Hi Dollies!

Have you ever listened to a piece of music, or saw a particularly touching scene and had goosebumps pop up and chills run all over your body? You just experienced a phenomenon called frisson, (pronounced free-sawn) which is a French term meaning ‘aesthetic chills,’ or a term used when you experience chills from listening to music.

After doing some reading into this, I learned: ‘Musical passages that include unexpected harmonies, sudden changes in volume, or the moving entrance of a soloist are particularly common triggers for frisson because they violate listeners’ expectations in a positive way.'

About 2/3 of people experience this, and a reason for this is the deep emotional connection they develop with the music. Usually people who possess this trait have unusually active imaginations, reflect deeply on their feelings, and appreciate beauty, nature and new experiences. This is an emotional aspect of this trait, but another is cognitive. 

Cognitive components imply an openness to experience. These listeners make mental predictions about how the music is going to unfold or process music to paint a picture of musical imagery, similar to daydreaming. Surprisingly, these cognitive traits are associated with frisson to a greater degree than the emotional component.

I personally experience frisson. It's fascinating, and sometimes embarrassing in extreme cases when it gets to the point where I choke up from a particularly moving piece of music. Can you relate? Do you experience frisson?

Take care,

♡ Joanne