Have you ever listened to a song you enjoy and suddenly felt a shiver of chills or goosebumps across your body? This type of response from any stimulus besides a cold temperature (commonly music, art or poetry) is called frisson (pronounced free-sawn). While not everyone experiences this phenomenon, there are scientific and physiological explanations as to how this happen, and who it happens to.
How does frisson happen?
In a review done by Yale, a variety of studies concluded that openness to experience (such as active listening and paying attention to dynamic shifts in sound) is one of the highest indicators of people who experience frisson.
One of these studies (Naloxone Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information, 2016), found that the act of expecting a change in music can result in an endorphin rush. When something unexpected happens or the listener awaits a dramatic movement within a song or piece, they are more likely to experience a wave of chills as a reaction. Because physical reaction is born from moments of anticipation and sound transition, we can assume that the way a song is constructed can be a greater contributor for a listener experiencing frisson than the musical genre it belongs to.
Another study (Blood & Zatorre, 2001), suggests that there are increases in blood flow to parts of the brain when chills are strongly experienced, increasing dopamine levels. Traditionally, dopamine is linked to reward-motivated behavior (like eating a piece of chocolate or exercising.) Though we can't touch the music we enjoy, sound can provide some people with a physiological response that's comparable to tangible reward-based actions.
Who experiences frisson?
In a study by Matthew Sachs, a graduate from the University of Southern California, twenty people were selected to test and measure the rate of who experienced chills when listening to music. 10 of those people were in the "chill" group, (those who have previously experienced the chills prior to the study.) The other 10 participants were the "no chill" group (those who haven't experienced the music chills before.) Both groups were matched in age, musical experience, IQ and personality traits.
Each participant listened to six songs; three favorite pieces and three control pieces. The favorite pieces were provided by each of the participants among the chill and no chill group. The chill group provided songs which reliably induced the chills and the no chills group chose songs that they enjoyed listening to. The control songs were recognizable among participants in both groups but did not demonstrate a reaction with either.
The results of the study concluded that the participants who have higher emotional responses to music and previous musical training tested higher with experiencing chills than the other participants. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to measure the results between the two groups. The chill group tested with higher volume in white matter connectivity among different regions in the brain than the non-chill group. Simply put, it seems that prior musical experience and high levels of emotional response to music both directly affect a listener’s ability to physiologically connect with the art.
While just about everyone enjoys music, not everyone is able to experience a physical payoff. Openness to experience, previous musical experiences, music education and a unique neurological makeup all contribute to enjoying a song with your full body. Consider yourself fortunate the next time you find yourself frissoning to your favorite tune.