Hi,
I just fell asleep in class with the camera off and when the professor called my name to make sure my group was ready to present I immediately woke up to say that I was in the lecture and almost had a heart attack because missing this specific lecture is an automatic fail. I wanted to ask anyone as to why we wake up if someone calls our name even when we’ve been asleep for 10+ minutes, but don’t wake up when hearing other people’s names or the lecture content.
In: Biology
In psychology, this is called the Cocktail Party Effect because, simply, it allows you to hear your name in a crowded room of people. Your brain is constantly receiving auditory input, but many things heard are deemed unimportant by the brain, so those things are cast aside. Your name is //not// one of those things. When your brain hears your name, it’s recognizes that thids is important and necessary to be aware of, so it quickly triggers a response. Other examples of auditory sounds that are deemed important by the brain are the word “fire”, the sound of squealing tires, and such.
Latest Answers