Why You Can’t Tickle Yourself: The Science Behind This Funny Fact

Do you find it puzzling why tickling yourself doesn’t work? No matter how hard you try, it’s impossible to induce the sort of laughter that someone else can. This isn’t just an instance of you not trying hard enough, but an instance of science and how your brain works.

Your Brain Predicts Every Move

You can’t tickle yourself because of your cerebellum. This part of your brain that predicts your own movements. When you try to do it, your brain and cerebellum already predicts where, when, and how you will touch your skin. This prediction and understanding prevents the surprise, and you don’t get that tickling reaction.

The Power of Surprise

When tickling is unanticipated, it activates laughter. It’s easier for others to make you laugh because your mind did not prepare to respond. The surprise element, as well as the helplessness, is what the psychology of tickling focuses on. The mere anticipation of someone saying, “I’m going to tickle you!” can lead to laughter. The nagging anticipation of what could possibly happen is enough to set the brain in motion.

In one tickling experiment, scientists used a robot that mimicked people’s hand movements. Initially, the hand mimicking caused no reaction, but the slight delay caused people to laugh. It was just enough unpredictability to surprise the brain.

Why Are We Ticklish?

Experts think the reason someone is ticklish is sensitive parts of the body and possibly evolution. Other people think ticklishness helps bonding, playing, and laughing.

Why can’t humans tickle themselves? The brain is simply too intelligent. It predicts your actions and eliminates the surprise. The next time someone tickles you and makes you laugh, remember that your brain is still and it is that mystery which helps you laugh.

Fun fact: Your brain still reacts even if you are unable to tickle yourself; it just mutes it !