Real World Test of Inattention While Talking On a Mobil Phone (07-14-10)

Although multiple studies have shown that people speaking on mobile phones are not very attentive to their physical environments, prior investigations have often been conducted in somewhat unrealistic circumstances.  Hyman and his colleagues have determined that the same lack of attention is found when real world situations are observed.  They assessed the behaviors of people walking while using a mobile phone or iPod, walking with another human, or traveling alone and not using a phone or iPod.  Only 25% of the people talking on the phone noticed a clown unicycling nearby, while 61% of iPod listeners did, 51% of people walking alone without a phone or iPod saw the clown, and 71% of those walking with someone else spotted the clown.  People designing circulation routes and wayfinding signage for the safe and efficient use of even walkers clearly face difficult challenges.

Ira Hyman, S. Boss, Breanne Wise, Kira McKenzie, and Jenna Caggiano, 2009.  “Did You See the Unicycling Clown?  Inattentional Blindness While Walking and Talking on a Cell Phone.”  Applied Cognitive Psychology, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 597-607.