According to Experts.news, the number of words people utter in everyday life has fallen significantly over the past one and a half decades, which could potentially affect social connections, psychological well-being and communication at work, according to a study by psychologists at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and the University of Arizona.
According to an article published in the academic journal *Perspectives on Psychological Science*, between 2005 and 2019, the average number of words spoken by a person fell by approximately 338 words per day with each subsequent year of observation. As a result, the estimated decline over the entire period was around 28 per cent.
The study is based on data from 2,197 people aged between 10 and 94 who took part in 22 research projects conducted primarily in the US, as well as in Mexico, Australia and Europe. The assessment was based on periodic audio recordings of the participants’ natural everyday lives, rather than on their own recollections of how much they spoke.
In an earlier study from 2007, carried out using a similar technique, the average person spoke around 15,959 words a day. In a later combined sample, this figure had fallen to around 12,792 words.
The researchers observed the most pronounced decline among young people. For participants aged under 25, the number of words spoken decreased by approximately 451 words per day for every year, whereas among those over 25, the decrease was approximately 314 words. Thus, the rate of decline among young people was approximately 44 per cent higher.
The authors did not identify a specific cause for this trend. The study period coincided with the rapid spread of smartphones, social media, messaging apps, email and other forms of written digital communication; however, the researchers emphasise that the available data do not prove that technology was the cause of the decline in conversation.
The researchers also point out that text-based communication does not necessarily fully replace the psychological and social functions of face-to-face conversation. Voice communication involves intonation, pauses, emotional cues and immediate feedback, which are more difficult to convey through text. The authors of the study link this issue to a broader trend towards increasing social isolation. Previous studies show a consistent link between loneliness and a deterioration in a range of physical and mental health indicators, although a reduction in the number of words spoken has not yet been proven in itself to be a direct cause of such consequences.
On 10 September, Fast Company highlighted the potential implications of this trend for business. Talia Varly, a doctor and corporate health specialist, notes that a reduction in face-to-face conversations in the workplace potentially means fewer informal interactions between staff, fewer opportunities to discuss issues and express dissent, as well as weaker bonds within teams.
In her view, small daily interactions are particularly important – a brief chat with a colleague, discussing an idea outside a formal meeting, or a few minutes of casual conversation. Such interactions may seem insignificant on their own, but it is precisely these that gradually build trust and social bonds within a team.
The rise of remote working and artificial intelligence may further alter the structure of communication. Digital tools allow for faster information exchange and the automation of some correspondence, but at the same time they can reduce the number of situations in which people need to speak to one another directly.
That said, the researchers caution against the overly simplistic conclusion that people simply need to mechanically increase the number of words they speak. The quality of the conversation, the nature of the relationship and the social context may be no less important than the duration of the interaction. Nevertheless, the study’s authors note that an extra 300 words a day may amount to only a few minutes of conversation — for example, a brief exchange with a neighbour or colleague, or a more detailed response to the usual question ‘How was your day?’.
Thus, the observed decline in conversational activity may be one indicator of more significant changes in how people maintain social connections in the age of digital communication. However, further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of this process on health, loneliness and productivity.