Psychology
Internal Processor Versus External Processor Distinction May Not Actually Exist
Huberman Lab
Tools to Bolster Your Mental Health & Confidence | Dr. Paul Conti
"What happens often is we get stuck in our own minds. So then we're thinking, but we're not thinking productively, right? Because we get stuck in our own loops. And when we take the thought process outside of us— so if we write the words down, or if we say the words, we say the words to another person— then we're bringing different brain processes online, different error-checking processes online."
Dr. Conti challenges the popular notion that people are either internal or external processors, explaining that most people get stuck in unproductive mental loops when only thinking internally. Verbalizing or writing thoughts activates different brain mechanisms that enable better problem-solving. The key is finding the right balance of internal reflection and external processing for individual effectiveness.