflicts. He says heading into a social gathering with family and friends with the right mindset can help you prepare.

"We often think about political conversations as a chance for us to win, to kind of own the other side, but instead go in with this idea of understanding, trying to make sense of what other people are thinking or feeling," Dr. Gray said.

He added, "I certainly don't who's actually actively changed their mind from a political conversation over Thanksgiving. Instead, the best we can do, I think, is to make sense of why people believe what they believe."

Dr. Gray says if any social conversations become heated-one thing you can do is ask for clarification questions rather than arguing back so people feel like they're heard and listened to- and adding personal experience about why you feel the way you feel can help lead to better understanding without conflict.