What Exactly Are Goosebumps?
Goosebumps are what you get when very small raised areas appear on the skin, which is a result of the action of what are called arrector pili muscles at the base of each hair follicle. What happens is that these muscles contract, causing your hair to stand up, which in turn produces the bumpy feel that we call “Goosebumps.”
When Your Skin Says “Hello!”
Ever in the middle of a horror film, do your skin’s senses go wild like a map of the mountains? What about diving in that cold pool and out comes a collection of little bumps on your arms? These are goosebumps, your body’s odd response to certain feelings and stimuli. But what causes them? What is the link between that which is creepily dramatic in a book and the biology of our skin?
Let’s solve the puzzle.
Fun analogy: Imagine you’re a leaf in the wind — each hair stands at attention, like soldiers waiting for the command.
Scientific name: Piloerection, that sounds very fancy, but it is just the term for “hair standing up.
Why do we get Goosebumps? Science.
Goosebumps are a function of your autonomic nervous system, which also controls heart rate, breathing, and digestion. Also, you don’t have any control over them, no matter how much you try to “will” them into appearance.
Main triggers include:
- Low temperatures are an evolutionary mechanism to store air and keep us warm.
- Strong feelings: Fear, wonder, energy, wistfulness or even inspiration.
- Sudden startle to loud sounds or out-of-the-blue events.
- Music frizz – that electric feeling you get from a great tune.
Evolutionary backstory:
For our hair-coated ancestors, piloerection was a way to warm up and, at the same time, present a larger, scarier image to predators. For us, present-day humans who have less body hair. It’s mostly a biological throwback.
Emotional Goosebumps: Beyond Fear.
While we think of movies and ghost stories as the prime sources of that “goosebump” effect, science reports that positive emotions also play a role. We experience this as frisson in the psychological sense, a rush of chills and excitement.
Common emotional triggers:
- A dramatic music crescendo
- Witnessing an incredible sports victory
- Seeing a breathtaking view
- Recalling a powerful memory
Your skin is the stage for life’s greatest emotions.
Goosebumps in Pop Culture
Sure, I can’t discuss goosebumps without bringing up the classic book series by R.L. Stine. In the 1990’s he launched Goosebumps, which turned fear into fun for what became millions of young readers. From haunted masks to living dummies, we saw it all in these spooky stories, which for many were a rite of passage as they grew up in that era.
Fun fact: The series reports sales of over 400 million copies worldwide, which makes it history’s best-selling children’s series. Also, reading them before bed gave a lot of readers goosebumps.
Strange and Surprising Goosebumps Facts
- Animals do this also — When threatened, cats fluff up and porcupines raise their quills, which is the same response.
- Some report having goosebumps for several minutes during very emotional times.
- Common noticeable post-death as time muscles may contract from what is known as post-mortem nerve activity.
- Some medical issues — Migraines, seizures, and certain neurological disorders may cause goosebumps in the absence of emotional or cold stimuli.
May It Be a Sign of Something Serious?
Most of the time, goosebumps are harmless. But if they are persistent or one-sided, it may be a result of nerve damage or some other health issue.
If you notice:
Goosebumps free of emotional or temperature triggers.
- Numbness associated with Vitamin B 12 deficiency or tingling in the area
- Persistent chills without fever
It may be a good idea to check in with a doctor.
Can We Control?
Short answer: Not directly. But you try to avoid getting one by not following trigger elements like certain sounds, stories, or temperature changes, which in turn cause Goosebumps.
Pro tip: If you are a fan of that shivery sensation, which is the hallmark of great music, we have a tip for you: try out your favorite epic soundtracks in a dimly lit room. Science reports that music is one of the best triggers for frisson.
Cultural Beliefs
Across the globe, people associate goosebumps with spirits that pass, whispering that something risky is about to happen. Some cultures believe it is an indicator of when a person is telling the truth, as the body is supporting what the person is saying.
Goosebumps and Music: The Enchanted Connection.
In 2016, we learned that individuals report having the music goosebump experience, their brain has a greater connection between areas that deal with emotion and sound. In other words, if you get chills from music, your brain is structured for greater emotional investment.
The Funny Side
They may not be a biological relic, they are rather that which tells us we are present in the moment, that we do feel, we do get affected by the world which we live in. From the end of the best series episode, to the mountain top view, to that perfect guitar solo, goosebumps are proof you are alive and well and truly living.
- Every “Goosebumps Stories” is special, unique and emotional in its way.
- Goosebumps are a result of tiny muscle contractions in hair follicles.
- They are brought on by cold, fear, and excitement, also to a degree by awe.
- Our reaction is a throwback to what our fur-coated ancestors did.
In the world of pop culture, which includes R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps, the term remains popular in a scary, fun way. They present great emotional investment as well as, at times, health issues.
Goosebumps are the body’s way to say, “This is something out of the ordinary. They are a blend of science, history and emotion, which in turn proves that our skin is a storyteller as well as a barrier.
