Earworms & Other Thoughts Stuck in the Head

In summary: After hearing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", many people "hear" the song again and again in their mind. These people rarely attempt to hear the song, it just "happens". If you don't like "poetic" terms, that's your deal. I myself find the loose metaphor an aid in understanding the phenomenon.
  • #1
jimmie
163
0
According to wikipedia, earworm, a literal translation of the German Ohrwurm, is a term for a song stuck in one's head, particularly an annoying one. Use of the English translation was introduced by James Kellaris, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Cincinnati. His studies appeared to demonstrate that different people have varying susceptibilities to earworms, but that almost everybody has been afflicted at some time or another.

So, earworm is a word for a SONG stuck in one's head.

Is there a word for a thought, ANY thought, stuck in one's head?

Or, was ALL thought an "earworm"?

o:)
 
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  • #2
We had a thread here recently about earworms, perhaps you'd be interested in it: Why do people get songs "stuck" in their heads?

I don't know of an analogous word used to refer to any kind of thought one gets stuck in one's head. Perhaps there has been a word coined for such a thing in the literature on OCD?
 
  • #3
literature on OCD

What does "OCD" mean?

o:)
 
  • #5
Oh.

Thanks.

o:)
 
  • #6
Using the same "pattern" for naming, wouldn't such a thought be a "brainworm"?

Furthermore, it sounds like what you describe is slightly different than a "meme".
 
  • #7
Using the same "pattern" for naming, wouldn't such a thought be a "brainworm"?

Good one. :smile:

Lets go with that.

So it shall be: ALL thoughts were brainworms.

o:)
 
  • #8
A good song to get stuck in your head is Maggotbrain by Funkadelic. :uhh:
 
  • #9
Psi 5 said:
A good song to get stuck in your head is Maggotbrain by Funkadelic. :uhh:
Or Eruption, by Van Halen.
 
  • #10
Human Being said:
Using the same "pattern" for naming, wouldn't such a thought be a "brainworm"?
That's not really using the same pattern. The ears are what we use to sense aural information in the world, but they are not the mechanisms by which we actually, consciously experience sound. Earworms don't have anything to do with ears per se; they represent a repetitive kind of neural activity, probably in the temporal lobes.

Human Being said:
Furthermore, it sounds like what you describe is slightly different than a "meme".
Memes are not really the same sort of thing. Certainly an earworm could be considered a kind of meme, but the vast majority of things that could be considered memes do not have the property of being subjectively experienced in a repetitive and semi-uncontrollable manner.
 
  • #11
hypnagogue said:
That's not really using the same pattern. The ears are what we use to sense aural information in the world, but they are not the mechanisms by which we actually, consciously experience sound. Earworms don't have anything to do with ears per se; they represent a repetitive kind of neural activity, probably in the temporal lobes.
I think the important commonality between "earworm" and "brainworm" is the conduit through which one is infected by the "worm". Songs stuck in one's mind must first be heard with the ears, and concepts/ideas stuck in one's mind must first be "thought" with the brain. Earworms have quite a lot to do with ears, although certainly, they aren't "caused" by one's ears.
hypnagogue said:
Memes are not really the same sort of thing. Certainly an earworm could be considered a kind of meme, but the vast majority of things that could be considered memes do not have the property of being subjectively experienced in a repetitive and semi-uncontrollable manner.
Perhaps I was ambiguous in the statement you're responding to. What I was referring to when I said to Jimmie - "what you describe..." - was his statement, "Is there a word for a thought, ANY thought, stuck in one's head?" Sounds like you thought I was comparing a meme to an earworm, but I was comparing it to a brainworm.

Jimmie, glad you like the term.
 
  • #12
Human Being said:
I think the important commonality between "earworm" and "brainworm" is the conduit through which one is infected by the "worm".
I think it's important not to get caught up in thinking about any of this in erroneous humorous or poetic terms. There is no "worm" and no "infection". Nor are songs "stuck" in one's head. All these things are a manner of speaking only.

The pattern of thinking whereby someone decided to call this phenomenon an "earworm" may be of some interest in and of itself, but exploration of that is essentially an excercize in analyzing humor and would probably best be done in a different forum.
 
  • #13
zoobyshoe said:
I think it's important not to get caught up in thinking about any of this in erroneous humorous or poetic terms. There is no "worm" and no "infection". Nor are songs "stuck" in one's head. All these things are a manner of speaking only.
There is no "worm", eh?
There is no "infection", eh?
There is no "stuck", eh?

After hearing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", many people "hear" the song again and again in their mind. These people rarely attempt to hear the song, it just "happens". If you don't like "poetic" terms, that's your deal. I myself find the loose metaphor an aid in describing what's happening. The neurological specifics seem to be "unimportant" with respect to the thread author's inquiry. The phenomena described by abstract terms like "brainworm" and "earworm" can be discussed without immersing oneself in accurate terminology.

Anyway, philosophy often inspires poetic language. But you had to know that already.
 
  • #14
Human Being said:
There is no "worm", eh?
There is no "infection", eh?
There is no "stuck", eh?
There are none of those, that's right.
After hearing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", many people "hear" the song again and again in their mind. These people rarely attempt to hear the song, it just "happens".
None of which has anything to do with authentic worms, viruses, or friction.
If you don't like "poetic" terms, that's your deal.
I like them in poetry, when appropriately inserted in prose setting, and I understand their usefullness in describing the quality of a subjective experience. Despite the casualness of the OP, this forum is Mind And Brain Sciences.
 

1. What are earworms and why do they get stuck in our heads?

Earworms are repetitive, catchy music or phrases that get stuck in our heads and play on a continuous loop. They are also known as involuntary musical imagery or stuck song syndrome. The reason they get stuck in our heads is due to the Zeigarnik effect, which is the brain's tendency to remember unfinished tasks or thoughts. When a song or phrase is left unfinished, our brain keeps repeating it in an attempt to complete it.

2. Is it normal to have earworms?

Yes, having earworms is a completely normal and common experience. Studies have shown that nearly 90% of people experience earworms at least once a week. They can also last for minutes, hours, or even days, and can be triggered by a variety of things such as hearing a song, seeing a word, or thinking about a memory.

3. Can earworms be beneficial or harmful?

Earworms can have both positive and negative effects. On one hand, they can be enjoyable and bring back pleasant memories. They can also be used as a tool for learning and memory retention. On the other hand, they can be intrusive and distracting, causing difficulty in focusing and completing tasks. In rare cases, they can also be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or schizophrenia.

4. How can we get rid of earworms?

There is no one definitive way to get rid of earworms, as each person may respond differently to different techniques. Some common methods include listening to the entire song, distracting yourself with a different activity, or using a technique called "earworm flipping" where you intentionally think of a different song to replace the earworm. In some cases, seeking professional help may also be beneficial.

5. Are there any ways to prevent earworms?

While there is no guaranteed way to prevent earworms, some strategies that may help include avoiding listening to catchy, repetitive music, keeping yourself busy with tasks that require focus, and practicing relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or deep breathing. It may also be helpful to identify and avoid triggers that often lead to earworms for you personally.

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