Turns out Charlie Puth was right: We don’t talk anymore. At least not like we used to.
Research from the University of Missouri-Kansas City reveals that people are speaking 338 fewer words on average, according to a study of over 2,000 participants conducted over the past 14 years.
Valeria Pfeifer, one of the study's authors and an assistant professor at UMKC, said that while the decline in word count is seen across all demographics, those under the age of 25 are losing the most. That group is speaking an average of 450 fewer words per day.
“All of these ancillary conversations that we have [like] talking to a barista when you order a coffee, instead you're now using your app. You're no longer asking for directions, you're opening Google Maps to find your way around,” Pfeifer told KCUR’s Up to Date. “All the small conversations we've lost over time are going to make a big difference long term, because that's the training ground for having larger and more important conversations.”
In a time when people are feeling more disconnected, Pfeifer said the solution lies in individual effort. People should aim to speak to one more person each day and strike up conversations even when they are not necessary.
- Valeria Pfeifer, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
