The Body Language Of Nipple Erections
Christopher Philip
Both men and women experience nipple erections. Research has found that reflexive nipple erections may be the result of stress, fear and anxiousness, and also occur in association with cool temperatures.
In fact, it seems that the piloerector muscles, the same muscles that produce “goose bumps” are the main agent in producing an erect nipple. The muscles which usually surround hair serve to wrinkle the skin of the areola forcing it to tighten up. The piloerector muscles are also intimately linked to the autonomic “fight or flight” response in humans. Thus, the nipples can become erect due to anxiety and arousal generally.
As we know, nipples also become erect in response to sexual stimulation. This is particularly so for women, but men also infrequently experience nipple erections during sex. However, women, at puberty begin to experience a much greater sensitivity to having their nipples and entire breast stimulated which results in much greater sexual arousal than that which occurs in men. Also, the erect nipple tends to be one of the first noticeable changes in women during sex.
For this reason, erect nipples have become a cross-cultural signal of arousal in women and are therefore habitually viewed through a sexual lens.
Since the literature on nipple erection outside of sex is limited, a team of researchers surveyed subjects to discover some more particularities about how and when we experience nipple erections. The data provides some interesting trends which can provide the nonverbalist with clues as to hidden underlying meaning of the erect nipple.
Here are some of the key findings:
Sex
– About 84% of women and 46% of men have experienced nipple erections during sex and sexual arousal.
– About 75% of women and 42% of men have experienced nipple erection while thinking about sex.
– About 61% of women and 25% of men have experienced nipple erection while speaking with someone they found physically attractive.
NonSexual
– About 96% of women and 83% of men have experienced nipple erection when cold.
– About 77% of women and 62% of men have experienced nipple erection concurrent with goose bumps.
– About 58% of women and 35% of men have experienced nipple erection while being touched non-sexually.
Emotional
– When someone is looking at your beast/chest; 45% women and 13% men
– When you are happy or excited; 44% women and 16% men
– When highly emotional; 42% women and 16% men
– When anxious or nervous; 34% women and 16% men
– When scared; 34% women and 15% men
– When stress; 25% women and 13% men
– When sad; 18% women and 10% men
– When angry; 14% women and 13% men
Naturally, the data is varied. From a quick examination it is obvious that the meaning behind the erect nipple nonverbal cue is context specific.
To determine the real meaning behind the cue in any particular instance, it would be advisable to first rule out temperature as this is one of the main influences on nipple erection and also the highest incidence causing erect nipples generally.
If temperature was not a fact, and working off the probabilities it would be safe to say that nipple erection either had a sexual, or non-sexual, yet arousing origin. This too could be deduced using context.
For example, if fear, anger, or sadness was visible using other nonverbal cues, then it would be a safe bet that this caused nipple erection. If nipple erection occurred in a warm environment, absent of an emotionally charged situation, then by deduction, it is likely the result of the next major culprit; sexual arousal.
Finally, the research noted that a majority of women (84%) found that other people (had at some point in the past) looked at their breast rather than their face when speaking with them, while at the same time, both men and women report that observing nipple erections in another person has lead them to become distracted. This suggests that women and men both seem to understand that nipple erections communicate sexual arousal or is somehow linked to sexual arousal.
That said, however, only 37% of women reported being socially embarrassed by their nipple erections. Even still, 55% of women reported actually folded their arms across their chest to hide their nipple erections suggesting that they sought to conceal from view this potent nonverbal message from an undesirable target.
While far from definitive, using the probabilities outlined herein, it’s possible to make an educated deduction as to the reason one might observe nipple erections in another person. As we have seen, erect nipples are commonly experienced during sexual arousal, but this is not an exclusive explanation.
Resources
Harrison, Marrisa, A; Katee Jones; Susan M. Hughes; Amy J. LeFevre. Self-Reports of Nipple Erection in Emotional and Somatic Contexts. The Psychological Record. 2019. 63: 489-500.