Internal monologue

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (February 2007)

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Please help improve the article with a good introductory style.

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)

Internal monologue, also known as inner voice, internal speech, or stream of consciousness is thinking in words. It also refers to the semi-constant internal monologue one has with oneself at a conscious or semi-conscious level.

Much of what people consciously report "thinking about" may be thought of as an internal monologue, a conversation with oneself. Some of this can be considered as speech rehearsal, and it seems to be that the internal monologue is generally in the native language of the person concerned.

An internal monologue may be consciously used in order to organize thoughts to solve problems or keep track of a long list. More mysterious is subconscious internal monologue, which is thought to be used in long term memory and dreams.

Discussion

In fiction, when one person reads the mind of another, it is often described as being able to hear this internal monologue as if it were said out loud.

When children are taught to read out loud and then later taught to read quietly, they often subvocalize. This has led to a discipline called Speed reading that attempts to suppress this.

There is uncertainty about what the source of these internal sentences are in some conditions. Attribution for a recently produced internal sentence may lead to concerns over schizophrenia, hallucinations, or hearing voices.

Contemplation attempts to calm the internal voice by various means.

Internal monologue

Discussion

See also