Goosebumps occur when the fine hair on your body rises to attention in the presence of certain stimuli. This odd reaction occurs in both people and other mammals. The process that causes goosebumps has been established but the question as to why people have them is still a matter of conjecture.
The Facts
Goosebumps arise due to piloerection which is a reflex and is thereby uncontrollable. It occurs as the result of contractions of tiny erector muscles present in the skin. When a stimulus results in a nerve discharge it causes these little muscles to contract so that the hairs on the surface stand up. These goosebumps, also commonly referred to as gooseflesh, are temporary and generally fade within moments. People are unable to suppress goosebumps in the same way that they cannot control blushing or sweating.
Cold Stimulus
People tend to develop goosebumps when they are suddenly chilled. According to an article written by Eric Sonstroem featured in Indiana University's "A Moment of Science" website, goosebumps are a primitive reaction arising from the brain's limbic system. When animals become cold the hairs in their fur stand on end, helping to warm their bodies. Sonstroem claims that early human were much more hairy than today's homosapiens and that the goosebumps exist as a relic passed down from ancestors who used piloerection to aid in combating cold.
Emotional Reaction
The emotions that often cause piloerection in hair follicles are varied and complex. Sudden fear can cause goosebumps as well as a gripping emotional experience that is often extremely pleasurable. For instance, some people react to scary movies by erupting in gooseflesh. Some develop goosebumps during a gripping stage performance, upon viewing an artistic work or during a music concert. Though any or all of these events may elicit piloerection in some there will be others who do not experience this reaction. It is unknown as to why certain individuals react with goosebumps to particular stimuli while others do not.
Fight or Flight
One possible explanation as to why goosebumps occur in humans is that the response is linked to the "flight or fight" mechanism. When humans are alerted to danger, their bodies react with an output of adrenaline and increased blood is pumped into the muscles. When furry animals experience "flight or fight" the hairs on their body "bristle" (stand on end) causing them to appear larger and, therefore, more intimidating. Perhaps early humans who had much more hair also "bristled" by developing goosebumps.
Interesting Fact
An old particular term sometimes used to indicate goosebumps was "horripilation" This word is a compound of two Latin ones with "horrere" meaning "to stand on end" while "pilus" is the word for "hair." Interestingly, the word "horrere" is also linked to our words for "horrible" and "horror". When people are frightened, for example, they may break out in goosebumps due to something horrible or the latest horror flick.
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