Do you feel a itch on your ear?

[Jayson1]

Okay I wanted to test something out. You know that thing people do when someone scratches a itch and you see and it makes you feel the need all of sudden to scratch a itch as well? Well I want people to tell me what you first did when you saw the headline? Did you all of sudden feel the need to scratch a itch? Also by just reading this do you feel kind of itchy? I have noticed that just typing this I all of sudden feel the need to do it myself. I was wondering this, power of suggestion or I am not even sure what to call it, even works through the simple, reading of the word.


Jason

 

[GNDN18]

It’s just allergies, Jason. You’re getting old.

 

[Mojochi]

No I didn't, but the power of suggestion is certainly real. The yawning thing is almost inescapable

 

[Avro Arrow]

Well I want people to tell me what you first did when you saw the headline?

I thought to myself, hmm, this looks like a thread that may not have any actual discussion content, and may need to be closed.

But then I read it, and lo and behold, there's something there. So let's see where it goes.

I think the phenomenon itself is real. I have certainly started feeling itchy after reading articles about head lice, or how your skin is covered with microscopic bugs and bacteria (best not to think about it... )

But as for your thread title? No, nothing, sorry. Except maybe the itch to close something!

 

[Timewalker]

No I didn't, but the power of suggestion is certainly real. The yawning thing is almost inescapable

It's not limited to humans, either. One night many years ago, there was an epic round of yawning in my living room.

First the dog yawned. Then one of the cats. Then the other dog. Then another cat. Then I yawned. I don't remember how many yawns occurred in the space of about 3 minutes.

And I just yawned while typing this. Twice.

 

[Jayson1]

Okay I am itching again. I am having a kind of delayed action on reading the word yawn. I was about to say that it wasn't working but soon as I started typing this sentence I now have actually yawned. Of course I do have some dry skin near my feet so I wonder if that impacts things but not all my itching has been their. It's been on my arms but it wasn't my ear though until it occured to me, despite my headline I didn't need to scratch my ear and then all of sudden I felt like I needed to.

Jason

 

[flandry84]

The yawning thing is empathetic.
Just proves that you aren’t a sociopath.
Maybe.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I seem to be immune to that problem but it is propably a matter of professional background. As a biologist, I am familiar with that phenomenon and more aware of the mechanism than most people. That enables me to almost without conscious decision block any itching or thoughts of scratching.
The phenomenon is a side effect of us being able to put ourselves in someone's position, an ability important for all animals that live in close society. Yawning's infectuous nature is based on the same principle.

The reaction to the thread's title is very similar to what I like to call the "don't think about xyz"-effect. You'd never have thought of it at this moment (unless you are Australian) but if I tell you:

• by no means think of a kangarooh now

you'll automatically think of one
The thread title and my post both introduce ideas to you that your brains must process before they can decide whether these ideas make sense or not. In case of the itch, scratching actually does make sense since it is possible that within a group if one has parasites, others might get some as well. Hence you scratch longer than you think of an exotic mammal which you are unlikely to encounter in the immediate future.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

The yawning thing is empathetic.
Just proves that you aren’t a sociopath.
Maybe.

I do it.
Debunked.

 

[Jayson1]

I seem to be immune to that problem but it is propably a matter of professional background. As a biologist, I am familiar with that phenomenon and more aware of the mechanism than most people. That enables me to almost without conscious decision block any itching or thoughts of scratching.
The phenomenon is a side effect of us being able to put ourselves in someone's position, an ability important for all animals that live in close society. Yawning's infectuous nature is based on the same principle.

The reaction to the thread's title is very similar to what I like to call the "don't think about xyz"-effect. You'd never have thought of it at this moment (unless you are Australian) but if I tell you:

• by no means think of a kangarooh now

you'll automatically think of one
The thread title and my post both introduce ideas to you that your brains must process before they can decide whether these ideas make sense or not. In case of the itch, scratching actually does make sense since it is possible that within a group if one has parasites, others might get some as well. Hence you scratch longer than you think of an exotic mammal which you are unlikely to encounter in the immediate future.

So what your saying is everyone has mental powers over everyone through sheer language. It's something that should be taken seriously and at no point should someone like for example mention something like Mr Rogers feasting on human flesh because he was a cannibal.

Jason

 

[JesterFace]

First thing that came to mind after reading the topic title was that I've had tinnitus for over 10 years now.

The second thing was if by reading about yawning makes you want to yawn or is this thread just so exiting it makes people yawn?

 

[Steven P Bastien]

I didn't feel itchy, and from the thread title, I strongly suspected that was the purpose of the thread. However, I'm exhausted today, so my body probably does not have the energy to get itchy.

 

[Velocity]

Okay I wanted to test something out. You know that thing people do when someone scratches a itch and you see and it makes you feel the need all of sudden to scratch a itch as well? Well I want people to tell me what you first did when you saw the headline? Did you all of sudden feel the need to scratch a itch? Also by just reading this do you feel kind of itchy? I have noticed that just typing this I all of sudden feel the need to do it myself. I was wondering this, power of suggestion or I am not even sure what to call it, even works through the simple, reading of the word.


Jason

If you'd quit hanging out with monkeys, J-man, you'd itch less.

 

[Nakita Akita]

I wear hearing aids, I'm profoundly deaf.
Hearing aids are sorta gross. Sometimes inside of my ear might itch.
It's annoying to have to pull out the hearing aid and scratch away like a hound dog at your ear.
But my ear doesn't itch now, but thanks for asking.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

^if only I could get my dad to wear hearing aids before the rest of the family goes deaf from his ultra-loud TV.
As I listen to audiobooks with my little mp3 player a lot I know how awful it is to have an itch inside the ear. Most of the time it's a single hair I accidentially crammed in with the earphones.

So what your saying is everyone has mental powers over everyone through sheer language.

yes, indeed. That's how politicians win elections or start wars and how advertizing gets people to buy things. It is also how bullying and trolling works.

 

[Marynator]

Well I want people to tell me what you first did when you saw the headline?

Honestly my first thought was "This is the most Jayson-y post of all time", lol!

That kangaroo trick doesn't work on me, probably because my mind is always off somewhere better. I do totally yawn when someone else does, but going even further I find I tend to absorb the moods of people around me. When I see people tired, I start feeling tired myself, or if I see someone in a bad mood that will almost certainly sour mine also.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Yesterday I was outside, felt a tickle, and looked down to find that an ant had somehow made it onto my left arm.

I have now had random bug-crawly sensations (but no more ants) on my skin for the last 19 hours.

Stupid ant, I should have smushed you.

 

[Armus]

If there is such power in words, I think I'd prefer it if you used the power of suggestion to remove my itch.

 

[Kor]

It would be funny if this worked with burping.

Kor

 

[Jayson1]

It would be funny if this worked with burping.

Kor

It just did with me. But I have been burping a lot lately. Not sure why. But none today until I read this. Not super serious burping I should add. I'm not exactly going all Buger in "Revenge of the Nerds" but it's a small steam of tiny burps.

Jason