What leads to a slip of tongue? Therapist decodes the term for us

A 'slip of tongue' generally occurs due to the recency effect of the mind, when a person thinks a lot about something.

conflict between the conscious and unconscious mind triggers a slip of the tongue. (Sourcee: Freepik)

Wonder why we end up saying something entirely different from what we intended to, sometimes? These accidental mistakes can lead to awkward situations, but what causes them? Indianexpress.com spoke to Shinjini Deb, a registered clinical psychologist, to uncover the reasons behind this phenomenon.

“Parapraxis, or a Freudian slip, refers to an error in communication or memory that Freud believed reveals desires and urges from the unconscious mind,” said Deb. A ‘slip of the tongue’ generally occurs due to the recency effect, when a person frequently thinks about something. The mind latches onto it, and any environmental cue can trigger a slip, caused by this lingering effect.

According to Deb, this could be due to a couple of reasons.

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It might also be due to the malfunctioning of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. (Source: Freepik)

A slip of the tongue may result from unconscious desires, sleep deprivation, or a distracted state of mind. “In many cases, suppression and repression of thoughts may also be at play. For example, someone might intend to say, ‘I know you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today,’ but they may actually end up saying, ‘I’m sorry for your mourning’ (instead of morning).”

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Deb explained that in such cases, certain areas of the brain, such as the amygdala or the prefrontal cortex (the frontal part of the brain), may be temporarily out of order. “It might also be due to the malfunctioning of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, which deal with language production and comprehension,” she said.

According to Deb, the conflict between the conscious and unconscious mind triggers a slip of the tongue. One bit of information overrides the other, causing the person to blurt out unintended words. This phenomenon considers the predominant thought and expresses it without judgment or filter, almost as if you have lost control over your mind, actions, and words, Deb said.

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