Why doesn't it tickle when we tickle ourselves vs. someone else tickling us?

Question

Or why doesn't it feel good whenever you try to give yourself a massage? (Couldn't find the right category for this question for all of you that will complain)

Answer 1

Most of us have a ticklish spot somewhere on our bodies, and it is usually pretty easy to find. For some it's just above the knee, for others it's the back of the neck, and some of us go into fits of laughter if someone grabs our sides. Laughing when another person tickles you is a natural reaction. Scientists have discovered that the feeling experienced when we are tickled causes us to panic and is a natural defense to little creepy crawlers like spiders and bugs. Slight tickles from insects can send a chill through your body letting you know something is crawling on you.
That same ticklish feeling sends us into a state of panic and elicits a response of uncontrollable laughter if a person tickles us. It's the moment that you least expect to be tickled and are that causes you to feel extremely uneasy and panicked, which leads to the most intense ticklish feeling. Even if you do know that you are about to be tickled, the fear and unease of someone touching and possibly hurting you causes you to laugh. Some people are so ticklish that they begin laughing even before they are touched.

So, if someone else's touch can tickle us, why can't we tickle ourselves? Much of the explanation for this question is still unknown, but research has shown that the brain is trained to know what to feel when a person moves or performs any function. We aren't aware of a lot of the sensations generated by our movements. For example, you probably don't pay much attention to your vocal cords when you speak. For the same reason, we can't tickle ourselves. If we grab our sides in an attempt to tickle ourselves, our brain anticipates this contact from the hands and prepares itself for it. By taking away the feeling of unease and panic, the body no longer responds the same as it would if someone else were to tickle us.

Brain scientists at the University College London have pinpointed the cerebellum as the part of the brain that prevents us from self-tickling. The cerebellum is the region located at the base of the brain that monitors our movements. It can distinguish expected sensations from unexpected sensations. An expected sensation would be the amount of pressure your fingers apply to your keyboard while typing. An unexpected sensation would be someone sneaking up behind you and tapping you on the shoulder. While the brain discards the sensation of typing, it pays a lot of attention to someone tapping on your shoulder. The difference in reactions from expected to unexpected is a built-in response that probably developed in early human history to detect predators.

Although we are not able to tickle ourselves unassisted, there is a way to trick the brain by using a robot tickler. That's right. With all of the know-how of science and technology, a robot has been designed to allow people to tickle themselves. The same British scientists mentioned above have designed a machine that enables you to tickle yourself by remote control. To use the machine, a person lies on their back with their eyes shut. The robot is located near the person with a piece of soft foam attached to a plastic rod that is controlled by a remote control joystick. When the person activates the rod, the robot will react after a short delay. Even with delays as short as a fifth of a second from the time the person activates the rod until the robot tickled the person's hand, subjects have described the sensation as the same as another person tickling them. So, in a sense, you could tickle yourself with a robotic assistant.

Answer 2

I think the category is just fine!

Personally, I like massages because you get all the pleasure and somebody else is doing all the work. It's kind of nice to have that happen. You lose that when it's just you - even though your muscles may still feel better after.

The tickle thing is a good question. It's probably a basic instinct of your body trying to let you know that something is touching you where maybe it shouldn't. Tickly spots are usually somewhere where you are vulnerable. Our brains are smart enough to tell when it's just us, so it's safe and there is adverse reaction.

Just guessing...

Answer 3

The element of surprise is there when someone else tickles us.

Self massage doesn't feel good? Keep trying....maybe the way you're doing it isn't what you need.

Answer 4

The reason why it doesn't tickle is because two parts of our body are simultaneously touching.

For example my finger tips tickling the bottom of my feet. Our brains prioritize touch and in this case, my brain prefers the signal from my hand versus my feet. Your brain gives your hands priority because of their purpose to feel is more pronounced.

Answer 5

surprisingly, i won't be able to tickle myself in each place others can tickle me different than my ft! i'm only able to tickle myself on my ft and get the comparable sensation i'm getting while others tickle me everywhere that i'm ticklish. stable question.

Answer 6

Your brain does some weird things. I have read that the reason you can't tickle yourself is because your brain knows that the touch you feel is your own and cancels your normal reaction.

Answer 7

We want 2 prevent ourselves coz we dont wanna get tickled.

For the massage thingy, it's not comfortable coz we still have to do it!

The right category is Polls & Survays...

Answer 8

It doesnt feel the same, because you are awear what`s happening next.

Just like life in general;if you knew exactly every small detail of tomorrow, you might not want to even wake up that day because you would over-evaluate it in advance