Comments on: More Inattentional Blindness

By: Jared Olsen

Jared Olsen — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 07:36:23 +0000

Steve, I’m sure you’re not suggesting we refrain from listening to, say, the SGU while driving??!
Also-

“It’s almost as if the system were designed to be a psychological experiment in which processing load and interference were maximized.”

-How do you know it’s not?

By: locutusbrg

locutusbrg — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:03:00 +0000

I think we use the same software for records.

By: BillyJoe7

BillyJoe7 — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:06:56 +0000

FB,

Then you missed a truly mind blowing experience.

By: ccbowers

ccbowers — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:41:43 +0000

“This is why I get upset when people suggest listing to audio books while driving. The evidence is pretty clear on how dangerous having a phone conversation while driving can be. In my experience, the attention required to follow an audio book where you’re often required to visualize complex scenes and consider complex emotional states of multiple characters utterly dwarfs the attention required to follow a phone call.”

There is no doubt that cell phones are not unique in their ability to divert attention from driving, but I still think that a phone conversation is unlike other examples (e.g. radio, ebooks, w/in car conversations, billboards, etc.) in the amount of attention they require.

If I am speaking to a person on a cell phone, I am much more compelled to maintain my attention to that person since I am aware that the other person requires certain cues to communicate that I am listening, and I am aware that they cannot see my face or the road for cues on why I am not responding. It also doesn’t help that the voice quality of cell phones is pretty poor (relative to a corded phone- I know, whats that? or close conversation), which makes extra concentration necessary.

When the communication is one-way (like the radio, podcast, or ebook) I do not feel as compelled to maintain attention to that, since I know it is not relying on me in any way. With an ebook or podcast, you don’t even have to worry about missing anything since you can rewind. Of course, ideally everyone would be driving with vigilance and no distractions, but if you are driving for several hours on a highway your mind will divert its attention with daydreaming which I am not sure is much better

By: Kerry Maxwell

Kerry Maxwell — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 01:56:13 +0000

How are audio books any different than listening to the radio, which have been standard equipment on cars for half a century? I get just as absorbed in a given episode of This American Life as any audio book.

This morning, as I was making a left turn off a major street onto a side street, a driver was pulling out of said side street into main street devoting full attention to gazing into their iPhone. Maybe not too stupid to breathe, but definitely too inattentive to drive. Forget computer controlled cars, how about a court orders this person to take public transportation?

By: SARA

SARA — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:42:51 +0000

#Kris – I agree with you on the audio book thing. I listened to an audio book on a 13 hour trip. And I was unaware of anything during entire 100 mile stretches but what happened in the book. And while that kind of thing happens without the book, it’s not usually quite that dramatic a time frame.

I also found that when I hit cities I had to turn it off or I would miss all my exits and become a dangerous driver.

It is a great way to pass time on a long trip, but I in the end the importance of safety should outweigh the convenience of passing time.

By: MikeB

MikeB — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:37:21 +0000

I use the inattentional blindness material to teach new writing students about the necessity of establishing reading periods without distractions: too many students think they are reading when they are simply skimming because their ipods are attached to their heads and their roommate is chatting on the cellphone.

But the basketball/gorilla video is so notorious that it doesn’t work anymore: many people have already heard of it. Are there other new, unexpected video tests out there?

By: ConspicuousCarl

ConspicuousCarl — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:51:51 +0000

FerrousBueller:

But do you notice which card changes color in this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAntzB7EwE

By: ferrousbueller

ferrousbueller — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:10:57 +0000

Upon closer inspection, I made the mistake. There are only 15 passes. What looks like a quick give-and-go near the end is actually the tall guy stealing a pass from the girl. Poor sportsmanship, if you ask me.

By: ferrousbueller

ferrousbueller — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:06:38 +0000

I definitely noticed the gorilla, and I counted the correct number of passes, 16 (the people who made the video missed one near the end). I’ll be sure to present this evidence of my multitasking aptitude to the police officer next time I get pulled over for texting while driving. Thanks, Dr. Novella!