Earworm Effect Essay

Nearly ninety one percent of all people report having at least one song stuck in their head a week. This is called the earworm effect. Earworms are songs that repeat continually through a person’s mind after the song is no longer playing. The earworm effect is a real part of everyday life that is caused by the brain’s memory and dopaminergic system.

Though earworm songs are frequent, the triggers still remain unknown. Scientist from the DNA Learning Center believe that a person’s own triggers lie within our musical preferences. During the first fifteen years of a human life the brain develops more than at any other point. Within that short time span our musical preferences forms. Whether a person is moved more by punk rock or classical, the

music still has the same affect on their brain.
As sounds enter into the inner ear it goes through the phonological loop which processes sound perception and written materials. Within the phonological loop the information goes through two stops. First, is passed to the phonological store, then to the articulatory control process. The phonological store holds that information in spoken word form. While the articulatory control process is use to hold, retain, and rehearse any verbal information that comes from the phonological store.
All information, once it has gone through the phonological loop, turns into memories. The memories humans have are either long term or short term. If the information is repeated many times it turns into long term. Short term memories stay in the phonological loop and last only as long as they are needed. Short term memories can be phone numbers, a short list, or a catchy song. These memories can turn into long term with much repetition.
These memories explain why a song that a person has not heard since their childhood could turn into an earworm. If they were to hear something else with just a similar beat, tune, or word, they could recall the song. It would then be repeated in the phonological loop again. This is one reason that the earworm effect can be triggered at anytime and by most anything.
All this meaning, even with different types of music the human brain reacts the same way. When music is processed the brain activates areas that control things such as planning, attention, movement, and memory. Each of these areas cause the earworm effect. The brain is so highly developed when music is played it tries to finish, or complete, a gap in rhythm, scale, or lyrics.
There could be more than one trigger for this effect.

Music does not just have connection with memory. Music has emotional or drug like effect on the brain. When a person listens to music he/she finds pleasing often this results in a sort of “high”. This “high” is the result of dopamine being released when there is emotional arousal.

Brain reward pathways are involved in this dopamine release. These pathways are: VTA, NAc, and the hippocampus.The VTA pathway is the region in which the dopamine is produced, it also tells the organisms whether the action is rewarding or not. The NAc helps meditate on the effects of the high. Finally, the Hippocampus chooses what memories to meditate upon. If a song releases a dopamine high it is the body’s natural function to try and get those same feelings.

This is why earworm songs are repeated over and over, it is the brain trying to get it’s high once again.

There are several logical reasons for earworm songs. Earworm songs can regulate emotions and keep the brain active. Just like any other part of the body our brain needs to be in shape. Earworms are more likely to occur when the brain is being inactive while in a positive emotional state. Even though exact triggers are still unknown the basic causes are known as were previously

stated.