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Physiology & Medicine / Re: Is it common or useful to be able to control goosebumps, and pulse, at will?
« on: 17/05/2015 23:15:00 »
I also have this ability, and likewise find the origination point at the base of the skull on the back of the neck. The following may be of interest to others here:
http://www.emotion.uni-kiel.de/fileadmin/emotion/team/kaernbach/publications/2010_ben_al_psychophysiol.pdf
BRIEF REPORT
Objective and continuous measurement of piloerection
MATHIAS BENEDEK,a,b BARBARA WILFLING,b REINGARD LUKAS-WOLFBAUER,b
BJO¨RN H. KATZUR,a and CHRISTIAN KAERNBACHa
a: Institut fu¨r Psychologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universita¨t zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
b: Institut fu¨r Psychologie, Karl-Franzens-Universita¨t Graz, Graz, Austria
Abstract
Increasing attention is drawn to the investigation of piloerection (or goose bumps) in response to strong emotional
experiences. This research is complicated by the need to rely on self-report measures. This article proposes an efficient
method for the objective and continuous measurement of piloerection. It is based on an optical recording device
combined with a discrete Fourier transform analysis quantifying the frequency power related to visible piloerection.
The validity of the method was demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment involving a person with the exceptional
ability to control the erection of his hair. The method reliably mapped all occurrences of visible piloerection and
provided insight into the temporal dynamics of the underlying physiological process. It thus proved suitable for future
experimental investigation of human piloerection.
This research tool also, curoiusly, real: http://www.goosecam.de/gooselab.html
http://www.emotion.uni-kiel.de/fileadmin/emotion/team/kaernbach/publications/2010_ben_al_psychophysiol.pdf
BRIEF REPORT
Objective and continuous measurement of piloerection
MATHIAS BENEDEK,a,b BARBARA WILFLING,b REINGARD LUKAS-WOLFBAUER,b
BJO¨RN H. KATZUR,a and CHRISTIAN KAERNBACHa
a: Institut fu¨r Psychologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universita¨t zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
b: Institut fu¨r Psychologie, Karl-Franzens-Universita¨t Graz, Graz, Austria
Abstract
Increasing attention is drawn to the investigation of piloerection (or goose bumps) in response to strong emotional
experiences. This research is complicated by the need to rely on self-report measures. This article proposes an efficient
method for the objective and continuous measurement of piloerection. It is based on an optical recording device
combined with a discrete Fourier transform analysis quantifying the frequency power related to visible piloerection.
The validity of the method was demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment involving a person with the exceptional
ability to control the erection of his hair. The method reliably mapped all occurrences of visible piloerection and
provided insight into the temporal dynamics of the underlying physiological process. It thus proved suitable for future
experimental investigation of human piloerection.
This research tool also, curoiusly, real: http://www.goosecam.de/gooselab.html