Can you keep count in your head while holding a conversation?
Asked by
raum (
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November 7th, 2022
from iPhone
Could you count how times someone was dribbling a ball, while talking on the phone?
Could you count how many birds were flying by, while giving someone directions?
I was having a disagreement with someone about whether this was something that most people could do. Curious to hear what other people think.
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17 Answers
Nope, not me. I have tried and failed.
Yeah, I think I could. Not for a long time. But for a few minutes, yes.
In the directions example, my directions would likely be wrong. They usually are.
No. I tend to lose count after two. Sometimes after one. I do a little better when I count out loud.
Possible exception: I might find myself noticing how many times the other person says a certain word, such as “amazing.” Once I heard a company executive who was addressing a whole division use the expression “quite honestly” 27 times. But that time I kept count on paper, in my meeting notes.
Counting one at a time would not be possible. If there were a pair of dice on the table, I could tell what they added up to, but that is because the dots are arranged in a pattern. I doubt that I could to that if one of the dice had more than six dots.
No. When I’m in physical therapy and trying to keep count and he asks a question or I happen to say something I lose count. According to the answers here, no, it’s not something most people can do.
So now I’m curious @raum, can you?
@smudges I most definitely cannot. But I have a hard time trying to focus on two things at once. For instance, I have a hard time composing an email while holding a conversation with someone else.
Which is ironic, since the inside of my brain is constantly noisy. With several trains of thought going on at once. You’d think I’d have good practice for juggling just two.
I didn’t think the average person could do this. But conceded that I probably wasn’t the best gauge for “average person”.
@raum Interesting, I have trouble focusing on two things at once, also. Like carrying on just a simple yes/no conversation with someone in person while I’m on the phone, or trying to find a location while driving and listening to the radio. Personally, I think it’s because we’re just too brilliant. ;D
I love this question! Counting while multitasking is one of my job requirements as a grocery receiver. I can have 4–5 vendors waiting on me while I’m checking in someone and counting their product. I’m always interrupted by conversation from the vendor I’m working with or the others waiting, or another work associate might interrupt me.
I can do both at the same time but I’m not 100% all the time. I often need to do a recount.
@smudges Ha!
@Jonsblond That’s wild that this is a job requirement! Now I’m curious what other jobs would require this skill…
Knowing how to count is the requirement, as menial as it sounds.
Counting, very doable. Counting while multitasking—hard!
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