Goose bumps
Goose bumps
Goose bumps (pronunciation: /ˈɡuːs bʌmps/), also known as goose pimples, gooseflesh, or horripilation, is a physiological phenomenon that humans and many other mammals experience.
Etymology
The term "goose bumps" originates from the phrase's similarity to the skin of a plucked goose. The medical term, "horripilation," comes from the Latin words horrere meaning 'to stand on end' and pilus meaning 'hair'.
Definition
Goose bumps are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which may involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions such as fear, nostalgia, pleasure, euphoria, awe, admiration, and sexual arousal.
Mechanism
The reflex of producing goose bumps is known as piloerection, and it occurs when muscles at the base of each hair, known as arrector pili muscles, contract and pull the hair upright. The reflex is started by the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for many fight-or-flight responses.
Related Terms
- Piloerection: The involuntary erection or bristling of hairs due to cold, fear, or excitement.
- Arrector pili muscle: Small muscles attached to hair follicles in mammals. Contraction of these muscles causes the hairs to stand on end, known colloquially as goose bumps.
- Sympathetic nervous system: Part of the nervous system that serves to accelerate the heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and raise blood pressure.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Goose bumps
- Wikipedia's article - Goose bumps
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