Talking to Yourself While You Work Can Boost Your Cognitive Ability.
Whether it’s completing a report or finding lost keys, if you want to complete a task, focus is everything. Distractions are everywhere, and they can really slow you down. If you find yourself lagging behind due to distraction, try discussing the process out loud.
In a study published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology , the researchers divided the subjects into two groups. Half were asked to look at images of various objects and find a banana. The other half were asked to do the same, but were also asked to say out loud what they were looking for. The researchers reported that the group that spoke out loud found the banana a little faster. They concluded:
… verbal shortcuts can alter current perceptual processing – for example, actually listening to a “stool” versus just thinking about a chair can temporarily make the visual system a better “stool detector”. Participants searched for shared items, sometimes asked to say the target’s name aloud. The use of speech makes it easier to find, especially when there is a strong connection between the name and visual purpose.
Although the experiment worked specifically with finding objects, you can also try it with any other task that requires cognition. Of course, when you talk to yourself, it should be about the process and the current task. During the study, the researchers added that when there is too much discrepancy between speech and subject, speech actually impairs performance. LiveScience reports:
Self-talk may not mean you’re out of your mind, the researchers said – it can actually benefit thinking and perception. While this mumbling may seem irrational, past research has shown that independent speech can help guide children’s behavior , with children often completing tasks such as tying their shoelaces step by step, as if reminding themselves to focus on work. hand … “The general conclusion is that language is not just a communication system, but I argue that it can improve perception, enhance thinking,” Lupian told LiveScience.
They go into more detail on how speaking can help improve cognition. Check out the study and full publication at the link below.
Self-Speaking Affects Visual Search Performance | A quarterly journal of Experimental Psychology via LiveScience .