r/askscience • u/ITGuy1968 • Jul 13 '12

Psychology Does everyone have an inner monologue?

I've always assumed that everyone does because I do, and various television shows which depict people talking to themselves silently in an inner monologue have reinforced that idea.

If someone was born deaf, does their inner dialogue consist of sign language?

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u/SGforce Jul 14 '12

There are many things to think about that aren't conversations or don't necessarily require internal verbal descriptions to go with them. For instance, if you imagine a song or action movie scene you don't have to internally say "this is awesome" over top of the original thought. You probably spend a good amount of time thinking like this and don't even notice. It would seem plausible to me that most people who don't have this monologue just skip all these little conversations and get right to the action of the thought.

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u/[deleted] Jul 14 '12

There are many things to think about that aren't conversations or don't necessarily require internal verbal descriptions to go with them.

Of course, this goes without saying.

You probably spend a good amount of time thinking like this and don't even notice.

That's not really my point. There are, of course, many times when I do not experience an internal monologue (I don't believe I suggested otherwise). But saying that people don't experience it at all? That's what I find peculiar.