Why Do We Get Goosebumps When We're Excited?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the physiological and emotional triggers of goosebumps, particularly in relation to excitement and fear. Participants explore the mechanisms behind the arrector pili muscle contraction and the role of adrenaline and other hormones in this response.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that goosebumps are primarily stimulated by fear and cold, serving to trap air for warmth and create an intimidating appearance.
  • Others argue that excitement also triggers goosebumps, suggesting that it is related to emotional responses rather than just physical threats.
  • A participant questions the specific muscles or nerves involved in the emotional response that leads to goosebumps.
  • One participant notes that various stimuli, including excitement, can lead to adrenaline release, which is processed by the central nervous system.
  • Another participant suggests that excitement can be classified as a type of stress, which leads to the release of adrenaline and subsequent goosebumps.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about the role of adrenaline, noting that not all types of excitement or fear result in goosebumps, indicating the potential influence of other autonomic factors.
  • There is mention of other stress hormones, such as glucagon and cortisol, which may also play a role in the piloerection response.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the exact mechanisms behind goosebumps in response to excitement. While some agree on the role of adrenaline, others suggest that additional factors may be involved, leading to multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying definitions of stress and its relationship to excitement, which may affect their interpretations of the physiological responses involved. There is also a lack of detailed information available on the web regarding the autonomic factors contributing to piloerection.

aemla
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I understand that goosebumps are stimulated by fear and cold in order to trap air between hair to keep us warm and make us look more intimidating. Of course today this trait is useless due to technology and ordered civilization.

So adrenaline causes arrector pili muscle to contract and there fore causing the hair to point upwards. All this happens due to fear or cold.

But i do not understand why we get goosebumps when we get excited when an innovative idea pops in your mind.

Is there anything else that can trigger adrenaline?
 
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I think It's mostly related to the emotion of excitement, regardless of the nature of the activity that got you exited in the first place.
 
Could you be more specific? What kind of muscles or nerves are responsible for the emotion and therefore for the goosebumps?
 
The major physiologic triggers of adrenaline release center upon stresses, such as physical threat, excitement, noise, bright lights, and high ambient temperature. All of these stimuli are processed in the central nervous system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenalin#Mechanism_of_action

I wouldn't classify exitement as a "stress", since I think of stress in negative terms, but a persons body is probably taxed by it as much as any negative "stress".
 
I got it now, thanks.

Just like fear, excitement is a type of stress. During stress, stress hormone (adrenaline) is released causing goosebumps.
I have tendency to over-think things but this is quite simple.
 
aemla said:
I got it now, thanks.

Just like fear, excitement is a type of stress. During stress, stress hormone (adrenaline) is released causing goosebumps.
I have tendency to over-think things but this is quite simple.
Personally, I don't think adrenalin is the whole story due to the fact I don't get goosebumps from all types of exitement or fear, only certain kinds. I suspect there's some other autonomic factor(s) that contribute to piloerection, but I don't see that there's much about it on the web.
 
zoobyshoe said:
Personally, I don't think adrenalin is the whole story due to the fact I don't get goosebumps from all types of exitement or fear, only certain kinds. I suspect there's some other autonomic factor(s) that contribute to piloerection, but I don't see that there's much about it on the web.

I agree, it's not the whole story. There are other stress hormones such as glucagon, epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, cortisol, and growth hormone. In right situation enough adrenaline will be released to cause goosebumps due to its effects on the arrector pili muscle. But others times when not enough adrenaline is produced or other stress hormones are triggered you don't experience goosebumps.

That's how i picture it anyways.
 

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