Recent research has shown that between 5-10% of the population do not have an inner voice, which is a common experience for the vast majority of people. Some individuals describe this condition, known as anendophasia, as time-consuming and difficult, as they must translate their thoughts into words before speaking. While some people think in pictures and then convert them into words when necessary, others describe their thought process as being more like a functioning computer that does not process thoughts verbally.
In a study conducted by Johanne Nedergård and Gary Lupyan, individuals without an inner voice were found to have more difficulty with verbal memory tasks. Participants were asked to remember words in sequence and determine whether pairs of pictures contained rhyme words. Those without an inner voice performed significantly worse on these tasks compared to those with an inner voice. However, in other experiments testing the ability to switch tasks quickly and distinguish between similar figures, no differences were found between the two groups, suggesting that individuals without an inner voice may have developed alternative strategies.
The study, which included nearly a hundred participants, has been published in the journal Psychological Science. Nedergård and Lupyan suggest that differences in verbal memory associated with having or not having an inner voice may not be noticeable in everyday conversations. However, they believe that an inner voice may play a role in therapy, particularly in cognitive behavioral therapy where identifying and changing negative thought patterns is important. Further research is needed to determine whether other language areas are affected in individuals without an inner voice and to explore the impact on response to therapy.
While the implications of not having an inner voice are still unclear, the researchers are interested in further investigating the extent of these differences in language processing. Nedergård suggests that future studies could explore whether individuals without an inner voice experience language differently, such as not being able to hear the words for themselves. By delving deeper into how individuals without an inner voice process language, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the role of an inner voice in verbal memory and cognitive tasks.
Overall, the study by Nedergård and Lupyan sheds light on the experience of living without an inner voice and the potential impacts on verbal memory tasks. While some individuals may find it challenging to translate their thoughts into words, others have developed alternative strategies to overcome this difficulty. The researchers emphasize the need for further research to fully understand the implications of not having an inner voice and how it may affect language processing and response to therapy.