Toward a patterned theory of inner speech: rethinking Vygotsky through 4E cognition and phenomenology
Mind & Society April 30, 2025 J. Colelli, M. di Bernardo, F. Verde 3 citations
Inner speech—the silent, internal use of language—emerges not as a simple transfer of outer social talk into the mind, but as a developmental reorganization of the agent's cognitive and bodily resources. Rethinking Vygotsky's concept of internalization through 4E cognitive science and phenomenology, the authors argue that this process creates a new inner space of intentional experience, shaped by embodied and social interactions. This inner space then actively influences how a person interprets, evaluates, and acts in the world, integrating cognitive, affective, and symbolic capacities.