Thread by @tuomas_ee

We've known for years that musical chills are not a single phenomenon. We decided to test a two-component theory of musical chills where we would contrast social chills and vigilance chills. 1/12 #musicscience @MusicScienceDU

@s_bannister2113 devised an experiment which empirically tested the distinction between vigilance chills, linked to threat-signalling goosebumps, vigilance, and awe; and social chills, linked to thermoregulatory goosebumps, social bonding, empathy, and being moved. 2/12

Participants listened to 4 chill-inducing pieces of music that were switched between participants. In the 1st part, we manipulated the extramusical information to emphasise either the dynamic structure (vigilance) or emotional narrative (social). 3/12

In the 2nd part, we manipulated the visual accompaniment to emphasise either the structure with animation mirroring dynamics (vigilance) or using an animation of a bittersweet, moving story (social) coordinated with music. See the wonderful music and films at the end. 4/12

We measured frequency of chills, skin conductance, skin temperature and by an aggregate "moved-awe emotion index" consisting of Zickfeld's kama muta (KAMMUS-2) & Yaden & @sbkaufman's AWE-S scales. This scale was used to classify the chills into social or vigilance. 5/12

Results: Vigilance chills demonstrated increased tonic skin conductance & decreased skin temperature compared with social chills. Phasic skin conductance increased after social chills compared with vigilance chills. 6/12

Findings support the existence of distinct musical chills responses: When the same musical stimuli was paired with vigilance emphases, experiences are more strongly characterized as awe, whereas social conditions resulted in stronger being moved states. 7/12

The present data offers broad empirical evidence of a two-component theory of musical chills, previously noted by Maruskin (2012) and possibly by @DianaOmigie in a context of musical beauty where interest and empathy are distinct processes. 8/12

The paper is out in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts with the title Vigilance and social chills with music: Evidence for two types of musical chills. doi.org/10.1037/aca000… 9/12

And the accepted version of the paper is openly accessible through Durham Research Online, and on ResearchGate researchgate.net/publication/35… 10/12

And the links to the powerful music behind all of this: Glósóli by Sigur Rós , Prayer by Ernst Bloch , Pines of Rome (iv) by Ottorino Respighi, Final Fantasy IX: Behind the Door . 11/12

Plus the links to animations: The OceanMaker and Storks and the custom animation in tweet 4/12 is the captivating loudness visualisation by Scott Bannister @s_bannister2113

Captivating stuff by Scott and all comments welcome!
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