Why do you get chills when listening to good music?
 

la petite moi and I were discussing this just yesterday. Why is it that if you're listening to music that is really great, you get chills?

Now hold on; I am shooting from the cuff here and when I searched "Physiological responses to audio stimuli" I didn't get much good stuff back. That said:

These "Chills" you speak of are called "Physiological responses" meaning that your body is reacting to something your brain is telling it to do. When you hear music, or any other audio stimulus, you become conditioned (yes, Pavlov, you get credit for this) to it. This happens in infancy with your parent's voice, and in early childhood.

I have to say that scientists are fascinated with the physiological response, and believe that harnessing the brain's ability to influence our physical state is very powerful.

I want you to think of a pickle. You open the jar, dunk your fingers in and pull out a big, crunchy pickle from the rest. You bring it to your mouth and crunch down on it, and the sour pickle juice explodes in your mouth.

Are you salivating right now? That is just one of HUNDREDS of physiological responses that we have to cope with our physical environment.

People refer to the "Fight or Flight" symptom, where your body dumps adrenaline to deal with a percieved threat. But what if it isn't a threat, but instead a good experience? What if the song we loved as a kid (or our first make-out song, et cetera, et cetera) is playing on the radio?

Scientists (evolutionary biologists, to be specific) believe that the chills you feel down your neck is an instinctual response that humans developed for two things:

1. The chill makes your hair stand on end, and when we were big, hairy beasts this would artificially inflate our size, making the threat think twice about attacking us.
2. The chill makes your hair stand on end, and when we were big, hairy beasts this would artificially inflate our size, making a potential mate think twice (or three times, or more :lol: )about mating with us.

We don't need these instinctual responses anymore, but they stick around anyway. Therefore, when you get excited subconsciously about a song, painting, person, place or thing, there is that chill down your back.

Good answer...

I will have to use this the next time I tear up while watching a movie or TV...

It's not my fault! ...damn reflexes.

that's fascinating - but the real problem is - i want a pickle now..