IDM Mailing Archive

2001-04-06 19:01[alland.byallo]> Songs That Cause The Brain To 'Itch': UC Professor > Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get

From:: [alland.byallo] <alland@humbledesign.com>
To:: i dont mind <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 12:01:24 -0700
Subject:: [idm] FW: (tech-house) Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads

quoted 14 lines Songs That Cause The Brain To 'Itch': UC Professor

> Songs That Cause The Brain To 'Itch': UC Professor > Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads > Date: April 4, 2001 By: Carey Hoffman > > Warning! Reading the song titles below this line may be hazardous to your > sanity: > > "It's A Small World After All" > "We Will Rock You" > "The Macarena" > "Whomp - There It Is" > "The Theme from Gilligan's Island" > > What do these disparate works have in common? They were cited by

respondents in

quoted 1 line a study of tunes that get "stuck in your head." Determining why such songs

> a study of tunes that get "stuck in your head." Determining why such songs

have

quoted 2 lines that ability is the goal of James J. Kellaris, an associate professor of

> that ability is the goal of James J. Kellaris, an associate professor of > marketing in the University of Cincinnati College of Business

Administration.

quoted 3 lines Having songs "stuck in your head" happens to nearly all of us. Ninety-nine

> > Having songs "stuck in your head" happens to nearly all of us. Ninety-nine > percent of study respondents said they have experienced the phenomenon.

Almost

quoted 5 lines 50 percent say that it occurs frequently.

> 50 percent say that it occurs frequently. > > Kellaris, an expert on the influences of music on consumers, reported > preliminary results on his work last month at the Society for Consumer > Psychology's winter conference. He has a sample of 1,000 respondents to

work

quoted 1 line with in analyzing his theory that certain songs create a sort of

> with in analyzing his theory that certain songs create a sort of

"cognitive

quoted 3 lines itch" - the mental equivalent of an itchy back.

> itch" - the mental equivalent of an itchy back. > > "It is like the familiar pattern of itching and scratching," Kellaris

says.

quoted 1 line "The only way to 'scratch' a cognitive itch is to rehearse the responsible

> "The only way to 'scratch' a cognitive itch is to rehearse the responsible

tune

quoted 2 lines mentally. The process may start involuntarily, as the brain detects an

> mentally. The process may start involuntarily, as the brain detects an > incongruity or something 'exceptional' in the musical stimulus. The

ensuing

quoted 1 line mental repetition may exacerbate the 'itch,' such that the mental

> mental repetition may exacerbate the 'itch,' such that the mental

rehearsal

quoted 1 line becomes largely involuntary, and the individual feels trapped in a cycle

> becomes largely involuntary, and the individual feels trapped in a cycle

quoted 3 lines feedback loop."

> feedback loop." > > Kellaris' research seeks to identify characteristics of music that make

them

quoted 1 line memorable. His preliminary work points in three directions he believes

> memorable. His preliminary work points in three directions he believes

play a

quoted 3 lines role:

> role: > > Repetition: One theme song that respondents reported as getting stuck in

their

quoted 1 line heads often was "Mission: Impossible." Kellaris was not surprised. "A

> heads often was "Mission: Impossible." Kellaris was not surprised. "A

repeated

quoted 1 line phrase, motif or sequence might be suggestive of the very act of

> phrase, motif or sequence might be suggestive of the very act of

repetition

quoted 1 line itself, such that the brain echoes the pattern automatically as the

> itself, such that the brain echoes the pattern automatically as the

musical

quoted 3 lines information is processed," he says.

> information is processed," he says. > > Musical simplicity: Simpler songs appear more likely to make your brain

itch.

quoted 1 line Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of getting Barney's "I Love You,

> Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of getting Barney's "I Love You,

You

quoted 1 line Love Me" song stuck can attest to that. Generally, children's songs are

> Love Me" song stuck can attest to that. Generally, children's songs are

quoted 5 lines prone to getting stuck than classical music, Kellaris says.

