Melinda Beck on Lunch Break looks at the "cocktail party effect," in which people are able to focus on one conversation while being aware of conversations going on around them. Researchers say we ...

“This could be because they tend to spend more time in noisier venues like clubs and at gigs, making the cocktail party effect more likely. But it could also point to changes in young peoples ...

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were invited via a group text to a cocktail party, and we accepted. This host provides a name tag for guests, as it is a mix of friends. When guests arrive, it is ...

When they emerge at night in large numbers, bats avoid colliding with each other by adjusting both their flight patterns and ...

The ability in perception to select one desired sound from a background of AMBIENT NOISE heard at the same time. For instance, at a party, where many voices are speaking simultaneously, we may 'focus' ...