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aggasalk t1_iunrgrz wrote

"intrusive imagery" i.e. visual imagery is indeed something that happens, though it's probably generally considered pathological

https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0018113

[link to the paper directly] (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/icn/sites/icn/files/brewin10.pdf)

i would submit that "earworms" are special less because of hearing/audition, but because of something to do specifically with music. (i don't know what that would be, doubt anyone does)

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MoiJaimeLesCrepes OP t1_iuns6xp wrote

>but because of something to do specifically with
>
>music
>
>.

That would make sense, considering musical features built around a repeated theme (this got brought up elsewhere).

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aggasalk t1_iuntije wrote

Yes, now I'm reading about it a bit, and repetition (usually being a critical part of what makes something a piece of music to begin with) seems often cited as an important piece of it.

[there's this interesting book] (https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4a6cAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=info:qZDte-d77AMJ:scholar.google.com&ots=w6GMO6z3_V&sig=N3I6G9Z3lKo-7nDoteWXTRE0Jww#v=onepage&q&f=false) (by a psychologist who studies music perception) that seems to make this hypothesis very clearly, that music is essentially about repetition, and the occurrence of earworms is specifically related to this quality. (i just read the first few pages and skimmed through it, looks interesting though)

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