ClassX Video Lessons Earworms: Those songs that get stuck in your head – Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis
Have you ever found yourself standing in line at the grocery store, casually browsing the magazine rack, when suddenly a song fragment starts playing in your mind? This phenomenon, known as an earworm, is a common experience shared by over 90% of people at least once a week, with about a quarter experiencing it multiple times a day. Earworms often appear during mundane tasks that require little attention, such as waiting for water to boil or a traffic light to change. Despite their prevalence, the reasons behind earworms remain one of the mind’s great mysteries.
From a psychological standpoint, earworms are a form of mental imagery. This imagery can be visual, like picturing a red wagon, or auditory, such as imagining the sound of a baby crying or oil sizzling in a pan. Earworms are a unique type of auditory imagery because they occur involuntarily. Unlike consciously imagining a song, earworms intrude into your mental soundscape, lingering like an unwelcome guest.
Earworms are typically vivid and consist of a tune rather than harmonies. A notable characteristic is their tendency to loop repeatedly for minutes or even hours. Repetition plays a significant role in triggering earworms, often occurring when a song is listened to recently and frequently.
Given the influence of repetition, one might wonder if modern technology is to blame for the prevalence of earworms. Over the past century, the proliferation of devices like records, cassettes, CDs, and streaming services has made it easier than ever to listen to the same song repeatedly. However, earworms are not a product of the late 20th century. Historical references, such as Mark Twain’s 1876 story about a town overtaken by a rhyming jingle, suggest that earworms are a fundamental psychological phenomenon, perhaps intensified by recording technology but not exclusive to it.
While music is a common trigger for earworms, other forms of intrusive imagery are not as widespread. Why don’t visual or taste experiences, like watercolors or cheesy taquitos, get stuck in our heads? One theory relates to how music is represented in memory. When we listen to a familiar song, we anticipate the next note, making it difficult to isolate a single musical moment. This anticipation creates a habit-like effect, where once a tune is suggested, it plays through to a natural stopping point.
Despite these theories, the exact reasons for our susceptibility to earworms remain elusive. However, understanding them better could provide valuable insights into the workings of the human brain. Perhaps the next time a Taylor Swift song refuses to leave our minds, it will serve as the starting point for a scientific journey to uncover the mysteries of basic cognition. And if not, we can always just shake it off.
Think about a song that often gets stuck in your head. Now, try to create your own catchy tune or jingle. Write down the lyrics and compose a simple melody. Share your creation with the class and see if it becomes an earworm for your classmates!
Keep a diary for one week where you note down every time you experience an earworm. Record the song, the time, and what you were doing when it happened. At the end of the week, analyze your diary to see if there are any patterns or common triggers for your earworms.
Conduct an experiment to see how repetition affects earworms. Choose a song and listen to it multiple times in a row. Then, choose another song and listen to it only once. Track which song becomes an earworm more frequently over the next few days. Present your findings to the class.
Create a piece of art that represents what an earworm feels like to you. Use any materials you like—paint, markers, collage, etc. Share your artwork with the class and explain how it captures the experience of having a song stuck in your head.
Divide into two groups and hold a debate on whether modern technology has increased the prevalence of earworms. One group will argue that technology has made earworms more common, while the other group will argue that earworms have always been a part of human experience. Use evidence from the article and your own research to support your arguments.
Earworm – A catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person’s mind after it is no longer playing. – After hearing the new pop song on the radio, it became an earworm that I couldn’t stop humming all day.
Music – Vocal or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. – Listening to music can help improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed.
Psychology – The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. – In psychology class, we learned about how different types of music can influence people’s emotions.
Memory – The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information. – Music can be a powerful tool for improving memory, as it helps us recall past events and emotions.
Imagery – Visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work, or the use of vivid descriptions to create pictures in the mind. – The song’s lyrics used vivid imagery to paint a picture of a beautiful sunset.
Repetition – The action of repeating something that has already been said or written, often used in music to create rhythm or emphasis. – The repetition of the chorus in the song made it easy to remember and sing along.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry, which can include tools and machines used to create or listen to music. – Advances in technology have made it possible for musicians to create and share their music with people all over the world.
Auditory – Relating to the sense of hearing. – The auditory experience of a live concert is often more exciting than listening to recorded music.
Phenomenon – A fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question. – The phenomenon of music affecting our emotions is something that psychologists continue to study.
Cognition – The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. – Playing a musical instrument can enhance cognition by improving concentration and memory skills.
