Between ages 25 and 64, women say 3,275 more words per day than men. That’s about 20 extra minutes of daily conversation. Outside this age range, men and women talk about the same amount.
“There is a strong cross-cultural assumption. It suggests that women talk more than men,” says Colin Tidwell, a clinical psychologist at the University of Arizona. “We wanted to test whether this assumption holds up under scientific scrutiny.”
Researchers tracked 2,197 participants across four countries over 14 years. They collected 631,030 audio clips using wearable recorders that randomly captured speech during daily life.
A 2007 study found that men and women spoke about 16,000 words per day on average. But this new, larger study uncovered key differences the earlier research missed.
WHY DO WOMEN TALK MORE IN MIDLIFE?
The study doesn’t pinpoint an exact reason, but researchers suggest parenting roles could play a part. Women often take on more childcare responsibilities, leading to more verbal interactions.
“Biological factors like hormones should cause differences in young adults too if they were the main cause,” says Matthias Mehl, a psychologist at the University of Arizona. “If generational shifts were driving this, the gap should increase with age. Neither was the case.”
NOT ALL WOMEN TALK MORE
Speech habits vary widely. Some men are very talkative, while some women are quiet. The least chatty participant—a man—spoke just 62 words per day. The most talkative, also a man, spoke 124,134 words per day—nearly 130 words per waking minute!
ARE WE TALKING LESS OVERALL?
The study found people are speaking less over time, regardless of gender. Researchers suspect rising screen time plays a role, as digital communication replaces verbal conversation.
Despite its size, the study highlights uncertainties. Women in midlife spoke 1,500 to 3,600 more words per day than men, a range that requires further study.
Researchers also want to explore how talking impacts health.
“Evidence strongly links socializing to health, much like physical activity and sleep,” says Mehl. “It’s an essential health behavior.”
The study appears in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.