Listening to music makes you blind!

[pmjd]

OK a slightly inflammatory start but according to this story our brains actively divert activity away from visual tasks in order to boost auditory abilities when listening to complex music.

So should we all be dancing blind to improve our musicality? Or does that mean the next time another couple bumps into you on the dance floor it's not because they weren't looking where were going, they were infact listening to the music

[Crazy Shark]

OK a slightly inflammatory start but according to this story our brains actively divert activity away from visual tasks in order to boost auditory abilities when listening to complex music.

Hmmmm interesting!!

So should we all be dancing blind to improve our musicality? Or does that mean the next time another couple bumps into you on the dance floor it's not because they weren't looking where were going, they were infact listening to the music

That'd be funny if that happened

[Beowulf]

Listening to can make you go blind

[Clueless]

To be host what was reported in that it is a reasonable hypothesis backed up with sound evidence! (He says this typing and having vertical Horizon blaring and looking for differences in the clarity of the key board!)

[ducasi]

OK a slightly inflammatory start but according to this story our brains actively divert activity away from visual tasks in order to boost auditory abilities when listening to complex music.

So should we all be dancing blind to improve our musicality? Or does that mean the next time another couple bumps into you on the dance floor it's not because they weren't looking where were going, they were infact listening to the music

It's no surprise – when you're listening intently to anything, you're likely not going to be concentrating much on your other senses. It works the other way around too, with, say, reading and listening.

As for dancing, yep, listen to the music, focus whatever is left of your attention on your partner, and let the rest of the world become a blur. Bliss! Just try not to dance into any of the blurry bits!

[pmjd]

It's no surprise – when you're listening intently to anything, you're likely not going to be concentrating much on your other senses. It works the other way around too, with, say, reading and listening.

I think the thing I found surprising was that the brain actively diverts "brain power" (for lack of a better term) to listening from seeing, as opposed shutting out sensory inputs to allow you to concentrate on listening to the music. I suppose the distinction I'm trying to make is between shutting out info to concentrate on one compared to actively diverting resources away from other tasks to do one task more intently...if that makes sense