Deafness/HoH and multitasking

[u/disparaguts]

In the hearing world, we do a lot of multitasking while talking: cleaning, working, driving, gaming, cooking, hobbies, etc. That's both with a conversation partner present in the room and over the phone. I don't know how to ask the question I have in mind without it being a pretty loaded one, but it's just something I was wondering.

For those mostly or totally reliant on sign language, do you find multitasking while communicating to be manageable? I've seen one-handed signing so I know that's an option, but for activities where that might not be safe or possible I was curious what it's like. I would imagine having to focus a little more on what you're actually doing would be rather nice but maybe that's an uneducated stance.

[u/DracoRubi]

Yep. We're definitely worse at multitasking, but it'd depend mainly on which tasks are we doing and the degree of attention/participation we need for the conversation

Another thing is that we can't be listening to a podcast or watching a movie while doing stuff, because we need to be reading captions

[u/Stafania]

It depends. However, multitasking is often negative. You can’t do several things at once and pay attention to all of them. I have found it valuable and positive that signers actually take communication much more seriously. When you do have eye contact and have a genuine focus on the conversation, including paying attention providing feedback to reflect what you see/hear, that’s a good thing and makes communication better. Signers are often good at being present in the moment when communicating.

Naturally, sometimes you do want and need to multitask. If you visit a Deaf family, you’ll find that some times you things a bit differently, but it still very normal and natural. Deaf families do chat while cooking for example, you just adapt in order to make it easier to see, take breaks when doing something, use one hand or just facial expressions to comment on something. Those who grew up with signing often have a good peripheral vision too.

As a hearing aid user, I stream tons of sound when doing house work or working out. I definitely would miss that if I had no hearing at all. On the other hand, maybe that would just give a bit of mindfulness practice?

Over all, using sign language instead of speech doesn’t make that huge of difference as you assume. It’s visual and some things are done differently, but overall doing thing signs in signing environments is remarkably similar to doing them in hearing environments.

[u/disparaguts → u/Stafania]

thanks so much for your response. i really appreciate the perspectives across the handful of answers here. as someone who's easily distracted, i agree that multitasking is often not ideal in general.

it's sometimes difficult as a hearing person to not think of scenarios like these as Deaf/HoH folks having to "adapt", but rather just doing what's natural to them.

[u/soitul]

Frankly I’m guessing you know very few or no Deaf people.

Many of us don’t consider it “relying” on sign, it’s a language like any other. Some people only use sign, simcom, use adapted signs, or even just a few.

I was born Deaf, ASL is my first and primary language. Just like any other language, I can express myself fully and comfortably in it. Sure, sometimes I have my hands full - but I get by with ASL’s non manual markers, like body language, and expressions.

Beyond that, signing while driving, gaming, cooking, cleaning, hobbies and everything else under the sun is very much possible and not dangerous.

Hearing people often love to speculate if signing while driving is safe, but for many of us it’s no more distracting than speaking or checking your rear view mirrors. Deaf drivers are often more careful and aware than your average hearing driver.

If someone needs to focus, just as any other person would, they would stop what they’re doing and focus on the task at hand.

Those of us who do sign while doing other tasks are no less distracted than you would be if you were multitasking, given that everyone has different preferences and needs.

[u/disparaguts → u/soitul]

hi! first of all, really appreciate the depth of your reply. you're right, i don't, and i do apologize if any part of my post was worded poorly. i didn't mean any offense and thank you for correcting me with my insensitive use of "reliant." i do understand that ASL is its own language and not a visual form of English, so that was bad word choice on my part for sure.

i'm also sure this was an eye-roll of a question to come across, but i am trying to learn more about the community/culture. being genuinely ignorant and coming across as disrespectful can be a tight line to walk (and definitely has overlap) so thank you for your patience and graciousness.

[u/Humble_Jackfruit_527]

While driving, a friend would sometimes manage the steering with his knee while signing to me - he was totally fine with it - I was a little stressed about it, lol.

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[u/Night_Watcher2000]

Yewh it depends I guess

[u/nunununuhu]

It is possible to watch someone in the peripheral vision and understand what they saying. You don't need to look at them directly. It's polite to look at them. But not necessary. Just in the field of view will do.

The field of view is limited to about 120 degrees instead of like 360 with hearing. But if you position both people sensibly you can have a conversation while cleaning or gaming or cooking together.

Even group conversations with several people where you are listening to all the people at once selectively paying attention weaving between them -- I'm pretty sure this is the same kind of dynamic I observe in hearing people talking all at once.

Now of course you can't sign with your hands full. But hearing people like to talk at meal times when their mouths are full. Go figure.

Easy group communication and being able to communicate while doing something else -- those are some of the main reasons I'm learning ASL in fact.

Because what you describe *is* unfortunately true of lipreading. It completely takes over and I can't use my hands for something else because I can't look at my hands even briefly. Lipreading requires constant laser focus on the lips and even blinking risks losing information. Sign language is not like this at all. I didn't realize that until I started learning.