Research from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics has uncovered that genetics significantly influences why some individuals experience “aesthetic chills” when engaging with music, literature, or visual art. This phenomenon, described by literary figures such as Charles Darwin and Vladimir Nabokov, reveals that emotional sensitivity to artistic stimuli is partly rooted in our DNA.
The study, led by Giacomo Bignardi and his team, was published in PLOS Genetics and analyzed data from the Lifelines study, a large-scale cohort investigation involving over 15,500 participants from the northern Netherlands. Researchers gathered insights on participants’ emotional responses to various cultural experiences, providing a solid foundation for examining how genetics may influence one’s appreciation of art.
Understanding Aesthetic Chills
Aesthetic chills are moments of intense pleasure, often accompanied by physical reactions like goosebumps. These experiences serve as tangible indicators of how individuals emotionally engage with art. Previous studies have indicated that the neural pathways activated during these moments are similar to those used in processing biologically significant stimuli.
The new research aimed to delve deeper into whether genetic variation contributes to the likelihood of experiencing these chills. The findings revealed that approximately 30% of the variability in experiencing chills can be linked to familial factors, with about one-quarter of this attributed to common genetic variants. This indicates a significant genetic role in emotional reactions to artistic works.
Genetics and Emotional Sensitivity
The study also uncovered that certain genetic influences are consistent across different forms of art, such as music, poetry, and visual art. These shared genetic factors are linked to broader personality traits, including an individual’s openness to new experiences and engagement with art. Conversely, some genetic influences varied by artistic domain, suggesting that different biological mechanisms may underlie responses to music compared to literature or visual art.
Bignardi remarked, “These findings suggest that genetics may offer an additional way to better understand why people can sometimes subjectively experience the same sensory world so differently.” He emphasized that further research is essential to clarify how these genetic factors interact with environmental influences and social dynamics.
By demonstrating a genetic basis for the experience of chills from art, this study opens avenues for exploring the biological foundations of emotional engagement with culture. Understanding why art can evoke such profound responses in some individuals provides a new perspective on the impact of creativity on human experience. As the research progresses, it promises to shed light on the intricate relationship between our biology and our appreciation of artistic expression.
