# Ears pricking up involuntarily - anyone else? Just me?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 10, 2020, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189 "2020-03-10T05:11:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189/1 "2020-03-10T05:11:24Z")

</div>

I can’t wiggle my ears or anything like that. And I’ve never been in front of a mirror at the right moment, but if I hear a sudden, unexpected sound _not_ something that provokes a startle reflex, but for example the doorbell ringing next door, I swear my ears tense up at the root, or “stem end” right where they connect to my head. It feels as though my ears are straining to move UPWARD although briefly. The effect is gone in a second or two.

I feel as though for one moment, I’m a deer hearing a sudden sound, not necessarily one that immediately signals danger, but that makes me wary and alert.

Anyone else get this occasionally? It’s not voluntary in any way. Doesn’t happen very often. I can’t even confirm that it’s visible external, maybe it’s an internal neuromuscular sensation nobody else can see. But it’s not subtle, it’s a very strong sensation.

Just me?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189/2 "2020-03-10T05:19:37Z")

</div>

I can wiggle my ears, and it feels pretty much like what you describe. They move up and back slightly, I think. And yes, it’s involuntary sometimes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189/3 "2020-03-10T11:24:15Z")

</div>

Weird unexpected noises? All the time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189/4 "2020-03-10T13:16:36Z")

</div>

Nope.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-pricking-up-involuntarily-anyone-else-just-me/849189/5 "2020-03-10T16:32:07Z")

</div>

Yes, it’s a thing: [Posterior auricular muscle - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posterior_auricular_muscle)