Reasons why we find things so annoying explained in new book

Most people are annoyed by having to overhear a phone conversation, nails screeching on a chalk board or sitting next to a crying baby on a plane, but why?

A new book called Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us offers a formula for why these things bother us.

National Public Radio science journalists and book authors Joe Palca and Flora Lichtman argue that for something to be annoying it must be temporary, unpleasant, unpredictable and not lethal.

To use the example of a person talking on a phone in a small public place like an elevator or a public bus, their website states that is annoying because it is unpleasant and distracting. It is also annoying because "we don't know, and can't control, when it will end," and we are forced to listen to only half of the conversation.

"Our brains are hardwired to pay close attention to people talking and follow conversations," states the website. "The loud chatter pulls our brains away to listen to half of something we're never going to understand."

For people in Toronto, being constantly connected seems to outweigh the annoyance of overhearing partial conversations on the subway.

A 2008 survey conducted by the Toronto Transit Commission showed 59 per cent of riders wanted the online service compared to 17 per cent who opposed the plan. TTC said in 2008 it would have a plan to provide the service within six months, but as of now there is no service underground.

Looking at Palca and Lichtman's research, maybe Toronto commuters are better off.

This example, or something like a fly buzzing around one's head, is not harmful to the individual, but the noise barges into the brain and interferes with other thoughts.

With the sound of nails on the chalkboard, the sound waves vary unpredictably between loud and quiet, which the ears find uncomfortable.

Lichtman says she was inspired to write the book when riding the subway in New York.

"The guy next to me pulls out a nail clipper and just keeps at it for 10 stops," she tells MSNBC's The Body Odd blog. "I'm sweating, I'm thinking, 'Why am I having this enormous reaction to something so trivial'." As a science journalist she finds herself lucky to be able to answer her own question.

The authors also look at why some people are more annoying than others. These are people who violate social norms and tend to be arrogant and picky.

The book covers what annoys us in every situation from politics and business to romance and sports.

Palca and Lichtman say it is difficult to find something that everyone finds annoying, but many of the examples listed above are very close to being universal. Lichtman tells The Body Odd her biggest annoyance is, ironically, when she gets annoyed with herself for being annoyed.

For Palca, it is unexplained delays. "Somebody knows why this plane isn't taking off, but they're not telling me," he tells The Body Odd. "I don't know if I'm going to be sitting here for five minutes of an hour."

Watch Lichtman and Palca talk about why we find certain things annoying.

Annoying Book Promo from flora lichtman on Vimeo.

(Reuters photo)