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Offline Orbert

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Clearing your throat
« on: February 17, 2012, 11:53:54 AM »
Most people are familiar with the phenomenon where if you see someone yawn, you also feel the need to yawn.  I've experienced it myself.

But something I've also noticed is that the sound of someone clearing their throat seems to have a similar effect.  I work in a cubicle farm, and it's pretty quiet (a bunch of programmers who aren't allowed to listen to tunes while we work) so we can all hear each other pretty well.  Whenever someone clears their throat, you can hear at least one or two others do the same, a few seconds later.  Once I noticed it, I've tried like hell not to, just to see, but it's hard.  Just now, the guy in the cubicle next to me cleared his throat, probably in response to the guy across from me who did it a few moments earlier, and now I'm sitting here trying really hard not to.

Try it.  I dare you.

But seriously, what's up with that?
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Offline Ryzee

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2012, 11:58:37 AM »
You guys can't listen to tunes?  Bumout.  I work in a cubicle farm too and my tunes are the only thing that keeps me clinging to life during the day.  I sympathize with you man.


Oh, and just reading that post made me want to clear my throat.


Ahem.
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Offline pogoowner

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2012, 12:06:24 PM »
I've actually noticed the same thing with coughing as well. It's very interesting.
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Offline jasc15

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2012, 12:09:01 PM »
I haven't noticed that exact thing, but I notice if I am talking to someone who needs to clear their throat (their voice is getting a bit rough from phlegm, or whatever) I will clear my throat as if to tell them to do the same almost without realizing it.
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Offline black_biff_stadler

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2012, 12:09:36 PM »
Just stopped by to post this.

I notice the same thing with someone saying they're gonna go piss. I can usually expect myself to drain my lizard pretty soon.
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Offline rogerdil

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2012, 12:21:56 PM »
Yeah, there's a term for it, I forget what it was -- saw it on House. Auto-[something] response.
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2012, 12:34:13 PM »
-erotic?


Oh sorry, I was thinking of something else.
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Offline AngelBack

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2012, 12:37:32 PM »
Or while you are face to face talking to someone, rub your nose as if you fear an exposed booger, they will think you did it because you saw something on them and they will do the same.
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Online ReaperKK

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2012, 12:41:40 PM »
Quote from: black_floyd on February 17, 2012, 12:09:36 PM
Just stopped by to post this.


damn you beat me to it!
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2012, 12:49:51 PM »
Quote from: Ryzee on February 17, 2012, 11:58:37 AM
You guys can't listen to tunes?  Bumout.  I work in a cubicle farm too and my tunes are the only thing that keeps me clinging to life during the day.  I sympathize with you man.

At my old job, we could have tunes.  The whole atmosphere was much "busier".  Lots of talk, more noise in general (including an army of old-school line printers constantly cranking), but you could play tunes in your cubicle as long as it couldn't be heard beyond the walls.  That was easy, because as soon as you stepped out into the aisle, it was all noise.  Our cubicles were actually pretty nice.  High walls and decent sound-absorbing fabric.  I had some shielded PC speakers that were pretty nice for the time, and listened to tunes all day.

My current office is the exact opposite.  It's really quiet here, and if I played tunes, people would definitely hear it, and there's an actual rule against it.  I could go with earphones, but I can't work with earphones on.  They bother me, plus I have to be able to hear if someone pops in to ask me a question or if my phone rings.  So yeah, it sucks.

Side note: The other day, I went past the cube of a new guy, and he had headphones on.  Old style, over-the-ear, big cushiony speakers engulfing each ear.  They looked super awesome, but somehow amazingly out of place at the same time.

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Offline j

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2012, 01:07:03 PM »
It's probably an extension of the mirror neuron system.

-J
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Offline AcidLameLTE

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2012, 01:34:20 PM »
Quote from: Orbert on February 17, 2012, 12:49:51 PM
Side note: The other day, I went past the cube of a new guy, and he had headphones on.  Old style, over-the-ear, big cushiony speakers engulfing each ear.  They looked super awesome, but somehow amazingly out of place at the same time.
Don't mean to sound rude but what's odd about that? I own these:

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Offline antigoon

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2012, 01:36:48 PM »
I think he just meant in an office environment.
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Offline AcidLameLTE

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2012, 01:39:56 PM »
Oh okay.

