title: Effects of Aesthetic Chills on a Cardiac Signature of Emotionality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that a cardiac signature of emotionality (referred to as EK, which can be computed from the standard 12 lead electrocardiogram, ECG), predicts inter-individual differences in the tendency to experience and express positive emotion. Here, we investigated whether EK values can be transiently modulated during stimulation with participant-selected music pieces and film scenes that elicit strongly positive emotion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The phenomenon of aesthetic chills, as indicated by measurable piloerection on the forearm, was used to accurately locate moments of peak emotional responses during stimulation. From 58 healthy participants, continuous EK values, heart rate, and respiratory frequency were recorded during stimulation with film scenes and music pieces, and were related to the aesthetic chills. EK values, as well as heart rate, increased significantly during moments of peak positive emotion accompanied by piloerection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results are the first to provide evidence for an influence of momentary psychological state on a cardiac signature of emotional personality (as reflected in EK values). The possibility to modulate ECG amplitude signatures via stimulation with emotionally significant music pieces and film scenes opens up new perspectives for the use of emotional peak experiences in the therapy of disorders characterized by flattened emotionality, such as depression or schizoid personality disorder.
authors.affiliation: Cluster "Languages of Emotion", Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumpf
authors.affiliation: Cluster "Languages of Emotion", Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jentschke
authors.affiliation: Cluster "Languages of Emotion", Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koelsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004954:Esthetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009146:Music; D010863:Piloerection; D057181:Pleasure / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult