An American airline has announced that passengers who repeatedly play music or videos out loud on their phone could be banned from flying with them. 

United Airlines said that playing without headphones violates onboard noise rules and they have received numerous complaints from passengers about the practice. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, Associate Professor of Psychology Aisling O’Donnell said such strict rules are increasingly seen as necessary. 

“I think other organisations have already brought in such rules in the last few years,” she said. 

“And it's really interesting because previously we didn't have formal rules about this. 

“Usually, it was governed by just regular social norms, which are the unwritten rules for how we should behave in social situations.”

Women watching video on a mobile phone. Picture by: Alamy.com.

The change from a matter of manners to a formal rule, Professor O’Donnell explained, is about “so many factors coming together”. 

“Video calls are now the norm, engaging with social media through videos is generally the norm,” she said. 

“And also, phones don't even come with headphones anymore.

“So, I think all of these things give subtle cues to the fact that you can be on your phone the way you normally are in private, in public places too. 

“The technology makes it quite likely that that will happen.” 

Another potential reason people play audio out loud is that they are trying to avoid actual human engagement. 

“I think that people have become really used to using the phone a lot of the time,” she said. 

“I suppose they're used to engaging with friends and with influencers who they follow through the phone so much of the time. 

“Whether they're actively avoiding somebody else is harder to say.” 

A group of friends watching videos on a phone. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Some people are courageous enough to get up and confront someone playing music out loud. 

However, Professor O’Donnell said she understands why many are reluctant to do so. 

“If nobody speaks up and says, ‘Hey, you know, we don't all want to listen to that’ - then the new norm continues to be reinforced because nobody's objecting to it,” she said. 

“Now, the thing is, to speak up and basically police it yourself and say, ‘Hey, I don't want to hear that’, that's also breaking a norm, just of non-confrontation. 

“So, it's uncomfortable to do but if we could become comfortable with challenging it, then we might be able to change the new emerging norm.” 

Main image: A business woman with her phone on speakerphone. Picture by: Alamy.com.