Overheard Phone Conversations

[The Magic Pudding]

Not world changing science, but this may be of some interest.

University psychologist Lauren Emberson has coined a new wordâ€"“halfalogue”â€"to capture the special nature of overheard cell-phone conversation. Her idea is that it’s not the actual spoken words that are most distracting, but rather the unheard half of the dialogue. The human mind can’t stand not knowing the whole story, and is compelled to fill it in, and that act of imagination depletes the attention needed for reading about last night’s ball game

.  http://trueslant.com/wrayherbert/2010/0 ... alfalogue/

[Thumpalumpacus]

I've always had a little laugh when I see two friends walking side-by-side, both on their phones.  I imagine them calling each other from 2 foot apart.

[karadan]

That's an interesting study.
I travel by train rather a lot and one of the things which makes my blood boil more than most is people talking loudly on the phone. It mystifies me as to why some people feel the need to tell whoever is on the other end that they are on the train in the loudest, most obnoxious voice possible. I seriously don't give a damn that Chardonnay is going to be six next week and that Darren is buying a new BMW at the weekend, especially when conveyed at 165 decibels. Microphones in mobiles are actually very good quality. You don't need to speak with such irritating volume. When confronted with this, i often try to 'fill in the gaps' but the exercise is invariably ruined due to the fact i can also hear 'Bianca' on the other end of the line through the ear speaker explaining the virtues of tanning beds whilst on holiday - at 165 decibels.

Sorry, rant over.  

[pinkocommie]

That's an interesting study.
I travel by train rather a lot and one of the things which makes my blood boil more than most is people talking loudly on the phone. It mystifies me as to why some people feel the need to tell whoever is on the other end that they are on the train in the loudest, most obnoxious voice possible. I seriously don't give a damn that Chardonnay is going to be six next week and that Darren is buying a new BMW at the weekend, especially when conveyed at 165 decibels. Microphones in mobiles are actually very good quality. You don't need to speak with such irritating volume. When confronted with this, i often try to 'fill in the gaps' but the exercise is invariably ruined due to the fact i can also hear 'Bianca' on the other end of the line through the ear speaker explaining the virtues of tanning beds whilst on holiday - at 165 decibels.

Sorry, rant over.  :upset:

[Ihateyoumike]

I heard a guy in the bathroom stall at wal mart the other day having an argument with his girl. I was actually laughing out loud while taking a leak. Dude was saying things like, " but baby, my phone is always sending text messages to the wrong people. I'll send something to you but my phone sends it to my mom." and " yeah I screwed around with her before but I ain't cheatin' on ya now with her." and so on. The way he was talking reminded me of an episode of the sitcom My Name is Earl.
So I guess if you need a private place to have anargument with your girl about the fact she caught you cheating on her because you're too stupid to send dirty texts to the right person, sitting on the shitter at wallyworld is probably not the place to do it.

[SSY]

That's an interesting study.
I travel by train rather a lot and one of the things which makes my blood boil more than most is people talking loudly on the phone. It mystifies me as to why some people feel the need to tell whoever is on the other end that they are on the train in the loudest, most obnoxious voice possible. I seriously don't give a damn that Chardonnay is going to be six next week and that Darren is buying a new BMW at the weekend, especially when conveyed at 165 decibels. Microphones in mobiles are actually very good quality. You don't need to speak with such irritating volume. When confronted with this, i often try to 'fill in the gaps' but the exercise is invariably ruined due to the fact i can also hear 'Bianca' on the other end of the line through the ear speaker explaining the virtues of tanning beds whilst on holiday - at 165 decibels.

Sorry, rant over.  

I feel your pain brother, why is there such a correlation between the banality of the conversation, and the volume with which people feel the need to convey it? The year I spent commuting was undoubtedly a major contributing factor to my crippling misanthropy.

[Squid]

I've always had a little laugh when I see two friends walking side-by-side, both on their phones.  I imagine them calling each other from 2 foot apart.

Not to derail or anything but I've watched two people, in all seriousness, text each other from only a few feet apart.  I've even had someone text me when they were in the next room and they were met with my reply, "Dude, I right f*!king here!".  Anyhow, now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[The Magic Pudding]

I've experienced family members, who on overhearing an old fashioned phone conversation, can't help butting in.
I used to put this down to their personality and seen it as something to avoid.
Maybe I've besmirched them.  
Perhaps halfalogues made them do it.  

[philosoraptor]

This is one of the things that really irks me about public transit-there's always at least one.  Last year, while my car was in the shop, I had to take a bus from NJ to my university, 2 hours away for a midterm.  I was trying to study, but the tool box in the seat across the aisle was screaming into her cell phone.  When I politely asked her if she wouldn't mind keeping it down, she went ballistic on me.  Until the bus drive told her to shut her cell phone and her mouth or take it on the side of the AC Expressway.  

If it's banal, boring conversation, I have no problem tuning it out.  But when it sounds like it might be remotely interesting, I will sometimes listen and imagine for a moment.

[Thumpalumpacus]

A nice, direct stare is a good reply.

[Tank]

A nice, direct stare is a good reply.

I find rapt attention has the desired effect