The Science of Talking: Boost Your Mood, Sharpen Your Mind, and Protect Against Dementia | Maryellen MacDonald

The Science of Talking: Boost Your Mood, Sharpen Your Mind, and Protect Against Dementia | Maryellen MacDonald

The way you talk to other people (and yourself) can reduce dysregulation and distraction--and lead to better decisions.

Maryellen MacDonald is the Donald P. Hayes Professor (emerit) of Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Wisconsin−Madison. She is a cognitive scientist with a focus on psycholinguistics, the study of how we comprehend, produce, and learn languages. Her latest book is More Than Words: How Talking Sharpens the Mind and Shapes Our World.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The hidden benefits of talking, including self-talk and writing
  • How talking helps focus attention and clarify your thinking
  • Why talking can help regulate emotions and improve decision-making
  • Why talking is actually harder than listening
  • Why we shouldn't rush to finish other people's sentences
  • How deliberate talking can help protect against dementia
  • Why understanding something doesn't necessarily mean you've learned it
  • How talking about new information helps your brain remember it
  • Why explaining things to other people deepens your own learning
  • Why kids need chances to talk and not just watch screens
  • Why you shouldn't judge people by how they talk

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