Proven: men ignores their partner an average of 388 times a year

Seriously. You clearly said sixteen times yesterday, both ways, that you would be home later today? That you have a dinner with a friend? And then your husband texts at half past seven: ‘Hi darling, where are you?’

Well &^(@#^@(#)!.

What are you saying
Researchers claim that men often do not hear their partner. No less than 388 times a year, you are semi-unconsciously ignored by your husband due to selective hearing. That your colleague's sister is finally pregnant. That he needs to fold the laundry. That you are on your period. He doesn't hear you. A British hearing company has been going viral for months with this research. Almost three-quarters of the two thousand Britons surveyed believe that their partner has selective hearing. And yes, especially men. Who can suddenly pick up their phone while you are in the middle of a story, so to speak. Scientists from Scrivens Hearing Care discovered that men are on average ‘selectively deaf’ 388 times a year. This means they do not ignore their partner 100 percent on purpose: they simply do not have the attention. They are not trying not to hear you consciously; they hear some sounds here and there but do not register in their brain what exactly you are saying.

What is selective hearing exactly? It means that the other person (not intentionally) drifts off in a conversation. He or she is no longer really listening. Is distracted. This can be due to simple disinterest (sorry), but also due to hearing problems, concentration issues or stress. It can also have to do with the tone in which you speak. Just try to calmly and casually say that you have an affair while he is scrolling on his phone: bet he doesn't hear it and just nods? Or mumbles something easy back? A calm, boring tone often does not stimulate a man to pay attention. Especially not if he is tired. Or if there is football on TV, or cycling, or tennis, or anything else with a ball.

Us too
Look, the good news is: they are not doing it completely on purpose. It’s not your fault, because all men in the world are guilty of this, and women according to scientists too. Less often, but women also ignore their partners about 300 times a year. Also due to selective hearing. It doesn’t always interest us, so to speak. Like when he explains again who the reserve linesman is for North Macedonia against Finland. When he starts again about what weight he used in the gym, which IT system is completely crap at his work and what happened six years ago in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Or European Championship. Or something with Max Verstappen.

’Maybe it's a good thing for every couple that this selective hearing exists.

Source: Panorama

Written by: Livia ter Borgh