People without an inner voice have poorer verbal memory
humanities.ku.dk
The vast majority of people have an ongoing conversation with themselves, an inner voice, that plays an important role in their daily lives. But between 5-10 per cent of the population do not have the same experience of an inner voice, and they find it more difficult to perform certain verbal memory tasks, new research shows.
  • @[email protected]English
    3•1 month ago

    So like… how do you think through ideas? Philosophize? You don’t bounce ideas around in your head and deeply weigh multiple options? It’s just… empty?

    • @[email protected]English
      2•1 month ago

      Personally, when I’m working through a problem, I’ll usually force it into words (either out loud or to myself), but that’s a conscious action rather than a subconscious response. I choose to speak those things, and it’s me (not an amorphous voice) who speaks them.

      But often after forcing the thoughts into words I’ll hit upon an interesting thread, and my mind will leap ahead faster than spoken language can catch up. It’s only when I hit a roadblock that I slow things down into language-speed.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•1 month ago

        I mean that’s the same as anyone. When people talk about their inner voice, the voice is still them. They’re in control of what it says. It can get a little out of hand sometimes (like getting a song stuck in your head) but ultimately it’s you doing it.

        Same with being able to “leap ahead” faster than the spoken word. Like, if someone gets a knife pulled on them they don’t have to think “I will run now”, they simply run. The internal monologue is an addition, not a replacement, if that makes sense.

        • @[email protected]English
          1•1 month ago

          From how people are describing it, it’s a necessary addition rather than an optional one

          • @[email protected]English
            1•1 month ago

            Like I pointed out in the mugging example, it’s entirely optional. It can just get out of hand sometimes lol.

            I say that as someone with an extremely active internal monologue.

            • @[email protected]English
              1•1 month ago

              Sounds like others’ are more active than yours. People in this thread talk as if theirs never stops.

              • @[email protected]English
                2•1 month ago

                Mine never does unless I actively focus on it, like through meditation. But it’s still me lol, the alternative is what’s called schizophrenia.

              • @[email protected]English
                1•1 month ago

                I can’t speak for everyone, but in my case, yes, I can control the voice just like I can control my physical voice. Sometimes they’ll be automatic, yes, but that’s no different from your way of thinking while doing some chore, like washing dishes.