Stop Your Phone from Screaming at You (and Everyone Else!)

Abstract

When a phone rings, what is it supposed to do? Well, the original idea was that it should get the attention of the intended person, so that they can decide whether or not to postpone or stop what they’re doing and answer it. We’ve all seen how a crowd reacts when they hear a popular or default ringtone in a crowded room: everyone checks their phone. It might be funny the first time it happens, but it gets annoying pretty quickly, as do most customized ringtones. How many times can your best friend’s phone play your favorite song before you learn to hate both the song and the friend?

I’ve come up with a simple way to improve the function of your ringtones, based on a psychological phenomenon called “The Cocktail Party Effect”. It’s been observed that a person in a crowded and noisy room can hear their own name more clearly than anyone else can – even if it is spoken at low volume. A familiar voice is also easier to hear. So… how about replacing your ringtone with the voice of your favorite (and least favorite) callers softly speaking your name?

Not only do you hear the ring clearly at a volume too low to bother the people around you, you also know who’s calling without having to stop and check.

Let’s have a look at how your brain reacts when the phone rings, and why that might be dangerous. Then we can look at some alternatives that cause different reactions.