What is thinking? How do we respond to the thoughts and voices in our head? When we are ‘thinking’ on something, we are usually having a conversation in our minds - sorting through and conversing with the different voices of our consciousness.
We have many voices in our head - reason, memory, encouragement, dismay etc. In The Voices Within, psychologist Charles Fernyhough takes time to dive deeper in studying the voices within each of us. He interviews a diverse grouping across generations, professions, backgrounds and even those who hear external voices in addition to internal; voice hearers, practitioners of meditation, and prophets.
Psychologists are demonstrating that inner speech could have an importance far beyond what was previously believed, inner speech may be helping us to regulate our own behavior, motivate ourselves for action and even become conscious of our own selves. In this book, Fernyhough uses his strong research to demonstrate the importance of engaging with our inner voices and using the practices of thinking and introspection to grow an individual’s creativity and overall development.
The Voices Within is a great avenue to explore the current research and practical application of our inner voices. Building on the latest theories, including the new 'dialogic thinking' model, Fernyhough has written an authoritative and engaging guide to the voices in our heads!