I hate you, Joe.
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Offline antigoon

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #14 on: February 17, 2012, 01:46:32 PM »
I know you're fueled by hate, so, I'm glad to be of service.
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Offline Dr. DTVT

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2012, 02:48:33 PM »
Yeah, it happens every week at the departmental seminar.  Someone clears their throat - side effect of the free donuts - and soon you hear more and more coughs and hacks.  To an outsider, we probably seem perpetually sick.  It's quite amusing.
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #16 on: February 17, 2012, 03:02:25 PM »
Quote from: antigoon on February 17, 2012, 01:36:48 PM
I think he just meant in an office environment.

Exactly.  I have a nice set at home like that, but usually people bring their "cheap" or "spare" set to work.  For all I know, this was his spare set.  It was just weird seeing full-blown headphones at work.  It's been a long time since I've seen anything other than earphones or ligthweight over-the-ear headphones at work.
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Offline Implode

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #17 on: February 17, 2012, 03:41:32 PM »
I seriously cleared my throat without thinking about it after reading your post. Wacky.
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Offline DebraKadabra

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2012, 03:50:09 PM »
Quote from: Orbert on February 17, 2012, 03:02:25 PM
Quote from: antigoon on February 17, 2012, 01:36:48 PM
I think he just meant in an office environment.

Exactly.  I have a nice set at home like that, but usually people bring their "cheap" or "spare" set to work.  For all I know, this was his spare set.  It was just weird seeing full-blown headphones at work.  It's been a long time since I've seen anything other than earphones or ligthweight over-the-ear headphones at work.

While I agree that you see earbuds more these days, I'm definitely in the minority--I don't have super uber expensive headphones at work, but I have a decent pair of Sonys because I can't really tolerate earbuds for very long AND I can hear my music a little better with regular cans.

Getting back to the OT, howevs, I'm in a cube farm too.  I work with an older dude who clears his throat CONSTANTLY.  I don't mind the occasional *ahem*, but this dude is WAY over the top with it all friggin NIGHT.  Hence, the reason for the headphones LOL :laugh:
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Offline chucke

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2012, 03:52:14 PM »
My question is; When you clear your throat, what are you clearing and were does it go?
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2012, 03:53:07 PM »
Quote from: DebraKadabra on February 17, 2012, 03:50:09 PM
Quote from: Orbert on February 17, 2012, 03:02:25 PM
Quote from: antigoon on February 17, 2012, 01:36:48 PM
I think he just meant in an office environment.

Exactly.  I have a nice set at home like that, but usually people bring their "cheap" or "spare" set to work.  For all I know, this was his spare set.  It was just weird seeing full-blown headphones at work.  It's been a long time since I've seen anything other than earphones or ligthweight over-the-ear headphones at work.

While I agree that you see earbuds more these days, I'm definitely in the minority--I don't have super uber expensive headphones at work, but I have a decent pair of Sonys because I can't really tolerate earbuds for very long AND I can hear my music a little better with regular cans.

Getting back to the OT, howevs, I'm in a cube farm too.  I work with an older dude who clears his throat CONSTANTLY.  I don't mind the occasional *ahem*, but this dude is WAY over the top with it all friggin NIGHT.  Hence, the reason for the headphones LOL :laugh:

Oh, thank goodness.  I admit I was scared to even open this thread when I saw that you had posted in it, Debra. 
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Offline snapple

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2012, 04:00:24 PM »
Everytime I read this thread I just think of the slang phrase "throat yogurt". I know, there is no reason to go that far.
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Offline DebraKadabra

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2012, 04:00:53 PM »
Quote from: bosk1 on February 17, 2012, 03:53:07 PM
Oh, thank goodness.  I admit I was scared to even open this thread when I saw that you had posted in it, Debra.

What?!  I'm so misunderstood... :(





























 :laugh:
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Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2012, 08:32:12 PM »
*ahem*
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Offline black_biff_stadler

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #24 on: February 18, 2012, 01:36:06 AM »
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Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2012, 04:10:18 AM »
I knew I could count on you.
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Offline Rina

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #26 on: February 18, 2012, 07:57:13 AM »
 :lol



Nice.

But I've never noticed that before, now I'm going to look out for it.
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Offline carl320

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #27 on: February 18, 2012, 08:02:25 AM »
Quote from: Implode on February 17, 2012, 03:41:32 PM
I seriously cleared my throat without thinking about it after reading your post. Wacky.

Almost this, except I thought about not doing it but did anyway  :P
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Offline AndyDT

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Re: Clearing your throat
« Reply #28 on: February 28, 2012, 09:43:26 AM »
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