Do you think in words?

[Type Username Here]

When you are thinking, do you do it in words, in a certain language? Do you see the actual words flash in your mind?





Think about it before you answer. I got some good counterarguments either way.

 

[Orbital-Fetus]

depends on the situation.
i definitely do think in words when i'm dealing with complex ideas and thought...don't see the words.

when i'm dealing with technical or mechanical problems i tend to talk out loud to myself.

sometimes ideas are abstract and i just see solutions in my head.

 

[Megatron Island]

When I'm trying to remember facts I see it visually plenty of times. Also when I'm calculating things like calculus and advanced math in my head I visualize it most of the time. Although I'll remember details verbally.

When I'm trying to solve problems like physics and reason things out, it's verbal the mass majority of the time.

Maybe if it involves graphs, I'll see the graph, verbally reason out what's going on, and use that information to solve the problem.

Sometimes even doing things physically like the right hand rule also helps.

 

[newarkhiphop]

I do it a lot, dont see the words but i think of the words ahead of time if that makes sense, and i only do it in English even when am thinking of something in Spanish.

 

[88m3]

I think in colours

 

[zerozero]

I do, but I think there's a lot of "pre-word" thinking involved too

so no, it's not like if I'm hungry and feel like a sandwich my inner voice is literally going "I'm hungry. i want a sandwich." It's not articulated

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I try NOT to think in words as much as possible, I feel like that slows me down

 

[Mr.Grinch]

great thread, I've never thought about this. Are there any correlations in this.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

I think in words always. It's very hard for me to picture things in my head.

I'm an accomplished artist. I can draw and paint very well. But I can't picture something and draw it. I can start a drawing, but there will be no plan to it.

Like in math... I know many people can skip multiple steps, but I have to write out everything or I can't solve a problem.

 

[Ghost of $oCal]

nah, that seems like it would be making your brain do extra unnecessary work to visualize the actual words like subtitles in a movie. i think more in general ideas and concepts if that makes sense, with very little inner dialogue unless im remembering a conversation.

 

[Roaden Polynice]

Yeah I'd say I think in words

I don't see them but I definitely make out sentences, not for involuntary things but new ideas, thoughts etc yeah all words...

 

[Type Username Here]

All fantastic points in this thread. There is a possibility where it might differ from person to person, and from situation to situation. I just started getting into this subject and it goes VERY deep. Deeper than I thought.

great thread, I've never thought about this. Are there any correlations in this.

What do you mean?

 

[Type Username Here]

When I say words and just flashing of words, I don't just mean the actual visual symbol in most cases, but it applies to symbols, "inner voice", etc.

Three examples:

1) When I say the word "three", I know you don't see the "word three" but you probably visualize the numerical symbol "3". The symbol for "3" and the the word "three" are BOTH symbols. Sure, three might be easier to visualize with 3 sticks or 3 balls, but what about the number 2,214,156? How do you visualize that without using words or symbols?

2) If you never had a concept of a language, would you still be a thinking being? Does thinking require a language?

3) What about limitations of perception when it comes to limitation of language? How come some people can only feel a certain way when there is a word in their language to describe that event?

Watch this video here about an African tribe and Westerns describing colors, and how their languages skew their perception:

http://youtu.be/4b71rT9fU-I?t=3m4s


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b71rT9fU-I"]BBC Horizon: Do you see what I see? "The Himba tribe" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

I think in 'concepts' that I have to format into words. Sometimes, things get lost in translation. Best way to describe it is a rebus constructed of data from all 5 senses.​

 

[Type Username Here]

I think in 'concepts' that I have to format into words. Sometimes, things get lost in translation. Best way to describe it is a rebus constructed of data from all 5 senses.​

But your senses are skewed by your language.

Check the video above and many other studies.