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Katherine Craster's "The Centipede's Dilemma"

The Daily Poem
The Daily Poem
Episode • Jul 29, 2024 • 5m

Today’s poem, written in 1871, actually gave the name to the since-codified psychological phenomenon known as the “centipede effect” or “centipede syndrome.” Psychologist George Humphrey (for whom the condition is alternatively named “Humphrey’s Law”) said of the poem, "This is a most psychological rhyme. It contains a profound truth which is illustrated daily in the lives of all of us."



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