SPEAK FOR YOURSELF

“We talk to ourselves to stay motivated,tame unruly emotions, plan for the future and even maintain a sense of self”

By: Ferris Jabr

Published: Scientific American Mind, January /February 2014 issue
Access this article by copy pasting the folowing: http://www.nature.com/scientificamericanmind/journal/v25/n1/full/scientificamericanmind0114-45.html 

Level of Difficulty: ****

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Do you speak to yourself?

·         What form does this inner speech take? Encouragement? An expression of belief in your innate abilities or disparagement?

·         What effect does such self talk have?

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the first two paragraphs of the text. The writer needn’t have worried about his outburst because:

·         He is a functional neurotic

·         Children regularly talk to themselves

·         He is self obsessed

·         Some adults talk silently to themselves

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

·         Other: please specify

2.       Read the description of inner speech. Which of the following instances are more likely to lead to inner speech?

·         Your boss asks you if you agree with him; you want to remain in his good books

·         You have bought a new flat and walk around it thinking of interior design

·         You are a pole vaulter. You are making your third and last attempt to clear the jump

·         You are looking through evening dresses for an important public function at an important fashion house.

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

·         Other: please specify

3.       If someone keeps saying “I knew I would fail; I am a useless waste of space” continuously his inner speech is considered flawed because ……………………………….and it has to be…………

4.       How does the writer reach the following conclusion: to know yourself, you have to talk to yourself?

5.       The private speech of children:

·         Has a social function

·         Communicates the thoughts of the child

·         Is a soliluguy

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

·         Other: please specify

6.       On reading Vygotsky’s studies it would be correct / incorrect / misleading to conclude that there is (a) positive / negative / no correlation between the amount of private speech and the development of problem solving skills in young people.

7.       Russell Hurlburt and Andrew Erwing’s experiments have ptoved that self talk serves the function of ……………………………………………………

8.       Positive self talk has been found not to be closely linked to:

·         Courage

·         Belief in oneself

·         Daring

·         Fortitude

·         Risk taking

·         All of the above

9.       The experiment with the 24 rugby players proves that……………………………………..

10.   In what way was the private speech of the rugby players and the novice volleyball players different?

11.   Read Claude Scott Moss’ story of the stroke he suffered and its consequences. This story proves that………………………………………….. (There are two answers; find both)

12.   After reading Philip Kendall’s experimwent it becomes obvious that continued negative self talk is directly responsible for…………………………………………

13.   From the paragraph discussing Fernyhough’s ideas, we understand that the tables can be turned on ………………………..through……………………….and………………………………………….

14.   James Russell and Winster’s experiments prove that…………………………………………….

15.   What physical explanation has been offered to AVH’s?

16.   From the example of Helen Keller, we understand that inner speech is vital in order to………………………………………………………………………………..

17.   From Jill Bolt Taylor’s story, it is possible to draw an important general conclusion about the self:……………………………………………………………………………….

WRITING TASK

On completing the reading task, write an essay in which you clarify what exactly inner speech is and how it benefits people. It is suggested that you make a general introduction about mental and psycholgical wellbeing and personality development. Follow this with a discussion of what exactly inner speech is and then write a few more paragraphs discussing the benefits. Round of your essay with a conclusion where you write a restatement or reiterate the importance of positive self talk as opposed to negative self talk. What kind of essay have you written? You have written a definition plus advantages essay and this is perfectly fine.

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This is a very comforting text in that the reader discovers his secret habit of talking to himself has survival value. The text discusses the power of self talk; both positive and negative and as a result, is fascinating to read. The text also allows for some good comprehension questions; quite tough ones I may add and an essay task which will hopefully get students thinking outside the box.

1. None of the above; because everyone talks to themselves both out loud and silently
2. 1 and 3 will definitely involve words and can be classified as inner speech. The other two are more likely to involve pictures.
3. It is unnecessarily critical (stoking the black flames of depression); editted
4. Because inner speech stitches together the many threads of sensory experience into the tapestry of self awareness
5. 3
6. Incorerct; positive
7. Self regulation
8. 5
9. Inner speech improved athletic performance. The answer is at the end of the previous paragraph.
10. The latter spoke detailed instructions out loud; the latter made explicit reminders to themselves of how to approach the goal or shoot the free throw.
11. (Beyond helping people regulate their behevior in the present) Inner speech is essential for learning from the past and planing the future; inner speech may be so fundamental to mental time travel that if it disappears, so does our understanding of before and after.
12. Worse anxiety
13. Negative inner speech (or verbal thoughts), cognitive behavior therapy,mindfulness meditation.
14. Children with autism can overcome the mental hurdle of having to silently repeat detailed instructions in their mind when allowed to speak out loud to themselves.
15. The electrical signals travelling between the Broca and the Wernicke’s areas are weaker than average during inner speech of people who experience AVH.
16. Maintain a sense of self; have self awareness
17. When our mind shuts up we disappear