What does the figure of speech earworm mean?
An earworm, sometimes referred to as a brainworm, sticky music, stuck song syndrome, or, most commonly after earworms, Involuntary Musical Imagery (INMI), is a catchy and/or memorable piece of music or saying that continuously occupies a person’s mind even after it is no longer being played or spoken about.
Where did earworm come from?
The term “earworm” comes from the German der Ohrwurm, meaning musical itch, coined in 1979 by the psychiatrist Cornelius Eckert.
How do you use the word earworm?
Informal. a tune or part of a song that repeats in one’s mind. to work (itself or its way) into a person’s mind: The Pepsi jingles have earwormed their way into my head.
Who coined the term earworm?
When was the term earworm first used?
How common are earworms?
Earworms or stuck song syndrome Recurring tunes that involuntarily pop up and stick in your mind are common: up to 98% of the Western population has experienced these earworms. Usually, stuck songs are catchy tunes, popping up spontaneously or triggered by emotions, associations, or by hearing the melody.
Where did the expression earworm come from?
Why do earworms exist?
Earworms can occur due to the brain’s attempt to fill a gap in the auditory cortex, which is located in the temporal lobe. When you hear a song over and over, the brain transmits that sound information to the “phonological loop,” a short-term memory system in the auditory cortex.
Are earworms normal?
So-called earworms are very common – an estimated 98% of people have experienced this phenomenon of having a tune circling persistently through their minds at some time in their lives.
Are ear worms hallucinations?
Earworms, although they are harmless and classified as pseudohallucinations, overlap phenomenologically with musical hallucinations, which, like auditory hallucinations in general, can be symptoms of psychopathological conditions 3, 4, 5, 6.
Where did the phrase earworm come from?
How often do people have earworms?
More than 90 percent of people report getting at least one earworm a week, so they are very common. Studies show that musicians and people that work with music are no more likely to get them than those of us that don’t.
How long does an ear worm last?
Defined by researchers as a looped segment of music usually about 20 seconds long that suddenly plays in our heads without any conscious effort, an earworm can last for hours, days, or even, in extreme cases, months.
Are earworms linked to anxiety?
Stuck, intrusive, unwanted, and repetitive thoughts, mental images, concepts, songs, or melodies (earworms) are common symptoms of stress, including anxiety-caused stress.