Re: Annoyance of cell phone use in public spaces

[Christian Kaernbach <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Odd Torleiv,

Was this to say that Lowel did not contribute anything new? I think he
did. Curiosity has not been mentioned up to now. I suppose there is
something in it. One would have to check whether cell phone use in a
foreign language is less annoying (I have a feeling it is).

-Christian

"O.T.Furnes" <oddtf@IMT.UIO.NO> wrote:
> OMard, Lowel P  wrote:
> > There is another reason why overhearing people using mobile
> > phones are more annoying than hearing face to face conversations,
> > that nobody seems to have mentioned.  When overhearing a mobile
> > phone conversation we can only hear one side, whereas
> > eavesdropping on a face to face conversation  generally gives
> > us access to both.  Being naturally nosey creatures it
> > is of course frustrating to only hear half the conversation.
> > ...Lowel.
>
> 7. august Michael Norris wrote:
> Guesses:
> (1:psychoacoustic) if there is only one voice alternating with
> silence you have to keep readapting and reorienting to the voice,
> - as with a noise alternating with silence it sounds louder
> and you are more aware of its position relative to yourself.
> (2:learned) with a 2-sided conversation we are used to the
> pattern of intonation and expect an alternation of voices, so
> hearing one side is unusual, therefore grabs more attention
> (3:social) speech nearby after silence often signals that
> someone is trying to open a conversation with you, so you have
> to keep actively ignoring the social cue.