The experience of feeling a shiver down the spine or a sudden wave of goosebumps while listening to music is a phenomenon known scientifically as frisson, which is French for “shiver.” This transient but intense psychophysiological response is a captivating blend of emotional and physical sensation, often described as aesthetic chills. It occurs most commonly in response to auditory stimuli, but can also be triggered by powerful visual art or profound moments in a film. The core scientific puzzle lies in understanding why the brain links the pleasure derived from music to a physical reaction typically reserved for moments of cold exposure or perceived threat. This involuntary bodily reaction offers a unique window into the brain’s complex processing of sound, emotion, and reward.
The Immediate Physical Response
The momentary appearance of goosebumps is the physical manifestation of frisson, resulting from a reflex called piloerection. This process involves the contraction of tiny arrector pili muscles attached to individual hair follicles. When these muscles tighten, they cause the hair to stand erect, creating the characteristic bumpy texture on the skin’s surface.
This reaction is governed by the sympathetic nervous system, the branch of the autonomic system responsible for the body’s involuntary “fight or flight” response. In our ancient evolutionary past, piloerection served two primary functions: creating insulation against cold, or making an animal appear larger when confronted by a predator. Music manages to hijack this ancient survival mechanism, using an emotional stimulus to trigger a physical response meant for temperature regulation or defense.
The Brain’s Emotional Reward Circuitry
Music triggers this ancient physical reflex by engaging the brain’s neurochemical reward system. Listening to music that causes chills actively engages the limbic system, a network of structures involved in emotion, motivation, and memory. Frisson is strongly associated with the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that signals pleasure and reward.
This dopamine surge is concentrated in the nucleus accumbens, often referred to as the brain’s pleasure center, which usually responds to biologically significant rewards like food or sex. Neuroimaging studies show that dopamine levels spike just before the peak emotional moment in the music, during anticipation. When the musical climax is reached, the flood of this neurotransmitter overloads the system, triggering the sympathetic nervous system to produce the physical chill. The brain treats the anticipation and resolution of musical tension as a reward, linking an abstract auditory pattern to the same positive reinforcement pathway used for survival.
How Musical Structure Triggers Anticipation
The music must contain specific structural elements to successfully engage the emotional reward circuit. Frisson is frequently triggered by a sudden, unexpected violation of the brain’s learned musical expectations. The brain constantly predicts the next note, chord, or rhythmic pattern in a song based on its exposure to music.
When a composer introduces an abrupt harmonic change, a sudden shift in volume, or a note that deviates from the predicted melody, the brain experiences surprise and tension. This tension is followed by a pleasurable resolution, which signals the dopamine release. Dramatic crescendos, where the music builds in intensity and volume, are effective at creating this tension and payoff. The anticipation of a long-awaited climax, followed by its satisfying arrival, is a common recipe for aesthetic chills.
Why Not Everyone Experiences Frisson
The ability to experience musical frisson is not universal, suggesting that individual differences in personality and brain structure play a significant role. Research indicates that people who frequently experience these chills often score highly on the personality trait known as “Openness to Experience.” This trait is characterized by a strong appreciation for new experiences, intellectual curiosity, and an active imagination.
Individuals high in Openness to Experience are thought to have an enhanced capacity for cognitive and emotional engagement with music, allowing them to process auditory information more deeply. These differences are also reflected in the brain’s physical structure. Studies show that individuals who report musical chills possess a higher volume of white matter connections between the auditory cortex and areas of the brain involved in emotional processing. This increased neural connectivity allows for more efficient communication between the areas that hear the music and the areas that feel the emotion, making frisson more likely.