internal monologue

Unlike a stream of consciousness an internal monologue consists of consciously constructed thoughts often aimed at solving a problem or making a decision. It may also involve active recollection and reflectiveness. The modern phenomena, called the loss of self, has lead to people losing track of their internal monologue and merely experiencing the world moment to moment.

An internal monologue can be understood as a personality and cognitive trait. While every human being of at least modest intelligence is assumed to have an internal monologue, its nature, content and flow will vary between individuals.

It is a developmental achievement and is closely related to consciousness and subjectivity. The emergence of self is also linked to the emergence of a stronger and more structured internal monologue. An internal monologue has been colloquially referred to as a “train of thought”. This analogy highlights the idea that the internal monologue follows certain tracks. These tracks can be understood in terms of several processes.

1.Association: The philosopher Hume explored the concept of associations in thought to understand how one thought leads to another. Some examples of types of associations include, spatio-temporal contiguity, conceptual similarity and cause and effect.
2.Grammar and semantics
3.Desire and motivation
4.Cognitive structures, activated schemas and present external stimuli: Thoughts can often seem to go around in circles. when writing essays words mentioned a few sentences ago can often re-appear. the beauty of writing is in part the sophistication, eloquence and permanence that can be added to the internal monologue