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Abstract

This study employs a heuristic inquiry to explore aesthetic chills (i.e., piloerection) as profound psychophysiological responses to beauty, distinct from temperature-induced chills. Heuristic inquiry considers the researcher to be a central participant, engaging deeply with their own experiences. In this case, the researcher documented and analyzed instances of chills, noting body location, occurrence dates, triggering events, and categorizing levels of intensity: mild, medium, intense, or pulsar (an extraordinary, prolonged, full-body chill). Through reflective immersion and elucidation, the researcher developed 10 thematic categories (e.g., chills while reading) that describe the impetus of the chill. These data were used to create 13 body maps illustrating the distribution and intensity of chills across various body regions according to the multiple categories. Previous research connects aesthetic chills with personality traits like openness and agreeableness. This study’s findings emphasize aesthetic chills as uniquely personal expressions of emotional and sensory experiences. Integrating qualitative reflections with descriptive statistics, this inquiry creates an integrated view of the frequency and thematic dimensions of aesthetic chills. Through heuristic reflection, the researcher considers aesthetic chills as gateways to deeper self-awareness, inviting alignment with one’s own-most-being.

Keywords

aesthetic chills body mapping heuristic inquiry genuine self embodiment intuition

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Body Mapping Aesthetic Chills: A Heuristic Inquiry

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