Emotional goosebumps, or piloerection, are a well-known response to moments of being deeply moved, yet their connection to other emotions remains largely unexplored. While common language associates goosebumps with fear (horripilation) or other emotions, empirical evidence for such links is scarce. In this project, we systematically investigate which emotions—beyond being moved—can accompany goosebumps. We also look at differences between different domains, such as comparing music-elicited and language elicited goosebumps.

In the lab, we present participants with carefully selected stimuli from films, music, and poetic language, spanning a wide range of emotional tones. Using a mini-camera (the goosecam), we track the occurrence of goosebumps episodes in real-time, both in a controlled laboratory setting and inside an fMRI scanner. By combining physiological recordings with neuroimaging data, we aim to uncover the neural and bodily mechanisms underlying this intriguing emotional response. Additionally, we seek to understand how specific features within the stimuli trigger these emotional peaks, shedding light on the aesthetic and psychological principles behind their elicitation.

Here is the movie about the study