"But if you give them a problem they have to think about, and ask them to think out loud, you learn what problem-solving techniques they have at their disposal."

Am I the only one who will approach things completely differently when "thinking out loud" as opposed to silently?

Much of my problem solving techniques are non-verbal and involve visualizing. But you can't really do that when you have to keep talking and that forces you down a problem solving strategy that can be verbalized better