People in Western and individualistic cultures are speaking fewer words each day, according to a peer-reviewed study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science.
Researchers Valeria Pfeifer and Matthias Mehl analyzed data from more than 2,000 participants of different ages in countries including the United States, Mexico, Australia and several European nations. Comparing data collected over roughly 15 years, they found that participants were speaking about 300 fewer words per day than in the past.
The decline averaged 338 words a day. Among participants under 25, the reduction was even greater, at 451 words per day, compared with 314 fewer words among those over 25.
The researchers did not directly study the causes of the decline. However, Mehl said the expansion of smartphones, the internet and social media may have shifted some spoken communication toward written messages, emails and online interactions.
He also pointed to the loss of everyday conversations with what researchers call “weak ties,” such as neighbors, cashiers or people encountered during daily activities. Digital tools have made many interactions more efficient, but they have also reduced opportunities for spontaneous conversation.
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The study’s data ends in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread expansion of remote work. Mehl said researchers do not yet have direct data showing what happened afterward, although he noted that the pandemic brought additional social isolation and disrupted many opportunities for casual interaction.
According to Mehl, one way to counter the trend is simply to have more everyday conversations, including with strangers and neighbors. These brief exchanges can create what he describes as “micro-moments of belonging,” helping people feel seen, recognized and connected to their communities.
The findings, however, apply primarily to the Western and individualistic cultures represented in the study. Mehl noted that more collectivist cultures may not fit the same pattern.
