What causes goose bumps?

Question

Hmm ... What causes YOU goose bumps?

Answer 1

Goose bumps (AE), also called goose pimples, goose flesh (BE), chicken skin (Hawaiian Pidgin), or cutis anserina, are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions like fear. The reflex of producing goose bumps is known as horripilation, piloerection, or the pilomotor reflex. It occurs not only in humans but also in many other mammals; a prominent example are porcupines which raise their quills when threatened.

Goose bumps are created when tiny muscles at the base of each hair, known as arrectores pilorum, contract and pull the hair erect. The reflex is started by the sympathetic nervous system, which is in general responsible for many fight-or-flight responses.

Goose bumps are often a response to cold: in animals covered with fur or hair, the erect hairs trap air to create a layer of insulation. Goose bumps can also be a response to anger or fear: the erect hairs make the animal appear larger, in order to intimidate enemies. This can for example be observed in the intimidation displays of chimpanzees[1], in stressed mice[2] and rats, and in frightened cats. In humans, it can even extend to piloerection as a reaction to hearing nails scratch on a chalkboard or listening to awe-inspiring music.[3]

Piloerection as a response to cold or fear is vestigial in humans; as humans retain only very little body hair, the reflex now serves no known purpose.

In humans, goose bumps are strongest on the forearms, but also occur on the legs, back, and other areas of the skin that have hair. In some people, they even occur in the face or on the head.

Piloerection is also a (rare) symptom of some diseases, such as temporal lobe epilepsy, some brain tumors, and autonomic hyperreflexia. Goose bumps can also be caused by heroin withdrawal. A skin condition that mimics goose bumps in appearance is keratosis pilaris.

Goose bumps can occur only in mammals, since other animals do not have hair. The term "goose bumps" is therefore misleading: the bumps on the skin of a plucked goose technically do not qualify as piloerection. Birds do however have a similar reflex of raising their feathers in order to keep warm.

The Latin horrere is the root of words such as "horrific" or "horror"; it means "to stand on end" and refers to the standing hairs of goose bumps. In other languages, the "goose" may be replaced by other kinds of poultry. For instance, "hen" is used in both French and Chinese (la chair de poule,

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Goose bumps are a temporary local change in the skin. The chain of events leading to this skin change starts with a stimulus such as cold or fear. That stimulus causes a nerve discharge from an involuntary portion of the nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system. The nerve discharge causes contraction of little muscles called the arrectores pilorum (the hair erector muscles). Contraction of these muscles elevates the hair follicles above the rest of the skin. And it is these tiny elevations we perceive as goose bumps

Answer 4

Strong emotions, such as fear, and the cold cause goosebumps. Tiny muscles under each hair contract, causing the hair to point straight in such a way that insulation is encouraged. Additionally, the erect hairs make a creature look bigger. Humans found this ability very useful during their time as unevolved early primates, considering the amount of species that hunted them compared to the amount hunting us now.

Answer 5

You really need to read "Banish My Bumps" by Angela Steinberg (also available in electronic format here: http://www.banishbumps.com ). It's about how to permanently cure your Keratosis Pilaris naturally. I was able to clear my skin in only 7 days after reading this.

Stop paying paying each month good money on creams. This is exactly what the pharmaceutical industry wants you to do! They want to milk money from you each month.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

THERE R THREE THING CAUSE IT BY COOL BREEZE HITTING UR SKINS, BY THINKING OF SOMETHING GOOSED U UP AND THE TINKLES TOUCHED FROM SOMEONE IS HITTING UR VIBES "NERVES".. REALITY , THE GOOSE BUMPS IS LIKE REALLY LIKE UR BODY IS TRYING TO WARMING UR BODY FROM GETTIN BEING COLD....,UR LIKE HAIR RAISED WHEN U RE FEEL OR SEEING SOMETHING...,ITS CHILLED FROM UR BRIAN THINKIN OR FEELS, ETC STRANGED BUT ITS COMES AND GOES..THATS ALL I KNOW OF.. IM NO DOC!! JUST THAT I JUST KNOW....:)

Answer 8

That or they arise on the skin to increase the surface area of your body to obsorb more heat. Your hairs lock the heat in close to your body.

Answer 9

goose cars

Answer 10

cold wind, The Holy Spirit