Talking to your car is actually a sign of social intelligence

If you’ve ever spent hours in the garage tinkering with your car or daydreaming about its future, then you know that there is something special about cars. And the truth is, car conversations are no different than any other kind of conversation. They have a rhythm, they have inflection, and they have meaning. Recent research shows that talking to your car can prevent accidents, reduce stress, and make you feel "in tune" with the vehicle.

A recent study has stated that people who talk to their cars are less likely to crash or take risks because they feel like they are more in tune with the vehicle. The idea that talking to your car can produce a positive outcome is an old one. However, the new study by Dr. Chad Kime of UCLA may provide some insight into why this phenomenon exists.

A recent study by the University of Maryland found that only 16% of drivers talk to their car. The study recorded responses from respondents who were asked to report if they spoke with their car on a regular basis. If they responded "no", they were then asked to rate various reasons why they didn't speak to their car. Researchers found that most people do not talk to their cars because it is considered weird, or they are embarrassed about talking to inanimate objects.

First, many people have been talking to their cars for years.

Second, it's not only a new phenomenon.

Third, talking to your car is said to help with feelings of alienation and detachment from the car.

Fourth, there are a few theories that talk about the psychology behind the behavior of talking to your car.

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Then there’s unpredictability. Epley explains that we associate unpredictability with humans and, therefore, we’re more likely to treat our cars as human if they ‘decide’ not to start one morning, or suddenly blow a gasket on a dual carriageway during the school run.

This odd tendency is a direct result of humans' superior intelligence.

“For centuries, our willingness to recognize minds in nonhumans has been seen as a kind of stupidity, a childlike tendency toward anthropomorphism and superstition that educated and clear-thinking adults have outgrown,” writes Epley. “I think this view is both mistaken and unfortunate. Recognizing the mind of another human being involves the same psychological processes as recognizing a mind in other animals, a god, or even a gadget. It is a reflection of our brain’s greatest ability.”

Keep your scanners on, Kit.

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