The rise of self-checkouts, GPS and touchscreen kiosks has changed daily interactions, and new research suggests face-to-face conversation may be quietly fading. The study, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, reports that people are losing 338 spoken words every year. The authors say this decline has continued for at least a decade and a half, and their claim comes from comparing speech totals over time rather than from a short snapshot.
Matthias Mehl, a psychology professor at the University of Arizona, had been working to replicate his 2007 Science paper on gender differences in talkativeness. During that replication effort he and his team discovered a broader, steady decline in how much people speak per day. Mehl then collaborated with Valeria Pfeifer, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, who is listed as the study's first author.
Together they examined changes in spoken words and considered how these shifts might affect social life. Mehl highlights concerns about social connection and asks why losing a few hundred words per day each year could matter. The researchers say more work is needed to understand causes and long-term effects on relationships, work and well-being.
Difficult words
- self-checkout — machine where customers scan and pay themselvesself-checkouts
- kiosk — small machine with a screen for public usekiosks
- decline — a gradual decrease in number or amount
- replication — a study done again to check original results
- talkativeness — how much someone talks in general
- connection — a relationship or feeling of closeness between people
- well-being — people's health, happiness and general life quality
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think speaking less could change friendships? Why or why not?
- What everyday technology do you use that reduces face-to-face conversation?
- What could people do to keep talking more each day?
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