TITLE

What Happens in the Brain When Music Causes Chills?

The brains of people who get chills when the right song comes on are wired differently than others

DESCRIPTION

Have you ever listened to a musical selection (be it rock, blues, classical, or even HipHop) and gotten chills and reacted emotionally to a piece.  This is the subject of the article from The Smithsonian along with the possible reasons based on some interesting research.  

“Somewhere between a half to two-thirds of the population have this reaction, yet scientists have long debated why… But a new study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience details what happens in the brain when the soprano hits the high note, reports Ian Sample for The Guardian… These reactions are known as frissons—an aesthetic chill .”  Mitchell Colver, doctoral student at Utah State University, writes for The Conversation.” (The underlined terms are active links that will take you further into the research.)  

The article provides details of how a study was conducted with subjects demonstrating “that the brains of individuals who occasionally feel a chill while listening to music were wired differently than the control subjects.”  The article further discusses the nervous system, emotions, and personality variables in this particular type of response to music.  It’s worth reading if you are “into” music and want to understand what is happening in your brain and nervous system when you listen.

SOURCE

The Smithsonian, June 20, 2016, by Jason Daley

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-look-what-happens-brain-when-music-causes-chills-180959481/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&spMailingID=48744575&spUserID=NzQwNDU3MDAyMDIS1&spJobID=2540740675&spReportId=MjU0MDc0MDY3NQS2

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/y8yfed9c

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•In the beginning chapter of the course, the textbook notes the early work of Wundt and Introspection.  Though Psychology has moved beyond the subjective reactions, can you relate Wundt’s work to understanding how some research does in fact use “introspection” as a partial basis of collecting data?  Explain.

•The article discusses the reactions to music as “frissons”.  Click on the link and explain how  this term is a description of some types of both physiological and emotional reactions.   Have you experienced such a reaction to music?  Describe your reaction.

•Based upon the study cited in the  article:  how are the brains of people who experience “chills” to music different from those who do not?

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