The anatomy of an earworm
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What makes a song sticky
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How to silence the loop
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Why songs get stuck
nic The Science of Earworms
When a song gets looping in your brain, just chew some gum to block the track!
nic Earworms act like a cognitive itch that the brain repeatedly tries to scratch by looping the melody.
nic When you hear a song, your brain's auditory cortex lights up and continues to replay the track after it stops.
Earworm origins: The German word 'Ohrwurm' was coined in 1979 by psychiatrist Cornelius Eckert to describe stuck songs.
A catchy song or tune that runs continually through a person's mind. Researcher Kelly Jakubowski notes that fast, upbeat songs are far more likely to trigger this mental repetition.
According to a 2001 study by James Kellaris, what percentage of people experience earworms?
Which part of the brain is responsible for processing sound and filling in missing musical gaps?
According to research, which group of people tends to experience earworms more frequently?