Question

Goose bumps appear on our skin when we’re scared or threatened. The arrector pili muscles cause goose bumps. These muscles contract and make the hair on our skin stand up. In dogs and other hairy mammals, this reflex can puff up their fur or hair to make them look more threatening. What do goose bumps tell us about human evolution?

Answer 1

in Humans, goosebumps is a reflex that helps with the fight-or-flight response, meaning in intense situations, we either run or fight back, depending on the situation. Since we humans evolved from being on all fours to standing upright, these goosebumps actually acted like a danger meter, protecting us from deadly predators or anything dangerous if we could.

Answer 2

Answer:

(straight from edmentum/plato so paraphrase):

The arrector pili muscles that cause goose bumps are vestigial organs now, because they no longer serve their original purpose—to make us look bigger or more threatening to prey. These muscles would’ve caused the hair on our body to stand up, warding off predators. Most likely, they’re remnants from our ancestors who had more body hair