The number of words people say in everyday life has decreased significantly over the past decade and a half, potentially affecting social bonds, psychological well-being and communication at work, according to a study by psychologists at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and the University of Arizona.
According to work published in the scientific journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, between From 2005 to 2019, the average number of words spoken by a person decreased by about 338 words per day with each subsequent year of observation. As a result, the estimated decrease for the entire period was about 28%.
The study is based on data from 2,197 people aged 10 to 94 who participated in 22 scientific projects conducted mainly in the United States, as well as in Mexico, Australia and Europe. The assessment used periodic audio recordings of participants' natural daily lives, rather than their own recollections of how much they talked.
In an earlier study from 2007 using a similar technique, the average person spoke about 15,959 words per day. In the later combined sample, this indicator was already about 12,792 words.
Scientists recorded the most pronounced decrease among young people. For participants under 25, the number of words they spoke decreased by about 451 words per day for each year, compared to about 314 words for those over 25. Thus, the rate of decline among young people was about 44% higher.
The authors did not establish a specific reason for this dynamic. The period of the study coincided with the rapid spread of smartphones, social networks, messengers, e-mail and other forms of written digital communication, however, scientists emphasize that the available data do not make it possible to prove that technology itself caused the reduction of conversations.
Researchers also draw attention to the fact that correspondence does not necessarily completely replace the psychological and social functions of a live conversation. Voice communication contains intonation, pauses, emotional cues and immediate feedback that are more difficult to convey through text.
The authors of the paper link this problem to a broader trend of increasing social isolation. Previous research shows a consistent link between loneliness and a range of physical and mental health outcomes, although the reduction in the number of words spoken has not yet been proven to directly cause these effects.
On September 10, Fast Company drew attention to the possible consequences of this trend for business. Physician and corporate health specialist Talia Varley notes that the reduction of live conversations in the workplace potentially means less informal contact between employees, fewer opportunities to discuss issues and voice disagreements, and weaker bonds within teams.
In her assessment, small daily interactions are especially important — a quick conversation with a colleague, discussing an idea outside of a formal meeting, or a few minutes of non-work time. Such interactions may seem insignificant individually, but they are the ones that gradually form trust and social bonds in the team.
The spread of remote work and artificial intelligence can further change the structure of communication. Digital tools make it possible to exchange information faster and automate some correspondence, but at the same time they are able to reduce the number of situations in which people need to speak directly to each other.
At the same time, researchers caution against the overly simplistic conclusion that people only need to mechanically increase the number of spoken words. The quality of the conversation, the nature of the relationship, and the social context may be just as important as the duration of the conversation.
However, the study authors note that an extra 300 words per day may correspond to just a few minutes of conversation — for example, a short conversation with a neighbor or colleague, or a more detailed answer to the common question, "How was your day?"
Thus, the recorded decrease in conversational activity may be one indicator of larger changes. in how people maintain social connections in the age of digital communications. However, more research is needed to assess the long-term effects of this process on health, loneliness, and productivity.
