What exactly is that feeling?

Tommy B

Tommy B

Tommy B

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Does anyone know exactly what causes the hairs on your spine to stand up?

Like when you're singing the Anthem at an England rugby match, or when you just see or hear something that completely blows you away!
 
i know what you mean but i dont know how to decribe the feeling.

its like an emotion i guess, i know if i can relate to a song i get the shiver down my spine etc.
 
Probably a reaction going through your nervous system, due to the sudden surge of emotions.

No idea really, but that's the most scientificableuntechnological theory I can think of.
 
Tommy B said:
Does anyone know exactly what causes the hairs on your spine to stand up?

Like when you're singing the Anthem at an England rugby match, or when you just see or hear something that completely blows you away!
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Adrenalin rush iirc, it sets your body into an alert mode, tense up your muscle, hearing is improved (kinda like by 10%+) and part of the physical changes is the hair raising experience
 
I got that feeling reading this thread, haha, thanks I guess! :D ... even if it is sad. :p

I don't know how to describe it in a word, other than explaining it as an action. As everyone does. Maybe we need a new word in the English language? :D

Phil.
 
Syngress said:
What ever it is its a great feeling. :)
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No matter how great that feeling is, it cant beat the feeling of "bursting a nut" during sex. IMO that's the bestest feeling ever! Nothing beats that. :cool:
 
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Chronos-X said:
I dont think I've ever felt hairs on my neck actually stand up :confused:
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Perhabs they are too thin for you to notice or you are bald on your neck :D . Most people i think wont feel then unless, they are hairy or have very sensitive baroreceptors around that part of the body.
 
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I wouldn't say it's an adrenaline rush. It's nothing whatsoever like what I feel before a race, or at the start of a rugby match (playing not watching)

Strangely, I get a similar feeling when I'm holding my cat and he is purring in my ear. Strange heh :)
 
I get that feeling when listening to a video of an F40 - at one point the engine note makes hairs stand up :p
 
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar99/917559656.Ns.r.html said:
You have already answered your own question! As you already know, fear
and temperature both have strong effects on piloerection (goosebumps)
through autonomic nervous systems feedback systems. These are mediated
like other emotion-linked autonomic reflexes by routing through the limbic
system. These other emotion-linked autonomic reflexes include blushing,
blanching, butterflies in the stomach.

The limbic system is the site of primitive drives: sex, fear, rage,
aggression and hunger. Anatomical sites for the limbic system include
amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, uncus, subcallosal gyrus, cingulate gyrus,
fornix, dentate gyrus, hypothalamus and hippocampus. These are found
around a major structure called the thalamus which receives virtually
all sensory input. The medial forebrain bundle is a bidirectional
communication with the brainstem which then directly mediates autonomic
reflexes. A second method of invoking the autonomic reflexes is through
the hypothalamus which also sends nerve projections to the brainstem.

Specifically, direct stimulation of the amygdala and hypothalamus evokes
the piloerection pathway. It's in these physical structures that emotional
stimulation by music or the reading of poetry, etc. can result in
piloerection.

BTW, the hippocampus is also involved in learning and memory, suggesting
the importance of emotions on learning and the reason why background music
can help with learning.
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Can't vouch for the quality of the answer, but it sounds technical enough :p
 
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