http://mindhacks.com/2009/05/09/back-channelling-to-the-future/ Neuroscience and psychology tricks to find out what's going on inside your brain. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:40:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2009/05/09/back-channelling-to-the-future/#comment-5712 Mon, 18 May 2009 19:46:46 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/09/back-channelling-to-the-future/#comment-5712 I’ve noticed that, in quite a few cases, the vocal interjections by the listener — “mmhmm” “uh huh, uh huh” “yeah” — accompany a second thought-train in the listener. The vocalizations serve double duty to the listener as an acknowledgement to the speaker, as well as a verbal self-reminder to pay attention to the speaker.
Or, the way I tease other people about it in conversation is :
ME: “So then we went to the 7-11, and the same guy was there with the same bright pink shirt.”
LISTENER: “Mmmhmm.”
ME: “You’re only nodding and agreeing because your attention lapsed for a second. What else is it you’re thinking about?”
LISTENER: “Sorry, I was just remembering that I had to call my mom to make sure that she….”
And so on…
I’ve been doing this for almost 5 years, and I have never once had someone tell me that their vocalizations weren’t accompanying a sidetracked thought.

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