We’ve all been there. You’re trying to focus in a meeting, a classroom, or even at the dinner table, and then—tap, tap, tap—someone starts bouncing their leg or twiddling their pen. At first, it’s a mild distraction. But before you know it, your irritation starts bubbling up. You can’t think straight. You’re no longer focusing on the task at hand—just that repetitive movement. Sound familiar?
Well, it turns out you’re not alone. There’s actually a name for this unique type of discomfort, and it’s more common than you might think.
Enter misokinesia, a term that literally means “hatred of movement.” While the word might sound like something out of a medical textbook, the experience is surprisingly relatable—and, according to research, it could be affecting one out of every three people.
What Exactly Is Misokinesia?
At its core, misokinesia describes a strong, negative emotional reaction to seeing someone engage in small, repetitive movements. Think: leg shaking, pen clicking, finger tapping, foot wiggling—basically, the kind of idle movements people often do without even realizing it.
And no, this isn’t just about being a little annoyed. For those who experience misokinesia, these seemingly harmless behaviors can spark very real emotional distress—ranging from discomfort and frustration to intense irritation or even anxiety.
The phenomenon may be new to science, but it’s certainly not new to the people who live with it. For years, many individuals have quietly suffered through social interactions, work meetings, or classroom lectures without realizing that others might be going through the same thing.
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From Sound to Sight: A Sister Condition Called Misophonia
To understand misokinesia a bit better, it helps to look at its auditory cousin: misophonia, which is when certain sounds—like chewing, breathing, or throat-clearing—trigger an intense emotional response, often anger or disgust.
Misophonia has gotten more attention in recent years, and many people who experience it can pinpoint specific noises that send them over the edge. Misokinesia, however, hasn’t received the same spotlight—until recently.
Whereas misophonia is all about sound, misokinesia is a visual reaction. It’s the sight of someone else fidgeting that sets off the internal alarm bells.
A Groundbreaking Study Sheds Light
In 2021, psychologist Sumeet Jaswal and a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) decided to dig into this little-known phenomenon. They conducted what they called the first large-scale scientific investigation into misokinesia. The results were more revealing than anyone expected.
Over 4,100 participants—a mix of university students and everyday people—were surveyed across several experiments. The researchers wanted to know: How often do people feel bothered by others’ fidgeting? How intense is the emotional reaction? And what kind of impact does this have on their lives?
The answer? About one-third of the participants said they experience misokinesia in varying degrees.
Not Just a “You” Problem—It’s a Social One
One of the study’s most important takeaways is that misokinesia is not a rare, isolated quirk. It’s not something that only affects people with other mental health issues or sensory disorders. It appears to be a widespread human response, quietly shaping how people navigate social spaces—often without anyone realizing it.
This realization is important. It means that if you feel stressed, agitated, or emotionally drained after being around someone who’s constantly fidgeting, you’re not being dramatic. You’re likely experiencing a genuine psychological response that many others share.
In fact, UBC psychologist Todd Handy, who co-authored the study, admitted that he got interested in misokinesia after a personal experience. His partner once told him that not only was he a fidgeter, but his constant movements were causing her stress—just as anyone else’s would.
That sparked Handy’s curiosity as a visual cognitive neuroscientist. He wanted to know: What’s really going on in the brain when we react so strongly to someone else’s twitchy behaviors?
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Emotional Fallout: More Than Just Annoyance
The study didn’t just measure how many people experience misokinesia—it also looked at how it impacts them emotionally and socially.
People who are sensitive to these movements often report feeling:
- Frustration or anger
- Increased anxiety
- Mental exhaustion in group settings
- Less enjoyment in social interactions
- Lower productivity in learning or work environments
In more severe cases, misokinesia can even lead individuals to avoid certain situations altogether, opting out of group hangouts or collaborative settings to escape the stress.
In other words, this isn’t just a minor irritation—it can genuinely affect mental well-being, social engagement, and quality of life.
So What Causes It?
Here’s where things get a little fuzzy. Despite the findings, scientists still don’t have a definitive explanation for why misokinesia happens.
One theory the researchers tested was whether people with misokinesia simply have heightened visual attention, making it harder for them to tune out movement in their peripheral vision. But the data didn’t fully support that idea.
So researchers started looking elsewhere—and landed on something intriguing: mirror neurons.
Mirror Neurons: Empathy in Motion?
Mirror neurons are special brain cells that fire both when you perform an action and when you watch someone else do it. These neurons are believed to be involved in learning through imitation, empathy, and understanding others’ emotions.
For example, when you see someone stub their toe, you might flinch involuntarily. That’s your mirror neurons helping you feel someone else’s experience.
Now imagine this in the context of misokinesia: when a person sees someone fidgeting—often a sign of nervousness or anxiety—their mirror neurons might simulate that emotional state, causing them to feel tense or uneasy themselves.
So, rather than just being annoyed by the movement, people with misokinesia might be unconsciously absorbing the emotional energy behind it—and reacting to that.
As researcher Sumeet Jaswal put it:
“A reason that people fidget is because they’re anxious or nervous, so when individuals who suffer from misokinesia see someone fidgeting, they may mirror it and feel anxious or nervous as well.”
Follow-Up Research: A Clue About Disengagement
In 2024, Jaswal followed up with another small study involving 21 volunteers. This time, the research suggested that misokinesia might not be about the initial reaction to the movement—it might be more about the inability to stop focusing on it once it starts.
In other words, people with misokinesia may struggle to mentally disengage from repetitive visual stimuli. Once their attention locks onto the movement, it just won’t let go. That mental “sticking” could be the true source of the discomfort.
A Real, Common, and Understood Challenge
For anyone who has ever felt irrationally upset by someone drumming their fingers or wiggling their foot, this research offers something surprisingly powerful: validation.
You’re not being overly sensitive. You’re not making it up. Misokinesia is real. And you’re far from alone.
As Handy said in the study’s conclusion:
“To those who are suffering from misokinesia, you are not alone. Your challenge is common, and it’s real.”
The full findings of the original study were published in Scientific Reports, offering the scientific community—and the public—a fresh look at how subtle social behaviors can deeply impact our mental and emotional well-being.
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So, What Can Be Done?
At this point, there’s no official treatment or intervention for misokinesia, largely because the research is still in its early stages. But awareness is a powerful first step.
If you experience misokinesia:
- Recognize your triggers – Are there specific movements that bother you more than others?
- Practice mindfulness techniques – Breathing exercises and grounding tools can help reduce emotional intensity.
- Communicate calmly when possible – If a close friend or coworker’s fidgeting is really affecting you, it’s okay to politely share how you feel.
As science continues to explore the brain’s response to social stimuli, we may one day understand misokinesia more deeply—and perhaps even find ways to manage it better. Until then, a little empathy—for yourself and others—can go a long way.
