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"Sure, I'm following everything you say..." Young man listening to tin can telephone via Shutterstock

“What’s that, dear?”: The science of selective hearing

Ever tuned out of one conversation just to listen in on another? Course you have.

Republished with permission from Greatist.com

CROWDED LECTURE HALLS, work conferences, packed house parties — put a bunch of people in a room and it can get pretty noisy, with multiple conversations going on all at once. Yet somehow, most of us are able to tune out the masses (or simply the TV) and tune in to our personal discussions. How do we do it? Recent research suggests that selective hearing is, in fact, a real thing. We break down what’s going on in our brains when we decide what we want to hear.

LISTEN CLOSE — WHAT’S THE DEAL?

Not only do our brains decide which conversations we want to tune into; they also give us the capacity to focus on said conversations to the exclusion of other, simultaneous discussions competing for our attention.

Our ability to select what we hear (in the most literal sense) was coined the “cocktail party effect” by British scientist Colin Cherry in the 1950s. The term has gained public traction in the past few years thanks to ongoing research. One of the most notable studies was conducted in 2010, when researchers at the University of California, San Francisco used an advanced decoding algorithm to learn that participants’ brains were able to target one speaker while listening to another, simultaneous speaker.

Amazingly enough, the researchers were even able to determine the specific words a given participant was listening to by analysing patterns in their brain activity. Based on these assessments, the researchers determined that our brains are designed to prioritise some auditory cues over others — say, that piece of juicy gossip or the football score over the request to fold the laundry. (Let’s admit it: We’ve all been there!)

So what makes some things stick while others (like a request to pick up the milk or take the dog out) float through one ear and out the other? According to one study, how or what we choose to listen to (over other sounds) is dependent on background noise and stimuli as well as behavioral goals — in other words, how important the conversation is to you relative to other things that are going on.

Call this the “Homer Simpson Effect,” says Greatist expert Paul Zak.

Some people don’t seem to listen well to others unless they view the other person or what they are saying as very important.

Greatist expert Michael Mantell concurs.

If my goal is to watch the end of a game, a competing goal [such as folding the laundry] is not likely to draw my attention.

Visual cues are also important. One study found these cues are often given before auditory signals and may aid in our perception and understanding of speech. These visual cues may serve a predictive role, so if you catch the eye of the guy or girl across the bar and they smile, you might just get the nerve to go over and start a conversation.

THE HEAR AND NOW — WHY IT MATTERS

Thanks to advancements in technology and brain research, we can say with scientific certainty that selective hearing does exist. The reason, says Zak, is that our attention is an expensive resource in the brain — so we choose to focus only on what we deem most important. This also means we can’t multitask (text message, email, etc.) and truly listen to a conversation at the same time.

So perhaps what good listening comes down to is clarifying for ourselves what is really most important: Is it making it to the next level on Wii Fit, or is it cultivating a relationship in which our partner (or roommate) feels heard, respected, and valued? If we choose to prioritise the latter, maybe next time we’ll be able to focus more on a partner’s request to wash the dishes and less on the screen in front of us.

Whatever your priorities, this research can do more than give us leverage when calling out the significant other for forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning. Recent findings will also contribute to future work on aging, attention deficit disorder, and understanding the brains of people on the autism spectrum. The decoding algorithm used by the researchers at the University of California San Francisco in the US, specifically, may help scientists understand what is being heard by people who are paralysed or unable to communicate.

Recognising the way our brains’ speech systems operate is also of utmost importance to consumer technology companies who develop voice-activated products. Who knows what cool electronics will come from this research — Siri 2.0, anyone?

What do you think – do you believe that selective hearing is real? Do you ever choose to listen selectively sometimes? Let us know in the comments.

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    Mute David James Field
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    Dec 21st 2014, 7:50 PM

    Good photo.Hope he is found soon.

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    Mute Catherine Mayock
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    Dec 21st 2014, 8:21 PM

    If anyone has news please help him get home. His family need him.

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Dec 21st 2014, 11:29 PM

    Hoping for a good outcome on this.
    Just as a matter of interest,would one of the people that are “red thumbing” the articles of well wishes please explain.
    You do realise that this chaps friends & family read comments as well.

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    Mute Catherine Mayock
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    Dec 21st 2014, 11:34 PM

    Well said Mike. I’ve been saying this for ages.

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Dec 22nd 2014, 12:03 AM

    I would love to know what type of person would do it and why.

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    Mute Brendan Hill
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    Dec 23rd 2014, 4:59 PM

    It must be a fault of the layout or something. Sad to think ppl are that f*ucked up

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Dec 21st 2014, 10:09 PM

    Best wishes to him and his family hopefully he will be found soon safe and well.

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    Mute Foxtrot Hotel
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    Dec 23rd 2014, 11:00 AM

    I hope he’s found, whatever has happened. His family must be distraught with worry.

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    Mute jack frost
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    Dec 23rd 2014, 11:54 AM

    Why all the red thumbs when all is being said is supporting and wishing for the best outcome. . F@@king trolls all who red thumb. Should be ashamed of yourself.

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    Mute Tom Buckley
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    Dec 22nd 2014, 6:03 AM

    Peugeot 307

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    Mute Andrew Dagg
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    Dec 23rd 2014, 5:55 PM

    How F@ckin lazy are you in journal.ie? All you have done is reprinted the article!! There is a wife and 3 young daughters distraught at David’s disappearance and you couldn’t even update the car reg details?

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    Mute Jamie Donnelly
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    Dec 24th 2014, 11:06 PM

    He has been found.

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