Verbal Fluency, anyone?

[Sir]

Doesn't anyone know of a way to enhance Verbal Fluency? It's such a fundamental part of effective communication, I'm suprised it hasn't been explored by members of this group for a way to enhance it.

The only solutions I've found was Dual N Back based on anecdotal evidence and Creativity training which apparently enhances Verbal Fluency.

If you can't access the appropriate words quick enough from your long term memory, then you'll appear dumb no matter how intelligent you are. The reverse is true as well, I'm sure you could name those who could speak well with no real substance aka bullshit. So in the real world, it can be a real gamechanger.

[☉]

Well, it isn't a difficult task to increase verbal fluency. One can
grab a favorite dictionary and thesaurus and study those until one is
blue in the face. Actually, I highly recommend that procedure. At some
point, conceptual patterns will emerge wherein certain words as
pertains to their nature will become more and more closely related to
each other in conceptual space and so the words will easily come into
conscious awareness for present use.

However, not all dictionaries or thesauri are created equal. Thought
and care must be taken when choosing them, I think.

By the way, I haven't actually tried this myself, but it seems
straightforward enough to be a successful one.

argumzio

[whoisbambam]

ultimate vocabulary seems interesting.
http://www.ultimatevocabulary.com

On Feb 10, 12:54 pm, Sir <wlitmilky...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Rashid Khan]

Argumzio, are you saying that by intensely studying words, the mind theoretically should make associations with related words and thus make it easier for them to come into concious awareness?

I want to make a distinction between increasing verbal fluency and learning vocabulary. In another thread the.fourth.standard.deviation noted that although he has an extremely high verbal IQ (3-4 SD) and the obvious very large accompanying vocabulary, there were cases where he was at a lost for words. The most effective communication uses the most concise and simplest combination of words to explain the most complex of ideas. Its not effective communication if most people don't understand the words you say.

So just to clarify, did you have this in mind when you thought of the method to enhance verbal fluency?

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Dual N-Back, Brain Training & Intelligence" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to brain-trainin...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to brain-t...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/brain-training?hl=en.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

[Michael]

Well, I guess there's some distinctions that need to be made.

Verbal fluency - the fluidity by which someone communicates. Someone that speaks with long-spaced frequent breaks vs someone seems to speak so quickly they almost stumble over their words.

Verbal knowledge (I understand this is the incorrect term)  - The vocabulary someone has; so the words a person uses when they communicate. 

As to how to improve it. Simple, practice.

I like argumzio's suggestion, in my experience I've noticed that when analyzing texts, improvement in verbal fluency tends to follow (the same day). Vocab building through the use of a dictionary is likely to be of similar use but with a more narrow and maybe in your case, practical agenda. The *effort* of analysis is a necessary condition when it comes to improving fluency however, I think, instead of just rote memorizing in an Anki sort of way when theirs no stressing of the *articulation loop*. So, to direct, this option is likely to exercise both.

To improve fluency, simply just talk a lot Talking in front of the mirror is not a bad idea, if you're eager to train away from the social waters. It might also improve your self-awareness in the process. If you want to take this to the next level, maybe even record yourself. Then, like we do with n-back, you can track your "performance" overtime. Personally, I spend about 30 min at the end of each day in reflection, organized in such a way that it also includes both a past and future focus. I ask myself "tough" questions regarding different things. If I had the the time I'd move this to a video recording platform (which I believe would increase my verbal fluency), however the written word always, for me at least, offers not only more depth but also one that's easier to study, retrieve and add to, if need be.

I suppose there are many other things one could suggest, but I'll leave it for you to expand on what your personal taste is. Key element: Verbal articulation.

[Michael]

"tough" questions ---> I'm not particularly discriminant here. Mostly inside my area of interests (this includes my personal life), which doesn't normally include theories pertaining to the origin of life an the universe, unless of course its just a flirtation!

So, if there's any relevance in revealing this, its that I recommend your private practice should focus on things that you value. Naturally, you'll not only improve your verbal articulation powers but also your prowess in the domain you're focusing on, which is just a further development on what I mentioned before, verbal knowledge, but with a different knife edge, of course.

[Green]

 

I had a lot of trouble with verbal fluency, back in the day. But now I think that the problem was that I was exercising too hard and not getting enough sleep. I was just wearing myself out.

[kawa]

Dual n-back helps my verbal fluency even though I do the same amount
of reading I did before I started n-backing.

It seems to me that the proper words sprout out of me with a smaller
amount of effort, much more easily compared to what I was acustomed to
in the old days.

Of course, it may be that this does not hold for people that already
have the proper verbal software installed in their brains.

[☉]

I don't see why the mind should not be inclined towards making
associations, so yes, I can't say that such wouldn't occur after
deliberate study. Vocabulary may not be dependent on fluency, but
fluency is dependent upon vocabulary as well as executive function and
goal-oriented task adaptability. Having ADD and a low performance I.Q.
is certain to make the task of directing attention to such a task as
stating as many words as possible beginning with "F" within a minute
very difficult than compared to someone with a comparable knowledge
base and higher fluid ability and no attentional deficit, no matter
how extensive the former person's knowledge is.

I do not thinking addressing the issue of communication is
particularly relevant to the original issue of improving VF, but it
certainly would be difficult to compensate for such deficits I
mentioned.

argumzio

On Feb 10, 1:38 pm, Rashid Khan <wlitmilky...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Argumzio, are you saying that by intensely studying words, the mind
> theoretically should make associations with related words and thus make it
> easier for them to come into concious awareness?
>
> I want to make a distinction between increasing verbal fluency and learning
> vocabulary. In another thread the.fourth.standard.deviation noted that
> although he has an extremely high verbal IQ (3-4 SD) and the obvious very
> large accompanying vocabulary, there were cases where he was at a lost for
> words. The most effective communication uses the most concise and simplest
> combination of words to explain the most complex of ideas. Its not
> effective communication if most people don't understand the words you say.
>
> So just to clarify, did you have this in mind when you thought of the
> method to enhance verbal fluency?

[☉]

Apologies for any typos, it isn't so easy typing on an iPod.

argumzio