# Why does music physically affect us?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 6, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111 "2001-08-06T13:34:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111/1 "2001-08-06T13:34:10Z")

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I am reminded of this question by an excellent IMHO thread:  
[Songs That Give You the Chills](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=80390)  
When I hear certain songs, I have the following physiological effects:

- Feeling of “Chills”, almost like a mild electric charge.
- Goosebumps
- Raised hair on neck/arms.

What is the deal with this? Is it cultural or physical? Is is a function of certain harmonics that resonate with me? It seems to be very closely related (in me at least) to the fight-or-flight response that I get when I’m in a dangerous situation or when I’m about to go on stage. Is this just another pleasant evolutionary accident?

So many questions.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111/2 "2001-08-06T15:03:29Z")

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Don’t have the answer, but it seems like other people have been asking this question. You may want to check out [The Genetic Mystery of Music,](http://discover.com/aug_01/gthere.html?article=featmusic.html) by Josie Glausiusz in this month’s issue of Discover magazine.

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**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111/3 "2001-08-06T15:58:40Z")

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There is also an extremely vigorous and interesting discussion on the emotive qualities of music found in Plato’s Republic.

MR

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**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-music-physically-affect-us/75111/4 "2001-08-07T05:41:25Z")

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**Maeglin** and **Northern Piper** , thanks for the interesting reading material. I suppose more research is in order.