Half a loaf is supposed to be better than none, but not when it comes to overhearing half a cellphone conversation, researchers say. Such forced eavesdropping often leaves people irritated.

Called "halfalogues," these one-way conversations drain more attention and concentration than when overhearing two people talk in person, Cornell University researchers found.

"When you hear half of a conversation, you get less information and you can't predict as well," Lauren Emberson, a co-author of the study, said in an interview with Reuters. "It requires more attention.

"Since halfalogues really are more distracting and you can't tune them out, this could explain why people are irritated," she said.

The study, which will be published in the journal Psychological Science, involved 41 college students who did concentration exercises, such as tracking moving dots, while hearing one or both ends of a cellphone conversation. (No indication whether the content of the conversations or lack thereof added to the annoyance factor ...)

The U.S. wireless trade association CTIA estimates that last year Americans spent 2.3 trillion minutes on their mobiles. That's a 900% increase since 2000.

(Posted by Michael Winter)