The science behind the cocktail party effect

Psychologist Colin Cherry was the first to research the cocktail party phenomenon more than 70 years ago.* In one of his studies, participants wore headphones and heard two different messages at the same time. One message played in the participants’ right ears and another in the left. They were asked to tease apart the contents of these messages under a variety of circumstances and levels of interference.

One scenario had participants listen to the messages in a setting similar to a cocktail party. As sound came from multiple angles, Cherry found people were able to easily tune into either message and shift their attention between the two messages. Participants understood the messages overall, regardless of the speaker’s gender or the content.

Cherry’s research helped explain sound in busy spaces, but his conclusions didn’t fully apply to people with hearing loss. While people without hearing loss can separate and comprehend multiple voices in noisy environments, people with hearing loss have difficulty understanding speech in the same settings.

According to new research into the cocktail party problem, people with hearing loss experience a sound processing issue. People with hearing loss struggle to filter out extra sounds due to an abnormal fusion of sounds. This makes it harder to listen to only one voice. Words get blended and loud settings become difficult to navigate. **

Technology for the cocktail party effect

Cocktail party effect psychology may seem daunting, but with the help of the latest hearing aid technology, people with hearing loss can listen with ease in difficult environments.

Modern hearing aids include several features that target difficult noises and help the wearer adapt to the sound. One such feature is Speech Isolation Technology. Speech isolation selects and operates three key elements to create the best listening experience. These elements include:

Managing daily noisy environments

While hearing aids are useful tools to successfully navigate noisy environments, you can also take some steps to boost your hearing ability in loud settings. Here are some tips to help you listen with ease, even with background noise:

• Sit in a well-lit space and close to the person you want to hear. In groups, choose a spot where you can see as many faces as possible.
• Position yourself as far away from competing noises as possible.
• If your device is set up for multiple programs, tune your hearing aids to the most effective listening program for the environment.
• Bring longer or more in-depth conversations to a quieter location.

You can also ask people at large gatherings to help create a more conducive atmosphere for conversations. Ask them to take pauses between phrases, speak clearly and confirm details with you. For more resources on how to effectively communicate with people who have hearing loss, explore our tips for hearing loss communication.

Enjoy all settings and surroundings

Navigating noisy office parties and loud family gatherings doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult. Knowing how the cocktail party effect impacts your hearing loss and options to overcome it, you can enjoy more events with comfort and confidence.