On a recent Hidden Brain podcast episode, they described the research and application of what our language usage reveals about ourselves. They spent a lot of time talking about pronouns and prepositions. The frequency of I/me/my versus it or we/us reveal some gender and personality differences. Personal pronouns show a desire to be connected with others while inanimate pronouns and passive voice reveal more task-/object-orientation. They found too that people who use I/me/my pronouns 6% of the time (versus a statistically significant lower average of 4%) showed signs of depression. (To be statistically significant at this small difference, there have be many hundreds or thousands of data.)
What was intriguing is how much (again) science might be catching up to the Bible. Christ said, “What comes out of the mouth reveals the heart…” (Matthew 15.18) Likewise, James echoes, “…No one can tame the tongue…from the same mouth come blessing and cursing…Things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?…Nor can salt water produce fresh.” (James 3.8-12)
It’s interesting that the analysis of your speech and writing can reveal what you’re thinking, feeling and how much truth-telling and lying you’re doing. Over a period of time, the analysis can determine when your moods or personality inflections occur. (To be clear, the author stipulates his research is diagnostic not prognostic. A person is unable to change their mood or relationships by changing their language; the attempted change just might reveal deception, however….or a change in status. For example, people promoted into leadership positions most likely will change from singular pronouns to collective ones: I becomes we.)
