How do you think? I think with words.

Do you have an internal monologue?

I don't. I seem to think at a more abstract, pre-verbal level rather than through an internal voice.

Some studies suggest that frequent internal monologue may occur in roughly 30–50% of people [1], but the research is based on relatively small samples.

[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intersections/202304...

These days, words. When I was in an environment where language swapping between 4 to 5 languages was common, I thought in pictures and described it in the correct language for the audience. It was a plasticity mind trip.

Also saved pesos on the charge-per-text SMS schemes the local phone companies used because we could embed information across so many options.

How do you know that it's the words driving the thinking, rather than the stream of words just being an observable trace tacked onto the actual thinking?

My friend has aphantasia and cannot think with words, sounds, or pictures.