Frisson is an aesthetic experience

If piloerection is a strictly biological term for the contraction of muscles, then frisson is a term that describes an aesthetic or emotional experience. It is often called a “skin orgasm” because of the wave of pleasure that runs through the body.

Unlike goosebumps caused by cold, frisson is triggered by higher cognitive stimuli: music, poetry, powerful moments in film, or the beauty of nature. Studies show that during frisson the brain releases dopamine - the pleasure hormone. This happens when music violates our expectations (a sudden change in tempo, the entrance of a powerful vocal, or a shift in key).

Not everyone is capable of experiencing frisson. According to various estimates, between 50% and 86% of people can feel it. Those who are prone to frisson tend to have more neural connections between the auditory cortex and the brain’s emotional processing centers.