Um, Actually: The Hidden Purpose of Hesitation in Speech
Psychology Today | 04.07.2026 00:45
It happens after almost every high-profile interview or political debate. Before long, social media is full of clips counting the “ums” and “ers”, mocking awkward pauses, or declaring that a speaker “doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” But those tiny moments of hesitation reveal something quite different: a brain working exactly as it should.
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