Vertical News: Human Brain Tries to Predict Conversation

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Human Brain Tries to Predict Conversation

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A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found that the brains of two human beings in conversation will attempt to predict what the other one will say next. This constant effort to predict and understand causes brain activity patterns to align in the two individuals.

Language scientists had long thought that the brain processes language from the “bottom up,” hearing a collection of sounds first and then processing them into words. However, researchers have discovered that it is more complex than that. The brain will try to predict what the next word to be heard is, even before it is spoken (Mark Prigg, “On the Same Wavelength? Our Brains Are Constantly Trying to Predict What People We Talk to Are Going to Say Next, Researchers Find,” The Daily Mail at DailyMail.co.uk, May 8, 2014).

Much of human history is the story of misunderstanding developing into mistrust and then into war. It is ironic that God designed the human brain to try to bridge those gaps of misunderstanding.

How can we distill this research into our own lives? Take the opportunity to listen carefully to what others say, understand what they mean, and find a way to meet on common ground.

The apostle Paul put it best, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you,” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23, NKJV).