world news - Why You Can’t Get That Song Out of Your Head

머리 속에서 한 노래의 일정 구간이 계속 반복되어 자기도 모르게 흥얼거린 경험이 다들 한 번씩은 있죠. 이러한 현상은 ‘귀벌레’라는 이름으로 여러 과학자들 사이에서도 흥미로운 연구 대상입니다. 왜 귀벌레가 나타나는지, 어떻게 하면 귀벌레를 쫓아내고 집중력을 되찾을 수 있는지 그 수수께끼를 풀 수 있을까요? 함께 기사를 읽으면서 생각해봅시다. Why You Can’t Get That Song Out of Your Head Ever had a song stuck in your head, playing on an endless loop? Scientists call them “involuntary musical images,” or “earworms,” and a wave of new research is shining light on why / which they occur and what can be learned from them. Studies also show that the internal jukebox often starts playing during times of “low cognitive load,” such as while showering, getting dressed, walking or doing chores. Dr. Stewart likens / likes earworms to “atomic / sonic screen savers” that keep the mind entertained while it’s otherwise idling. She and her colleagues tested that theory by having volunteers listen to trailers from James Bond movies and “Pretty Woman” and giving them various tasks afterwards. The volunteers who sat idly for the next five minutes were the most likely to report hearing the music in their heads. “The more challenging the activity, they were less likely to hear the music,” Dr. Stewart says.