New study puts mobile users in spin

Researchers from Western Washington University in America first watched 317 people crossing a university campus square, including people talking on phones, listening to music, and walking in pairs.

The team then observed another 151 individuals walk across the square after arranging for a clown wearing a bright purple and yellow outfit, large shoes, and a bright red nose to unicycle nearby.

The study, led by Professor Ira Hyman, and published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, found mobile phone users "made more direction changes, displayed more weaving, and were less likely to explicitly acknowledge other people".

Of the people interviewed about whether they noticed the clown, only 25% of the mobile phone users said yes, compared to 71% of people in pairs, 61% of people listening to a music player and 51% of people on their own.

Prof Hyman said: "(Mobile phone users) experienced more difficulty navigating through a complex environment than people in other conditions. They walked slower, weaved more often, and made more direction changes. Finally, they were less likely to acknowledge other individuals and to notice the unicycling clown thus illustrating inattentional blindness.

"When people engage in demanding cognitive tasks, they may not become aware of a variety of stimuli in the environment."

He said the study provided further evidence of the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.

"We found that even a task as practiced as walking can be disrupted by cell phone conversations.

"Unfortunately, when driving a car while talking on a cell phone, people may be unaware of what they are missing until it is too late."