<p>I'm not aware of a term specifically for this phenomenon.</p>

<p>Having a conversation in one's head has been termed dialogic inner speech by <a href="https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/11/1/110/2375153" rel="noreferrer">several researchers</a>.  You didn't mention if the people you are arguing with reply back - if they don't, then it's just regular (monologic) inner speech.</p>

<p>One common function of inner speech is <a href="https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Internal_monologue" rel="noreferrer">sometimes referred to</a> as speech rehearsal - ie, where one might practice a monologue or dialogue (eg, debate) in their mind ahead of time.</p>

<p>In a more pathological context, repeatedly looping through a conversation in one's head can be a form of rumination, and simulating a future argument could be considered <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_(psychology)#Types_and_content_of_thoughts" rel="noreferrer">action rumination</a> if it is a reaction to a recently failed argument.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-26T11:03:35.543Z
I meant the people argue back by using the preposition 'with' rather than 'at' or something. Thanks! I'll accept this soon if nobody else answers with something better.
Anthony
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-05T22:37:56.340Z
Good video on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRLkDafQbP8
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-25T15:11:02.963Z
2019-10-25T15:11:02.963Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>Is there a name for the phenomenon of arguing with other people in one's mind?
I don't mean simply replaying memories of arguments (or modifications thereof), although that may fall under this too but also predicting arguments and debating people preemptively in one's imagination.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-25T08:24:53.957Z
Thought experiment.
4231
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-25T19:54:58.650Z
Thought experiment is an imagined sequence of events. It is used to illustrate or investigate the consequences of a given action or condition, especially in philosophy and theoretical physics. It's not about psychology, it's a method of obtaining insight.
Quora Feans
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-26T16:09:00.273Z
@ChrisRogers: I do not dispute that thought experiments are used as a insight method in psychology as a science. However, the psychology process describing above is self-talk or an internal monologue.
Quora Feans
<cognitive-psychology><consciousness>
Is there a name for arguing with other people in one's mind?
Anthony
# Is there a name for arguing with other people in one's mind?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-24)

Is there a name for the phenomenon of arguing with other people in one's mind?
I don't mean simply replaying memories of arguments (or modifications thereof), although that may fall under this too but also predicting arguments and debating people preemptively in one's imagination.

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, consciousness

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Thought experiment.  
> **username_2**: Thought experiment is an imagined sequence of events. It is used to illustrate or investigate the consequences of a given action or condition, especially in philosophy and theoretical physics. It's not about psychology, it's a method of obtaining insight.  
> **username_2**: @ChrisRogers: I do not dispute that thought experiments are used as a insight method in psychology as a science. However, the psychology process describing above is self-talk or an internal monologue.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-25. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

I'm not aware of a term specifically for this phenomenon.

Having a conversation in one's head has been termed dialogic inner speech by [several researchers](https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/11/1/110/2375153). You didn't mention if the people you are arguing with reply back - if they don't, then it's just regular (monologic) inner speech.

One common function of inner speech is [sometimes referred to](https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Internal_monologue) as speech rehearsal - ie, where one might practice a monologue or dialogue (eg, debate) in their mind ahead of time.

In a more pathological context, repeatedly looping through a conversation in one's head can be a form of rumination, and simulating a future argument could be considered [action rumination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_(psychology)#Types_and_content_of_thoughts) if it is a reaction to a recently failed argument.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I meant the people argue back by using the preposition 'with' rather than 'at' or something. Thanks! I'll accept this soon if nobody else answers with something better.  
> **username_3**: Good video on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRLkDafQbP8  

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