Science Questions

Why is singing myself less distractin than listening to music?

I have Asperger’s and experience sensory overload. I’m very distracted by repetitive sounds but when I do this or sing myself I’m not bothered by it. So why should that be? Deborah, Boreham Wood

We put this question to Dr Ian Cross:

Two possible reasons: there is some evidence that people suffering from Asperger’s syndrome may be aurally hyper-sensitive.  I think a more plausible reason is likely to be that listening to something someone else has created is not something you can control whereas if you are producing it yourself it obviously is. It’s likely to be a control issue.

March 2008