It’s not just you. We’re talking to each other less than we did a decade ago.
The number of words we speak out loud to other humans fell nearly 28 percent from 2005 to 2019, according to researchers at the University of Arizona and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Now, we say around 300 fewer words each day, with consequences for our well-being.
Smartphones and social media are partly to blame and some spoken conversations may have gone digital, perhaps to AI chatbots - but the decline has also been seen for less tech-savvy older adults.
That points to a broader shift in the way we live, Matthias Mehl, a psychology professor at the University of Arizona, said in a statement.
“We've lost a lot of small, incidental conversations: asking a cashier for help, getting directions from a stranger, chatting with a neighbor,” he remarked.
The researchers looked at data from 22 studies of various topics with 2,200 mostly American participants aged 10-94 who recorded audio of their daily lives.
They found that the number of words plummeted from 15,900 in 2007 to 12,700 in 2019, or a difference of 338 words.
That is the equivalent of more than 120,000 fewer words a year, Mehl pointed out.
There’s no data past 2019, but he said he’d be “surprised” if the trend had reversed.
And younger people are losing more spoken words each year, but older-aged participants also showed a “clear decline in daily conversation,” noted
“That suggests that age, or technology use alone, does not fully explain the trend,” Valeria Pfeifer, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, explained in a separate statement.
Both Pfeifer and Mehl say these findings leave concerning questions about the impacts on Americans’ social and mental health.
Mehl noted that the loss of words could be an indicator of the loneliness epidemic pointed out by former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
“Spoken words carry something that typed words often don't – presence, tone, the spontaneity of a real exchange,” he noted.
Pfeifer said that speaking less means spending less time connecting with others and also noted the negative health impacts of loneliness.
She said that everyday conversations have an alternative effect, lowering blood pressure and protecting us against depression and anxiety, which are risk factors for dementia.
Past research from the University of Kansas found that just one quality conversation a day does the trick.
Pfeifer said that small changes in behavior accumulating over time could change how people connect.
“Humans have relied on spoken language for more than 200,000 years, and we do not yet know whether a shift toward more digital communication comes with social costs,” she said. “Our findings highlight the need to better understand how both spoken and written communication affect loneliness, health and well-being.”
Surprising link between alcohol use and social media in kids
Seeing less momfluencer content on social media may help mothers with shame
How to protect your eye health in the sun – and why it’s important
Is Retatrutide safe to use? The peptide gym-goers claim is more powerful than Ozempic
I’m a pharmacologist. Here’s the truth about tea tree oil and fertility
The lifestyle habits of centenarians’ children that could help you live longer
