In social psychology, why do people often cup their hands around a listener's ear when whispering to them?

• A. To signal that the information being shared is unimportant
• B. To block the listener's view and increase their sense of isolation
• C. To direct sound waves more efficiently toward the listener and reduce the chance of others overhearing
• D. To make the whisper sound louder to everyone in the room

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the purpose of cupping hands around the ear when whispering: it is a nonverbal behavior aimed at improving communication between the speaker and the listener.
2. Recognize that whispering produces very soft sounds, which can be difficult for the listener to hear clearly, especially in noisy environments.
3. Consider the physical effect of cupping hands: it creates a small acoustic chamber that helps to direct and focus the sound waves toward the listener's ear.
4. This focused direction of sound waves increases the efficiency of sound transmission, making the whisper easier to hear for the intended listener while minimizing sound dispersion to others nearby.
5. Therefore, the behavior is not about signaling unimportance, blocking view, or amplifying sound to everyone, but about enhancing private communication by directing sound waves more efficiently and reducing the chance of others overhearing.