The Neuroscience of Music: Why Certain Songs Give Us Goosebumps
The tingling on your skin, the hair on your arms and legs standing straight up, the confusing rush of emotion, these aren’t all coincidental reactions; they are all responses your brain generates. Welcome to the intersection of music and the psyche.
What Are Goosebumps, Anyway?
Music as a Trigger: The Emotional Brain at Work
What Kind of Music Causes Goosebumps?
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Sudden changes in volume or harmony
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Unexpected instrumental entrances
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Emotionally moving lyrics
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Slow build-ups which lead to climactic moments
In short, songs that surprise and emotionally engage you are most likely to produce this powerful response.
Interestingly enough, many people are unable to experience goosebumps from music. In fact, studies show that those who tend to have:
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Stronger connections between the auditory and emotional centers of the brain
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Higher openness to experience, which has a direct relationship with creativity and imagination
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Musical training or deep emotional associations with certain songs
Fun fact: Harvard scientists worked on a study that found that people who experienced music-induced chills had more fibers connecting their auditory cortex to brain areas that deal with emotions.
Originally Published on UCL NC Teens’ Bookworm Blog by Cyra Aggarwal
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