There are many ways to flirt and none is infallibleno matter how much it hurts us. But we all know that even when we have already won that person’s heart, whisper in ear It always makes us score points. Who does not like to be told something nice in this way? Or not so pretty. Now, what is the perfect ear for it? We usually do it indifferently, but, according to science, there are preferences. And although it is true that there is some discussion about it, it seems that, for now, the left ear win the game.
The latest study confirming this has been published in Frontiers in Neuroscience hand in hand with a team of scientists from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). In it, they analyze the brain activity of 13 people while receiving a series of messages in the ear. It was seen that the response of the brain is much greater when they receive happy vocalizations in the left ear. On the other hand, and curious as it may seem, the same does not happen if it is about messages with a neutral, negative or even scared tone.
Come on, when it comes to whispering, it seems that it is better that we say nice things in the left ear. For everything else, the side we choose is indifferent.
Whisper in the left or right ear? That is the question
Curiously, in 2009 a study was published that said the complete opposite of this. In it, it was decided to remove the research from the laboratories and take it to a discotheque. It certainly is the perfect place. Is about noisy environments, so it is practically mandatory to speak into the ear. It is true that in these cases it is more about shouting than whispering, but that is the least of it. On the other hand, in these places it is common for people to send happy messages, not necessarily with the intention of flirting, but with positive connotations.
The scientists observed that when two people spoke to each other, there was a greater tendency to continue interacting if it was done in the same place. right ear. In addition, to try to confirm these results and see if the same thing happened when whispering, they carried out a second experiment.
In this case, one of the investigators went down the street stopping a passersby and asking them for something in the ear. It was observed that when she spoke into her right ear, they made more case to your requests than when they whispered in the left.
The curious thing is that this latest research indicates the opposite. But it is true that some differences must be established.
intention counts too
The first thing to note is that this latest study focused on what happened when whispering in a positive tone. The 2009 study simply looked at interactions.
On the other hand, this latest research does not only observe external reactions, but also analyzes the brain response. In that sense, it is much more reliable.
Of course, it must be taken into account that it was only carried out with 13 people, so the results would have to be taken cautiously until repeating them with a larger sample.
Leaving this aside, let us see how it was carried out. The researchers performed a brain scan on all the volunteers, while they received a series of happy human vocalizationssuch as laughter, in the left ear, the right or directly in front.
It was observed that in all cases both sides of the cerebral cortexbut that the neurological activity it was much higher when the message was received in the left ear. This observation is very important, because it contradicts a previous hypothesis. It had already been seen in previous studies that the left ear has a greater capacity to identify emotions in the voice.
It was thought that since what enters through the left ear is processed in the right side of the cerebral cortex, it could be because the cerebral cortex is more efficient in this regard. But it’s not like that. Both sides are activated at the same time. Simply, the activity is greater when the message arrives from the left side.
Of course, all this applies only to positive messages. With the rest, there were no differences.
better from behind
Another interesting fact is that it has been observed in other studies that people they get aroused more quickly when they receive a message whose voice comes from behind. It has an evolutionary explanation, since excitement is still an emotion like the one that a threat that comes from behind, unseen, would awaken in our ancestors.
In the case of the left ear there does not seem to be any evolutionary explanationalthough it would have to be studied. What is clear is that if you want to whisper something nice in someone’s ear, based on current science, it is best to do it on the left and from behind. We do not guarantee success, but do not say that you have not put knowledge into it.