The Enigma of the Inner Monologue: Why Some People Don’t Have One?
As you read the title and click on it, chances are you may hear the words spoken inside your head. This voice inside your head is defined as the “inner monologue,” “internal monologue,” “inner speech,” “self-talk,” “inner voice” or “interpersonal communication.” It functions as a lifeline in many circumstances of life by guiding us, giving us some company, saving us from internal silence, etc. But surprisingly enough, many people don’t have any voice in their head or internal monologue.
Do you Have an Internal Monologue?
By now, you have probably wondered: How do you know if you don’t have an internal monologue? Let me provide you with some characteristics or signs before you come to a conclusion. If you have an inner monologue then you can-
- Talk to yourself internally
- Hear your voice in your mind while reading
- Internally visualize images
- Rehearse conversations or presentations or what-if situations.
- Play a song inside your head
- Replay your favorite movie or podcast in your mind
Internal Monologue Examples
In case you are an anime fan or particularly a Dragon Ball fan, perhaps, you will love this example:
In this clip of Dragon Ball Z, during the fight between Goku and kid Buu, Vegeta acknowledges Goku to be better than himself without speaking aloud or murmuring in the corner i.e. his inner voice is in the action. Not only is he watching the fight at the present moment but also revisiting his earliest memories revolving around Goku, including dialogues and visuals. Basically, he’s living in the present and past at the same time.
Yes, this is of course a dramatic example of internal speech with a little bit of exaggeration in terms of presentation of it in the anime but it sure stands out as an example of internal monologue.
If you are not into anime, then don’t worry, I have another trump card hidden in the depths of my mind. If you are familiar with Friends, one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, chances are that you have seen this clip before:
Now, don’t ask me how Phoebe managed to hear Joey’s singing!
Internal Monologue: Does Everyone Have One?
According to the report of Russel Hurlburt, a psychology professor at the University of Nevada, it has been estimated that about 30–50% of the population has experienced the inner monologue.
While Hurlburt’s research through his Descriptive Experience Sampling method has revealed that in the case of most people, they tend not to experience their inner monologue constantly and in fact, some people can pass a vast portion of their days without experiencing inner monologue altogether.
By now, he has conducted many studies regarding this phenomenon. He conducted a study on 30 university students and their ears were attached to “beepers.” The “beepers” would go off at random times of the day, encouraging the students to document their thoughts during those moments. The finding of this study revealed that about 26% of students were having inner monologues.
Based on this particular study, Hulburt found that one out of four people tends to experience an inner monologue.
Why Some People Don’t Have an Internal Monologue?
Researchers are yet not sure why some people don’t have inner monologues but they think that it may have to do with how the dorsal stream actually matures.
Not to mention, just because you don’t hear your inner voice it doesn’t mean that you don’t have an inner monologue as some people tend to visualize their thoughts instead of hearing them. For instance, they might visualize a to-do list in their minds instead of hearing any words.
If you find it strenuous to create any sort of mental imagery in your head, then you might have aphantasia. People with aphantasia not only possess the ability to generate mental imagery but also tend to have blank or weak internal monologues, which are referred to as anauralia by researchers.
Pros and Cons of Not Having an Internal Monologue
Let’s have a look at the possible pros and cons of not having an internal monologue:
Pros:
- Most likely to concentrate on tasks and enable one to stay in the present moment.
- Depends on their visual, auditory, or sensory cues, which lead to unique ways of problem-solving and thinking.
- Causes one to have fewer negative emotions and thoughts as inner monologue is highly associated with self-criticism which causes one to have low self-esteem, leading to a lack of confidence.
- During periods of extreme stress, people are more likely to be bothered by their inner negative self-talk, which can make it hard to sleep, which is the reason why people often try to calm down their inner speech or voice. Luckily, people having no inner monologue or speech are free from this particular trouble.
- Can acquire and master foreign languages more easily compared to those who have an inner voice.
Cons:
- May struggle to organize and plan thoughts and actions.
- May lack self-criticism, critical thinking, and awareness.
- Reduced ability to learn from experiences.
- Generally, people with inner monologue are able to formulate ideas, conversations, etc., and can give multiple trials inside the head before actually saying it aloud, therefore, people with no inner voice or speech may find it more challenging to express themselves.
In conclusion, having or not having an inner monologue showcases the complex and enigmatic aspect of human cognition. Having inner speech or Lack of inner speech does not imply that someone is superior or inferior to others as both types tend to have their respective unique ways of navigating the world, embodying the diversity of human consciousness.
FAQs about the Voice Inside Your Head
- Q: How do people with no inner monologue think?
- Actually, people with no inner monologue are able to use their “sensory awareness” by visualizing their thoughts.
- Q: Can a person develop an inner voice later in life?
- Individuals who don’t have an inner monologue can develop it later in life by applying certain practices, such as embracing silence, active listening, fostering curiosity, daily journaling, meditating, praying, etc., the reason being our brain is capable of undergoing structural changes, referred as neuroplasticity.
- Q. Do people without inner monologues read faster?
- Generally, when someone with an inner monologue starts reading, he or she is most likely to hear each word that’s being read, particularly termed subvocalization, which is totally unnecessary while reading and hinders the reading speed. Therefore, it can be said that people with no inner speech or monologue have a slight advantage compared to anyone going through this situation inside their head.
I hope you enjoyed reading this piece of writing as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know if this blog article is useful to you in the comments section. It will work as tiny drops of motivation for me… Also, let me know if I missed out on something! I would like to hear from you…
