Conference Agenda

The self represents a multifactorial entity made up of several interrelated constructs. It is suggested that self-talk orchestrates interactions between most self-processes—especially those entailing self-reflection. A review of the literature is performed, specifically looking for representative studies (n = 12) presenting correlations between self-report measures of self-talk and self-reflective processes. Self-talk questionnaires include the Self-Talk Scale, the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire, the General Inner Speech Questionnaire, and the Inner Speech Scale. The main self-reflection measures are the Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire, the Self-Consciousness Scale, and the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale. Most measures comprise subscales which are also discussed. Findings include: (1) positive significant correlations between self-talk used for self-management/assessment and self-reflection, arguably because the latter entails self-regulation, which itself relies on self-directed speech; (2) positive significant correlations between critical self-talk and self-rumination, as both may recruit negative, repetitive, and uncontrollable self-thoughts; (3) negative associations between self-talk and the self-acceptance aspect of mindfulness, likely because thinking about oneself in the present in a non-judgmental way is best achieved by repressing one’s inner voice. Limitations are discussed, including the selective nature of the reported correlations. Experimentally manipulating self-talk would make it possible to further explore causal associations with self-processes.