How do deaf people think?

I agree with what GreenSheep and some others said - no one thinks entirely in words (spoken or otherwise). A lot of our thoughts are images or ideas... like GreenSheep said, this is why we sometimes think of something but have trouble figuring out how to say it. (Or like when you can't think of a word... you have no trouble thinking of the idea, but can't think of the word even in your native language.) This part of thinking would be the same for anyone regardless of how they communicate - I think we all sometimes think in images, ideas, and concepts.

Of course, often we do think in words, phrases and sentences, and for hearing people that usually means "hearing" the words in our heads. A deaf friend told me that she thinks in sign, but not visually - she doesn't visualize what the sign looks like, she imagines her hands forming the sign, almost like she can feel her hands forming the sign in her head. (Although I'm only minimally proficient in sign and I'm not deaf, when I do use sign language, this is how I would describe how I think about what I'm going to sign, too.) So I would say that at least for me and for my friend, it's definitely not visual, it's more about mentally "feeling" hand/arm motions and finger positions. I don't know if it would be the same for everyone - probably not (I doubt that all hearing people would describe the way they think in exactly the same way as other hearing people either)!

Also, a deaf person who communicates through sign language would answer your question very differently from a deaf person who communicates through speech and lipreading.

Interesting discussion!

when you really think about it, if you wanted an ice cream, would you ACTUALLY think of the sentence "I want an ice-cream" in your head? chances are you would have the idea, (either through an image in your minds-eye or a sense of a memory of the taste you experienced the last time you had an ice-cream) in your mind before you put it into words.

I think an easier explanation would be, when was the last time you had an idea about something, but had trouble explaining what you meant? For example if you were decorating a room, and you had an idea of a peice of furniture you wanted, you would probably be able to draw a picture of exactly what you want, but you might not necessarilly be able to explain to someone exactly what it should look like. This, I think, shows that even people who are not deaf, don't always think in perfect sentences, everyone needs to think in non-linguistic forms a lot of the time. I would presume that deaf people think of ideas in much the same way.

hope thats not too confusing! :)

Just because someone is deaf doesn't mean they are dumb or think any differently to a hearing person.

It's like asking if a person without an arm how they think? Is it the same?

I'm deaf and think like a normal person. Theres nothing wrong with me mentally. I'm just deaf, that doesn't affect my mind.

How do you think!?

You use words and sentences to imagine things, I used to when I was 10 years old when I first learnt a different language.

By the way I was born deaf in one ear, and have lost most of the use of my good ear since. I am also blind in one eye but that is another story.

If somone said ice-cream to me, I would see a picture of an ice-cream in my mind regardless of whether they spoke English, Spanish, Wollof or some other language including body tells and hand signals.

Your other senses definitely compensate as well to build up a complete picture of what is going on.

I think what you are asking is : is language created by words or can it exist without words.

Words are only a way to explain and communicate your thoughts to another person. The thoughts themselves are not in words but the result of an inner process you have then to translate into sounds, or gestures. So yes, people who can't hear spoken words think in the same language as non-deaf, thoughts. It's the translation program used to communicate that is different.

Replying to what amya said... your answer couldn't make less sense! I speak 4 languages and I totally understand what the question is all about! Right now you might be thinking "what the hell, she's so rude"! THAT thought itself you have thought in a language.. probably your mother tongue. But since a person who is born deaf doesn't have a language with letters, nouns and verbs as we know them, then HOW can he think "she's so rude" or whatever? What does he say to himself, since he's not familiar with the words???

My 5 year old is deaf. She reads, uses the computer, signs words and thinks in words and mental images much like anyone else. We are very lucky in this society to have so much support. Hope that's helped

The same way you do, in their own language, which happens to be sign language.

So, for example, if you are having to think through something, this is called an internal dialogue (using whatever language you know), theirs is in sign.

I have been reading the answers given to this question and would like to say thanks for asking such a thought provoking question, it is an intelligent question, which really will teach many people something who read it. I am teaching my son to use Makaton signs, because he can't talk, and I am learning too. Great question, you get a star from me.

well i know a couple who are deaf and have 3 kids who aren't. they enjoy music through feeling the beat via hands and feet etc. they think as normal people do just their associations are different. so they would think ice cream like you and me but if they were to think disco their perception and experience would be differ to a hearing person

No it's not offensive, I was afraid this was going to be another one of those, "Can deaf people read since they can't hear," kind of quesiton! :) Umm, well... sometimes they will think mentally of the sign that represent what they want, but yes mainly by pictures. Since they can read, they can still form sentences in there head like,"What do I have to do today?" They can form the sentence in their head like anyone else. Awesome quesiton!

P.S. I'm fluent in Sign Language!