Difference between revisions of "Ringxiety"

From Cyborg Anthropology
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
===Definition===
 
===Definition===
Ringxiety, phantom vibration syndrome, or phantom ringtones is a term used to describe the feeling of a phone call in one's pocket, even though one is not being called upon.<ref>http://americaswatchtower.com/2007/11/13/beware-of-phantom-vibration-syndrome-it-could-kill-you/</ref>
+
The term ringxiety was first coined by psychologist David Laramie to describe the phantom feeling of a phone call in one's pocket. Some researchers think that ringxiety stems from a constant state of readiness that could develop in cell phone users. Before the advent of wireless phones, no one expected a call while driving in the car, shopping at the grocery store or dancing at a nightclub. With cell phones, though, there's a potential for a call to come through at any moment. Because of this, it's possible that our brains are conditioned to expect a call constantly, and when a person hears a tone that reminds him of his cell phone ringing, he will believe that's the case.<ref>http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2440&Itemid=1</ref>
  
Peter Tse, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth College, said phantom vibration rings may happen because cell phone users develop a “template” in their heads.
+
Peter Tse, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth College, said phantom vibration rings may happen because cell phone users develop a “template” in their heads. “I have a template for my baby’s cry in my head, for example, and sometimes just by chance a random set of sounds will match it,” he said. “I will go to check, but the baby wasn’t crying. These templates of expectation are responsible for the feeling of a call or text message, even though one might be present. "The brain is constantly filtering out background information", Tse says, and  "sometimes when a person is monitoring or searching for something important to them — such as a cell phone call or the sound of their own name — some of this background information is picked up and matched to a mental template".<ref>America's WatchTower - Beware of Phantom Vibration Syndrome. It could kill you. Published Nov. 13, 2007. Accessed Oct 20, 2011. http://americaswatchtower.com/2007/11/13/beware-of-phantom-vibration-syndrome-it-could-kill-you/</ref>
 
+
“I have a template for my baby’s cry in my head, for example, and sometimes just by chance a random set of sounds will match it,” he said. “I will go to check, but the baby wasn’t crying.
+
 
+
He said the brain is constantly filtering out background information. Tse said sometimes when a person is monitoring or searching for something important to them — such as a cell phone call or the sound of their own name — some of this background information is picked up and matched to a mental template.
+
 
+
It’s called the cocktail party effect.
+
 
+
“When everyone’s talking at a cocktail party, if your name or anything close to your name comes up in the room, you easily pick up on that,” Tse said.
+
 
+
But false vibrations are less easily understood. Some neurologists compare it to the nerve sensations felt by amputees in the place of the missing limb.
+
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 18: Line 8:
  
 
[[Category:Book Pages]]
 
[[Category:Book Pages]]
[[Category:Marked for Editing]]
+
[[Category:Finished]]
 +
[[Category:Illustrated V2]]

Latest revision as of 19:39, 7 August 2012

Definition

The term ringxiety was first coined by psychologist David Laramie to describe the phantom feeling of a phone call in one's pocket. Some researchers think that ringxiety stems from a constant state of readiness that could develop in cell phone users. Before the advent of wireless phones, no one expected a call while driving in the car, shopping at the grocery store or dancing at a nightclub. With cell phones, though, there's a potential for a call to come through at any moment. Because of this, it's possible that our brains are conditioned to expect a call constantly, and when a person hears a tone that reminds him of his cell phone ringing, he will believe that's the case.[1]

Peter Tse, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth College, said phantom vibration rings may happen because cell phone users develop a “template” in their heads. “I have a template for my baby’s cry in my head, for example, and sometimes just by chance a random set of sounds will match it,” he said. “I will go to check, but the baby wasn’t crying. These templates of expectation are responsible for the feeling of a call or text message, even though one might be present. "The brain is constantly filtering out background information", Tse says, and "sometimes when a person is monitoring or searching for something important to them — such as a cell phone call or the sound of their own name — some of this background information is picked up and matched to a mental template".[2]

References

  1. http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2440&Itemid=1
  2. America's WatchTower - Beware of Phantom Vibration Syndrome. It could kill you. Published Nov. 13, 2007. Accessed Oct 20, 2011. http://americaswatchtower.com/2007/11/13/beware-of-phantom-vibration-syndrome-it-could-kill-you/