What is the term for when words are chosen based on their rhyming rather than meaning?

The term for when words are chosen based on their rhyming rather than their meaning is called clang association. This phenomenon is often observed in individuals with certain psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia, where speech may become disorganized and lose its coherent meaning. In clang association, the individual may string together words that sound similar or rhyme, leading to a form of communication that lacks logical structure and clarity.

This can make it challenging for others to engage in conversation with the individual, as the focus is placed on the phonetic qualities of the words rather than their semantic content. By recognizing clang association, mental health professionals can better assess the severity of a patient’s disorganized thinking and communication style.

Other terms like illusion, echolalia, and depersonalization refer to different phenomena. Illusion typically involves a misinterpretation of a sensory stimulus, echolalia is the repetition of words or phrases spoken by others, and depersonalization refers to the feeling of detachment from oneself or a sense of unreality regarding one's surroundings. These concepts do not relate to the specific pattern of word choice based on sound that defines clang association.