Sex Rated Below Good Music, Movies, Books in Thrill Study

NEW YORK — Music is more of a thrill than sex. In fact, most people get more thrills from a good movie or opera, a study released today said.

Avram Goldstein, a Stanford University pharmacologist, analyzed the responses of 250 people who were asked what gives them a thrill and published his findings in the December issue of Psychology Today.

Goldstein found that 96% experienced thrills in response to music, “far exceeding the rate for an expected thriller--sexual activity.”

The thrilling sensation was described as feeling akin to a chill, shudder, tingling or tickling. It is often accompanied by goose bumps, a lump in the throat or weeping.

Next on Goldstein’s list of top 10 thrill-givers came a scene in a movie, play, ballet or book; great beauty in nature or art; physical contact with another person, and a climactic moment in opera.

Sexual activity was sixth, with 70% saying it gave them a thrill.

Rounding out the top 10 were nostalgic moments, watching emotional interactions between people, viewing a painting, photograph or sculpture and moments of inspiration.