Question

1. Research has proven that the average person can interpret 500 pieces if information per minute but can only speak 100-125 words per minute. This gives the average person 375-400 idle bits of processing space in their brain each minute. What happens to the idle space when you are having a conversation with someone? Give an example.

Answer 1

The brain wanders and the idle space starts processing other information triggered by various stimuli it may try to obtain from the other sense organs, or process other previously incomplete tasks. The risk is greater when the conversation is not stimulating for the brain requiring minimal usage resulting in the idle bits switching to other tasks. For example, while attending a lecture on a topic which is not of great interest to us we continually find our mind wandering. It may be caused by a stimulus like the smell of someone's perfume setting the brain thinking of how much you like the smell and the desire to buy the perfume, allocating to memory the task of asking the person the name of the perfume, it can be a color, the sound of a bird, the sunshine outside or anything. Simply the continuation of the morning train of thought of what to have for dinner and plan mentally the related activities. The brain is programmed to optimize utilization and efficiency and therefore, needs to be trained to operate in the manner most beneficial to the individual. To allow it to wander or to control it and demand concentration on the conversation or input.