Is Inner Speech Universal? Descriptive Experience Sampling & Myths of the Mind | Russell Hurlburt

What really goes on in our inner lives? Do we all think in words, narrating our experience with a constant "inner voice"? Or is that just a myth of the mind?In this conversation, Dr Tevin Naidu speaks with Professor Russell Hurlburt, pioneer of the Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) method, a groundbreaking approach to studying inner experience using random beepers and in-depth interviews. Hurlburt challenges our assumptions about consciousness, showing that what people think their minds are like often doesn’t match reality.About Russell Hurlburt:Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Originator of the Descriptive Experience Sampling method, and author of six books on inner experience. He has studied everyday and clinical populations alike, from adolescents to patients with schizophrenia, anxiety, and bulimia.

TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro & Inner Experience: Who is Russell Hurlburt and why inner experience matters03:02 Consciousness vs Mind: Why Russ avoids strict definitions and focuses on lived experience05:34 Inventing the Beeper (1973): Origins of Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES)07:41 From Questionnaires to DES: Why self-report methods failed and random sampling was needed10:03 Intellectual Roots of DES: Phenomenology, eyewitness memory, and psychology’s blind spots16:52 Skinner & Radical Behaviorism: Agreements, divergences, and the reality of private events18:20 How DES Works: Random beeps, sampling, and expositional interviews explained21:01 Inside the Method: What participants do during a DES study and how data is collected23:32 Iterative Interviewing: Correcting armchair reports and improving experiential fidelity30:18 Engineering Mind Meets Psychology: Why random sampling reveals hidden mental processes33:48 Biggest Surprises from DES: Counterintuitive discoveries about everyday inner experience36:16 Inner Speech is Rare: Why inner monologue is less common than most assume42:01 Phenomenology of Inner Speech: Full sentences, missing words, voices, and spatial location49:44 Clinical Relevance: How DES challenges psychiatric categories like DSM and ICD54:44 Schizophrenia & Splattered Perception: Figure/ground breakdowns in inner experience58:10 Inner Seeing vs. Mental Images: The difference between "seeing" and mere imagery1:02:26 The Problem of the Self: Why defining the self is philosophically problematic1:37:28 Future Directions in DES: AI, methodology, and a fidelity-based science of mind1:53:45 Malleability of Inner Experience: Case studies (Fran, Mel) and closing reflectionsEPISODE LINKS:- Russell's Website: https://hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu//- Russell's DES interviews: https://hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu/ieo/ieo.html- Russell's Books: https://hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu//sampling.html#books - Exploring Inner Experience: https://hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu//sampling.htmlCONNECT:- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com - Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- YouTube: https://youtube.com/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.