> prone to getting stuck than classical music, Kellaris says. > > Incongruity: When a song does something unexpected, it can also spark a > cognitive itch. Examples include the irregular time signatures of Dave > Brubeck's "Take Five" or the song "America" from West Side Story.

Unpredictable

quoted 1 line melodic patterns or an unexpectedly articulated individual note can have

> melodic patterns or an unexpectedly articulated individual note can have

the

quoted 3 lines same impact.

> same impact. > > Kellaris is now taking an in-depth look at the survey data he has

collected. Of

quoted 1 line the 1,000 respondents, the kind of music respondents said they got stuck

> the 1,000 respondents, the kind of music respondents said they got stuck

quoted 1 line most recently were songs with lyrics for 73.7 percent, jingles or ads for

> most recently were songs with lyrics for 73.7 percent, jingles or ads for

18.6

quoted 3 lines percent and an instrumental tune for 7.7 percent.

> percent and an instrumental tune for 7.7 percent. > > But, there's hope. Respondents also reported on the strategies they use to

try

quoted 2 lines and rid themselves of stuck tunes. Individual responses ranged from direct

> and rid themselves of stuck tunes. Individual responses ranged from direct > approaches like "trying to get busy doing something else" or "reading out

loud"

quoted 1 line to acts of humorous desperation, such as "trying to give the 'tune

> to acts of humorous desperation, such as "trying to give the 'tune

kooties' to

quoted 3 lines someone else, like (playing) tag, you're it!"

> someone else, like (playing) tag, you're it!" > > "This research is expected to provide creative guidelines to advertisers

that

quoted 1 line wish to increase the memorability of their ads," says Kellaris. "It should

> wish to increase the memorability of their ads," says Kellaris. "It should

also

quoted 3 lines yield insights concerning the operation of human memory."

> yield insights concerning the operation of human memory." > > http://www.uc.edu/news/kellaris.htm

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2001-04-07 14:26Gee WhyI get Plasticine off of Sheet One stuck in my head ...then i black out On Fri, 6 Apr 2001,

From:: Gee Why <gyaker@fragment.com>
To:: IDM list <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 10:26:09 -0400 (EDT)
Subject:: Re: [idm] FW: (tech-house) Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads
Reply to:: [idm] FW: (tech-house) Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads

I get Plasticine off of Sheet One stuck in my head ...then i black out On Fri, 6 Apr 2001, [alland.byallo] wrote:

quoted 4 lines Songs That Cause The Brain To 'Itch': UC Professor

> > Songs That Cause The Brain To 'Itch': UC Professor > > Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads > > Date: April 4, 2001 By: Carey Hoffman > >

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2001-04-08 16:40c. reidermy friend Little Fyodor (certainly not IDM) once wrote a song called "get out of my head"

From:: c. reider <vuzh@peakpeak.com>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 10:40:10 -0600
Subject:: [idm] Re: FW: (tech-house) Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads

my friend Little Fyodor (certainly not IDM) once wrote a song called "get out of my head" where he wails "get out of my head top 40 song, get out of my head, get out of my head!!!!" of course i always got THAT song stuck in my head for a while. but it seemed somehow appropriate.

quoted 5 lines Individual responses ranged from direct

>Individual responses ranged from direct > approaches like ... > ...to acts of humorous desperation, such as >"trying to give the 'tune kooties' to > someone else, like (playing) tag, you're it!"

this is the only thing that works. once someone else accepts the psychic burden of the song torturing you, you are free of it. :)

quoted 8 lines "This research is expected to provide creative

> > "This research is expected to provide creative >guidelines to advertisers that > wish to increase the memorability of their ads," >says Kellaris. "It should also > yield insights concerning the operation of human memory." > > http://www.uc.edu/news/kellaris.htm

if there already weren't enough reason to hate large corporations... they are researching ways to make their irritating ditties MORE irritatingly catchy. aaauuuugh! c. ... . . . . . . . . . . . ..... --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

[idm] Re: FW: (tech-house) Investigating Why Certain Tunes Get Stuck In Our Heads