Why do people stick out their tongues when concentating on something?

Just habit.

Ever watch Michael Jordan? I was always wondering if he’d land on someone and lose his.

Some things just can’t be helped.

Plus, if you raise one eyebrow in addition to sticking out your tongue you look dead sexy.

My husband does it now and did it from the time he was a child. The funny thing, his niece’s son does the exact same thing. His grandfather stuck his tongue out a little, just like my husband and his niece’s little boy. They do it when they are concentrating. I personally think it is adorable and it melts my heart.

“When you are concentrating on something, you are using the hemisphere of the brain also used for processing motor input. It’s also noticeable that some people walk more slowly when they are thinking of something difficult. This is caused by interference from the two activities fighting for the same bit of brain to process them. By biting your lip or sticking your tongue out, you are suspending motor activity and keeping your head rigid, to minimise movement and hence interference.”

Big Questions, Spectrum, SMH, GPO Box 506, Sydney 2001

I do it all the time, especially when driving in the city. I told my son to tell me every time he notices because I would like to stop.

I also agree that it is cute. My ex-boyfriend would do it. :P And I have no idea why it happens. It’s probably in the same league with things like the movement of the eyebrows indicating concentration, surprise, etc.

I would list it with other things we do subconsciously at various times, like not realizing that I’ve been bouncing my right leg the whole time I’ve been Fluthering through the day. Or narrowing your eyes when you concentrate, or drumming your fingers on the desk when you’re bored or upset, etc…

I don’t think I do this. And, I don’t think I have ever noticed anyone else doing it. Now I am going to watch for it.

From this article (1999):

The tongue has one of the largest representations both in motor cortex and sensory cortex of any appendage. It’s role in basic taste/odor as well as communication and sensation makes it a major attentional “draw” for the brain (try and ignore a bad taste or not play with a loose tooth with it). When you are carrying out a difficult task, (particularly one which is both motor and sensory based such as playing a musical instrument), sticking out your tongue while it is compressed between your lips is providing a static “white noise” signal across a big chunk of your brain.

This is much the same explanation as given in @marinelife‘s answer.

I do this when i’m colouring in with a crayon held in the fist position, actually that’s not true, it’s more of a twithchy cheek with me, or so i’ve been told.
Maybe it’s just an unconscious mechanism used to aid concentration, I don’t know.

Might it have anything to do with an oral fixation as well? I don’t do this, but chewing on a pen sure seems to help me concentrate :)

I’ve always done it, and never bothered to research the biological mechanism behind it. Thanks, @marinelife and @gasman!