"What? No! Really? Ha Ha Ha!" Ever heard this before? While sitting on the twenty-two North Illini bus toward the main quad, this is what I, along with several other bus commuters, hear on a regular basis. This diluted chatter is what Lauren Emberson, PhD candidate for psychology at Cornell University, would call a "halfalogue." A "halfalogue" is when a listener hears only half of a conversation in a dialogue. A dialogue is a conversation between two present people.
Yes, this chatter and noise may be annoying and distracting to most, which seems harmless, but there may be other serious side effects. Ever try studying, reading a book, or even focusing on something while listening to a "halfalogue"? If so, you would probably find this task very difficult. Personally, I find it very frustrating to listen to someone talk on the phone because I find myself always thinking about what the other person is saying on the other end of the phone. Emberson says this makes my brain try to focus more intensely, in order to fill in the missing holes in the conversation and make sense of everything.
Imagine if you heard only half of a scary murder story. You might find yourself asking questions like: How did it end? Did anyone get hurt? Who was the killer? These questions are similar to the questions you may be asking yourself when listening to half of a cell-phone speech. Because the speech is less predictable, it causes the brain to focus on the unheard speech instead of the intended task, therefore decreasing the progress on the intended activity. Emberson has also done studies to prove that unheard cell-phone chatter causes the brain to have slower reaction times, specifically in driving.
So, the next time you can't focus on your studies, you might want to blame your neighbor sitting on the bus next to you on the phone before you blame yourself.
Yes, this chatter and noise may be annoying and distracting to most, which seems harmless, but there may be other serious side effects. Ever try studying, reading a book, or even focusing on something while listening to a "halfalogue"? If so, you would probably find this task very difficult. Personally, I find it very frustrating to listen to someone talk on the phone because I find myself always thinking about what the other person is saying on the other end of the phone. Emberson says this makes my brain try to focus more intensely, in order to fill in the missing holes in the conversation and make sense of everything.
Imagine if you heard only half of a scary murder story. You might find yourself asking questions like: How did it end? Did anyone get hurt? Who was the killer? These questions are similar to the questions you may be asking yourself when listening to half of a cell-phone speech. Because the speech is less predictable, it causes the brain to focus on the unheard speech instead of the intended task, therefore decreasing the progress on the intended activity. Emberson has also done studies to prove that unheard cell-phone chatter causes the brain to have slower reaction times, specifically in driving.
So, the next time you can't focus on your studies, you might want to blame your neighbor sitting on the bus next to you on the phone before you blame yourself.
Like i know what you mean, cause I was just just half paying attention to what i was reading here and it was just so hard when other people keep sending me IM's and like if i don't keep that turned off , then how do i ever get to concentrate on like what i"m trying to do in the first place , like maybe school work? So, much worse that a over heard phone conversation is someone who leaves them-self open to interruptions via there own phone texts or emails. So, if a someone Else's phone call that u over hear is a problem , first turn off your own phone too. Don't u Think that is even a bigger distraction?? I call it "IMdistracted" or "IMterruped"
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