Need Something? Talk To My Right Ear

We humans prefer to be addressed in our right ear and are more likely to perform a task when we receive the request in our right ear rather than our left. In a series of three studies, Dr. Luca Tommasi and Daniele Marzoli from the University "Gabriele d'Annunzio" in Chieti, Italy, show that a natural side preference, manifests itself in everyday human behaviour.

            Until now, the majority of studies looking at ear preference have been controlled laboratory studies and there is very little published observational evidence of spontaneous ear dominance in everyday human behavior.

            Their three studies specifically observed ear preference during social interactions in noisy night club environments. In the first study, 286 clubbers were observed while they were talking, with loud music in the background. In total, 72 percent of interactions occurred on the right side of the listener. These results are consistent with the right ear preference found in laboratory studies and they demonstrate that the side preference is spontaneously displayed outside the laboratory.

            In the second study, the researchers approached 160 clubbers and mumbled an inaudible, meaningless utterance and waited to see which ear they offered. They then asked them for a cigarette. Overall, 58 percent offered their right ear for listening and 42 percent their left. Only women showed a consistent right-ear preference. In this study, there was no link between the number of cigarettes obtained and the ear receiving the request.

            In the third study, the researchers intentionally addressed 176 clubbers in either their right or their left ear when asking for a cigarette. They obtained significantly more cigarettes when they spoke to the clubbers' right ear compared with their left.

            According to the authors, taken together, these results confirm a right ear/left hemisphere advantage for verbal communication and distinctive specialization of the two halves of the brain. They conclude: "Our studies corroborate the idea of a common ancestry of lateralized behaviour during social interactions, not only for species-specific vocal communication, but also for affective responses."

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Not much research has been done into ear side preference based on live interaction.

b. The three studies combined laboratory and spontaneous perception.

c. In one of the studies, they addressed participants to a specific ear on purpose.

d. The results prove that each side of the brain works for particular purposes.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How was the first study conducted and what were the results?

b. Why did researchers get more cigarettes in the third study?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. fulfill (par.1)                          b. data (par.2)               c. first choice (par.3)

d. statement (par. 4)                 e.sum up (par. 6)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. Their three studies specifically observed ear preference.

     Ear............

b.  Researchers obtained significantly more cigarettes when they spoke to the clubbers' right ear.

     If researchers.............

c.  The researchers approached 160 clubbers. They then asked them for a cigarette.

     After.......

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

“A noisy disco is the perfect place to have fun”. Do you agree with this statement?