yes absolutely. if a word is more difficult or surprising than expected, and we start overthinking (or we start relying on more control), essentially we allow our subconscious to catastrophize the prediction errors (we create even more possibilities in our mind that the brain is not ready yet i.e., motivational conflict, which Usler would call: a reduction in perceived communication competence and sense of self-efficacy). Of course we would still stutter, when auto-pilot speaking (that is, even if we would not over-think or over-control). Because the system is still continuing to assess the severity of the conflict and the appropriate amount of freezing that may be necessary for its resolution. Because, if we speak on auto-pilot, our subconscious is still trying to resolve the conflict by relying on: imprecise prior beliefs & high sensory precision to speech-related predictions resulting in salient prediction errors and stuttering, and controlled processes over automatic processes. I've tried to put it into a loop or vicious circle: * *(Distal factors that we have for a long time)* Imprecise prior beliefs + maladaptive precision weighting → * *(Immediate factors right before stuttering occurs)* Fear of evaluation, highly demanding utterance or low-predictability speech etc etc → * High sensory precision + inability to attenuate → * Salient prediction errors + conflict → * A feeling of loss of agency → * Excessive controlled processing → * Stuttering * Reinforcers: this further reinforces prior beliefs (e.g., that stuttering will occur etc) + Increased caution + further precision imbalance → Loops back up