What term is used to describe the phenomenon where a visually demanding task impairs auditory detection?

The phenomenon where a visually demanding task impairs auditory detection is known as inattentional deafness. This term refers to the failure to notice or respond to auditory stimuli when an individual is focused on a demanding visual task. When cognitive resources are heavily allocated to processing visual information, the ability to detect and process auditory information can be significantly diminished. This reflects the limitations of attentional capacity, where the brain prioritizes certain types of sensory information over others, leading to a lack of awareness of sounds in the environment.

In contrast, feature integration theory relates to how visual features are combined to form a perception of an object but does not specifically address the interference between modalities. Covert attention involves directing attention without moving one's eyes, which does not directly describe the impairment of auditory detection due to visual tasks. Processing capacity refers to the limits of cognitive resources available for various tasks, but it is a broader concept that encompasses types of distractions without focusing specifically on the auditory impairment occurring as a result of a visual task. Thus, the term inattentional deafness precisely captures the essence of the phenomenon described in the question.