Switched on Pop The Sound of Silence from Unexplainable
Dec 30, 2025
Rayja Goh, a PhD student in psychology and philosophy at Johns Hopkins, explores the puzzling relationship humans have with silence. He reveals fascinating findings, like how many prefer painful electric shocks over sitting in silence. They discuss his 'one-is-more' silence illusion experiment, showing that our brains process silence similarly to sound. Rayja dives into experiences within an anechoic chamber and highlights John Cage's perspective on silence. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the importance of embracing silence in our lives.
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Shocking Aversion To Silence
- Erin Westgate put participants alone in a silent room for 15 minutes and most hated it.
- Nearly half later chose to give themselves painful electric shocks rather than remain in silence.
Silence Can Rewire The Brain
- Animal studies show silence can spur neurogenesis and reduce stress responses.
- Sensory deprivation can have therapeutic brain effects despite subjective discomfort.
Silence Behaves Like Sound
- Rayja Goh created a "one-is-more" silence illusion to test how we perceive silence.
- Subjects judged a single silence as longer, showing the brain processes silence like sound.