A survey of musical chills experiences while performing music

Abstract

Musical chills, a subjective emotional experience associated with goosebumps, shivers, and/or tingling sensations, have recently been linked to experiences of social bonding. Thus, there is some rationale for expecting music performance to afford chills, as performance can involve strong emotional responses and social bonding experiences. However, almost all musical chills research focuses on listening contexts. This study explores experiences of musical chills while performing music. Data for the study were collected through a questionnaire survey with 218 musicians about their chills experiences. Results show that chills are experienced by musicians during performance and that they are largely positive experiences. Important factors for chills in performance include various musical features, performance qualities, interpersonal connections between performers, and personal associations with the music and performance context. Findings align with links between chills and social bonding, although further research is required to understand underlying psychological mechanisms of the phenomenon. Finally, various characteristics of chills in music performance suggest that the experience may be linked to psychological wellbeing, posing a novel route for continued research.