Mind & PerceptionNeuroscience

Why You Can't Tickle Yourself

Your brain predicts your own touch and cancels it

Anyone can tickle you except one person. Same fingers, same ribs, same touch: nothing happens. What does your brain know that your skin doesn't?

You'll find out

  • What a robot did to bring it back
  • The guess your brain makes each time
  • Why a body needs this trick

Why it matters

The same trick keeps your own movements from drowning out the touches, sounds and sights that come from outside.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 108 · Zone 12

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