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What’s the deal with the big duck?

Posted at 11:50 PM, May 20, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-20 23:50:13-04

What’s the big deal with the big duck? It’s a question many have been asking since the giant rubber duck floated to the Chrysler Museum of Art this weekend.

The 40-foot rubber duck seems to bring joy to anyone willing to make the trip.

Click here to see the live duck cam.

Click here to see the duck photos and to submit your own.

Use whatever superlative you want, the duck is cool. But why is just its goofy presence enough to bring so much joy to everyone?

We turned to Lisa Mazzio, a behavioral psychologist with Watermark Psychological Services for some answers.

"I think you can't help but smile when you see the duck and once you recognize the familiar icon, it takes you right back to your childhood memories. It brings you back to when you were a kid in the tub, when your kids were kids in the tub. They'll love that I said that, it just brings out the kid in you."

"It's kind of a contagious communal interest and so when people see other people being interested in something, that group think phenomenon kicks into high gear. Everyone just flocks to this one thing because of other people looking at it."