Behavioral dynamics of conversation, (mis)communication and coordination in noisy environments

Abstract

During conversations people coordinate simultaneous channels of verbal and nonverbal information to hear and be heard. But the presence of background noise levels such as those found in cafes and restaurants can be a barrier to conversational success. Here, we used speech and motion-tracking to reveal the reciprocal processes people use to communicate in noisy environments. Conversations between twenty-two pairs of typical-hearing adults were elicited under different conditions of background noise, while standing or sitting around a table. With the onset of background noise, pairs rapidly adjusted their interpersonal distance and speech level, with the degree of initial change dependent on noise level and talker configuration. Following this transient phase, pairs settled into a sustaining phase in which reciprocal speech and movement-based coordination processes synergistically maintained effective communication, again with the magnitude of stability of these coordination processes covarying with noise level and talker configuration. Finally, as communication breakdowns increased at high noise levels, pairs exhibited resetting behaviors to help restore communication—decreasing interpersonal distance and/or increasing speech levels in response to communication breakdowns. Approximately 78 dB SPL defined a threshold where behavioral processes were no longer sufficient for maintaining effective conversation and communication breakdowns rapidly increased.

Impact of Hearing Loss and Auditory Rehabilitation on Dyads: A Microsocial Perspective

“…This could be due to the fact, that at the onset of hearing loss, the dyad faces the task of mustering more energy to overcome the difficult communicative situation. The higher degree of nonverbal synchrony in our sample thus fits to several studies that documented increased synchrony in challenging listening situations such as in background noise (Boker et al, 2002;Miles et al, 2023). Situations with obstacles for "normal" verbal communication thus appear to foster the recruitment of other means -such as nonverbal communication -that could facilitate interaction and social connectedness (Hadley & Ward, 2021).…”