It has been discovered that people blink less frequently when perceiving important information

New research has shown: the more difficult it is for a person to understand speech in noise, the less often they blink - and this effect does not depend on lighting.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to the research group's data, two experiments were conducted as part of the work, demonstrating that the decrease in blinking frequency is directly related to increased mental effort when perceiving speech in difficult conditions.

In the study, which involved nearly 50 adults, people were placed in a soundproof room and fixed their gaze on a cross on the screen while listening to short sentences through headphones. The background noise level varied - from quiet to very loud, which made speech perception more difficult.

Scientists found that while listening to sentences, participants blinked significantly less often than before and after. The most pronounced decrease in blinking frequency was observed in the noisiest conditions, when understanding speech required maximum concentration.

The same results were obtained when changing the signal-to-noise ratio, as well as with different lighting levels - low, moderate, and bright. Researchers emphasize that the blinking pattern remained stable under any lighting conditions, confirming that the effect is specifically related to cognitive load, not the amount of light reaching the eyes.