Many of us have one time or the other heard our names being called. Sometimes even by a familiar voice. But when we check to see who or where the person might be, we find no one there.
There is a myth or should I say popular perception in Nigeria that when such happens, its witches that are calling you. Not at all, at least science doesn't say so. Hearing your name when no one is calling you is due to AUDITORY MEMORY according to psychology.
Auditory memory also known as echoic memory, in simple words Is when the brain takes in oral information and stores them, then later recalls them. So if you are hearing your name being called when no one is around you, its as a result of your brain storing the voice of your someone calling your name, then recollection it some other time.
For example, our parents call us by name frequently. So our brain picks the voice of them calling us and then replays it some other time. Thats why sometimes we hear our parents calling us even when they didn't. I am also guilty of this one and my parents are always quick to scold me. They also think its witchcraft, lol.
In fact, when one hears his/her name when no one is calling, he/she is adjudged to have a healthy mind. There are disorders associated with a deficit of auditory memory, so next time you hear your name being called and you can't find the person calling you, be glad you have a good auditory memory