Study reveals annual decline in daily spoken word counts

A longitudinal study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science reveals that people are speaking significantly fewer words each year. Researchers found that, on average, individuals pronounce approximately 338 fewer words per day for every year that passes, representing a cumulative decline of about 28% based on data collected between 2005 and 2019.

The research, led by psychologists Valeria A. Pfeifer of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Matthias R. Mehl of the University of Arizona, analyzed ambient audio recordings from 2,197 participants aged 10 to 94. The study included data from the United States, Mexico, Australia, and various European countries.

The decline is most pronounced among individuals under the age of 25, who recorded an average drop of 451 words per year. While the daily difference may seem small, researchers suggest the trend raises questions regarding the impact of new technologies on social bonds, loneliness, and community cohesion.