Why do you talk to yourself?

People may look at you funny if you talk to yourself aloud, but many people do it anyway.  Children have been known to speak aloud to their invisible friends.  Homeless people or others among us talk when we feel lonely or to build confidence as we prepare for a presentation.  Still other people talk to themselves as a way to deal with matters that are hard to face in reality.

It's possible to come up with examples of people who have come to their senses as the result of talking to themselves so others could hear them.  Inventors like Thomas Edison and Leonardo DaVinci are known to have talked out their ideas as they went along.  Chefs like Jamie Oliver and Julia Childs initially spoke aloud to feel more organized in the kitchen before their t.v. shows and cookbooks came into being. What kinds of reasons do you have for voiceing your thoughts when you don't think anyone is listening?

Some people start their days by listing things for which they're grateful.  They reinforce the positive and downplay things that bother them. Spiritual types will openly pray aloud throughout the day wherever they happen to be.  These sorts of voiced views and self-talk are most often directed to God or some Higher Forces. 

If you walk through a shady area or dark alley, you may whistle a happy tune or talk in ways that reassure you about your safety.  When you contemplate taking risks or making big life changes, thinking aloud is a way to work though the pros and cons in a way that your mind really hears.  It may be less effective to write down the points of interest in columns on paper. You may prefer to talk to trees and nature or communicate in ways that enable you to think and learn differently.

And what is it about working through problems that causes people to talk aloud? You may criticize yourself if you take a wrong turn or make an impulsive decision that gets you into trouble.  Some people think they hear better or internalize lessons if they reprimand themselves aloud. Perhaps you know someone who uses harsh comments because s/he thrives on embarrassing themselves.

An example of how thinking aloud can facilitate learning is where a preschooler learns to tie his/her shoe. As the child says out loud each step used in accomplishing the task, it becomes easier to remember.  Some people may assume talking aloud helps us learn faster. We may become more aware of how we think and continue to do this if we talk aloud as adults.

Consult the following link and reflect on the usefulness of talking and thinking aloud:

http://www.studygs.net/thinkingaloud.htm