The One Thing Americans Are ‘Most Ashamed’ Of When Talking To Other People, According To Survey
Most people try their hardest to kick this common habit to the curb.
fizkes | Shutterstock No matter how confident or put-together someone seems, they may still struggle to break certain speech habits they don't want to keep. These habits have a way of really sneaking up on a person without them even realizing it, and while they're usually harmless, it doesn't mean that people aren't looking for a way to stop doing them altogether.
In a survey conducted by Preply, an online language tutor program, researchers sought to understand the desire to improve language skills and determine which habits Americans are trying to break and which ones they are embracing. Americans across the country were asked about their usage of filler words, different speech habits, quirks, and more.
The one thing Americans are most ashamed of when talking to other people is their use of filler words.
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Preply's survey found that most Americans are most ashamed of using filler words during conversations and of their pronunciation of certain words. If you're someone who speaks too quickly, like 43% of people, or say "um" a lot, like 66%, you’re like most Americans with speech habits they want to avoid.
Not only were filler words seen as a problem, but researchers also found that leading the way for other most common speech habits is struggling to think of the right word to describe something. Next was talking too fast and overusing "sorry" in conversations, in second and third place, respectively.
In fourth place was the habit involving the overuse of certain words, but instead of "sorry," it was curse words. In fifth place, 1 in 4 people said they talk too much, and finally, in sixth place for common habits, mumbling.
Psychologists explained that losing words that you should know is called 'tip-of-the-tongue states.'
We've definitely all been in a conversation with someone, and we may be on a roll with what we're trying to say, and then suddenly we get tripped up because we can't seem to remember the word for the thing we're trying to describe. What makes it even more frustrating is the fact that we can literally feel the word on the tip of the tongue, and yet, no matter how hard we concentrate, we can't seem to make it come out.
According to a study, college students experience about 1 to 2 tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) states per week, while people in their 60s and early 70s experience a slightly higher rate. Participants in their 80s, however, experience TOT states at a rate almost twice as high as college students.
Psychologist Donna Dahlgren, however, argued that the key issue with TOT states is not solely because of age but because of knowledge. If older adults typically have more information in long-term memory, then, as a consequence, they will experience more TOT states. Research suggested that people might have fewer episodes if they were able to maintain their aerobic fitness as well.
Considering that most people experience moments like this, it's safe to say that embarrassing speech habits are just part of being human. No one is immune to them, no matter how eloquent or articulate you practice being. It doesn't mean it's impossible to shake these habits, but it's a reminder of how communication can never be 100% perfect. What matters is how you're connecting with other people and how your message is being received, not just heard.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
