Altidude is ToddZ

People who walked in pairs were the most likely to see the clown [compared to solo walkers talking on the phone]. “So it’s not the conversation that’s the problem…” Hyman told LiveScience. “It’s something about a cell phone conversation is where the problem is.”

He speculates, as do other researchers, that when talking to someone in person you both can modify your conversation based on the environment, so if a clown, say, pops up you can both look up. …a cell-phone conversation is just harder to maintain; it takes more effort; it’s harder to understand the other person; it’s harder to get the timing right. It’s just a much more difficult task.”

I’ve always recognized that this is why a phone conversation while driving is much more distracting than live conversation in a car full of people. I thought it was obvious. Maybe I should be an Applied Cognitive Psychologist?