Publish at January 21 2026 Updated January 21 2026
Excitement has 3 main definitions:
Here, we're only talking about the human aspects of arousal.
Until the 19th century, however, the notion of arousal was strictly the domain of physics, and was never mentioned in relation to human beings.
"In physics, excitation is any phenomenon that takes a system from its state of rest to a state of higher energy. The system is then in an excited state". (Wikipedia).
It was only at the end of the 19th century that German philosopher and psychologist Gustav Fechner, known as one of the founders of experimental psychology, introduced a scientific method aimed at establishing quantitative relationships between the mind and the physical world.
Fechner's Law describes the direct link between the intensity of a physical stimulus and the sensory perception it generates. The neurologist and psychoanalyst Freud then took up the notion to consider the somatic and psychic effects of external stimuli. He then added the concept of "drive", the latter being a more elaborate and less immediate stage of human functioning than simple excitation. Freud's work did much to ensure that the notion of arousal is now often associated with sexuality.
In the 20th century, more in-depth study of the brain and the body's intrinsic regulatory systems led to the notion of neuromuscular hyperexcitability.
In the 1980s, a pathology known as "spasmophilia" came to the fore, due to a high level of magnesium in the body, causing this hyperexcitability, with purely physiological effects but also sometimes intense emotional manifestations.
Finally, in the 21st century, we come to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which seems to be increasingly widespread among children, but also occurs in 2 to 3% of diagnosed adults. The diagnosis of ADHD leads to the use of neuroleptics to regulate overexcitement.
In psychiatry, arousal is now defined as a "transient or prolonged state of psychic overactivity, which notably combines exaltation, emotional hyperexpressivity, verbal incontinence and motor agitation" Psychologies.com, January 2013. It is therefore considered pathological in its own right.
For neurobiologist Jean-Pol Tassin, "what is generally understood by arousal is a behavioral output that is unstructured. For us (i.e. neuroscientists), excitation is a normal physiological process which, in principle, is controlled by an inhibitory system".
For the average, non-specialist, when a person is aroused, they may feel a surge of energy that affects their posture, behavior, and sometimes even bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing.
"Excitement can manifest itself in a variety of ways: a reaction to a pleasurable event such as a concert or an unexpected encounter, a response to competitive stimuli, or a reaction to situations that are perceived as risky or uncertain. On the other hand, excitement can be short-lived (like that of a child receiving a surprise gift) or prolonged, when fueled by passionate interest or anticipation of something meaningful." The Topics, 2025.
Overall, then, we can observe that the notion of excitement is correlated with the notion of loss of control, and this is probably what, in our society adept at regulated consensual behavior, leads to this often negative view of excitement.
What triggers arousal? In the various definitions given above, we can see that, in almost all cases (neuromuscular hyperexcitability seems more to do with lack), the idea of a stimulus at the source of the reaction is evoked.
In Latin, "stimulus" means "stimulus". A stimulus provokes an excitation that generates a reaction, which in turn leads to changes in the human body. Stimuli can be physical, biological or chemical, and can be emotional, cognitive, sensory or relational. In other words, they can be a manifestation in the body, an external event, a perceived sensation, a piece of information received, or an interaction with another living being, particularly in the context of human relationships.
In principle, the stimulus is suffered (received unsolicited), which can generate a feeling of helplessness and loss of control.
Neurobiologist Jean-Pol Tassin reminds us that human beings must be constantly excited, or they risk dying. In the body, excitation is a natural part of the cellular transmission mechanism. For example, "on an electrical level, there is a potential difference between the inside and outside of the neuronal membrane, and if this potential difference is cancelled, the neuron is dead (...) So excitation is incessant. The problem is to control it, to give it a coherent form". The body is organized to implement this control and, in a way, give meaning to excitation.
"To control one's body is to control one's ideas (...) The expression of the absence of cognitive processing is motor agitation", Jean-Pol Tassin.
In today's world, a manifestation of uncontrolled agitation is called excitement, particularly in children. The body erratically expresses this absence of control, which stems from a lack of mental intervention in the excitement generated by the stimulus.
For the environment and those around them, this agitation can give rise to anxiety and a desire for rapid regulation, as the uncontrolled dimension makes them anticipate potential risks (violence, breakage, various disturbances, negative reactions from others...). The reflex will therefore often be to try first and foremost to calm things down, without seeking to understand the origin of the phenomenon.
"Stress can be defined as the body's reaction to any request for change or adaptation. It is a natural, instinctive response whose initial purpose is to help us react to potentially dangerous or difficult situations. It's a complex phenomenon involving both body and mind.
In reality, stress is neither good nor bad in itself. It's our interpretation of stressful situations and our ability to cope with them that determine whether stress will be good or bad for us". Stress.eu.com
If we refer to the definition of arousal, which therefore starts from a stimulus, we can see that stress can perfectly well be considered a variant of arousal, and bear in mind that stress, like arousal, is essential to life.
Stress becomes deleterious when it is permanent (chronic) and no way is found to regulate it. Specialists, including psychotherapists, point out that stress, like excitement, can only be managed through awareness (mentalization), because "to access a state, you need to be able to name it, to have a mental representation of it". Nathalie Rapoport-Hubschman, Director of the Institut Corps-esprit.
Stress is triggered by what we generically and vaguely call "stressors" of all kinds, which may or may not act unpleasantly on a person depending on how he or she feels and interprets them. Stress initially triggers a healthy defensive reaction, but if it takes hold, it's the result of an imbalance in the nervous system.
Some people simply can't find the resources to cope. Others have a so-called "nervous" temperament and simply don't know how to relax, like some singers who never relax their breathing muscles for the duration of the melody they're performing, without realizing that they're running out of breath and tiring themselves out unnecessarily.
As we'll see later, regulating stress requires the same approach as regulating arousal when it leads to maladaptive behavior. The state of relaxation is achieved with the help of the body and consciousness:
"To return to a state of mental and bodily calm, the parasympathetic system (I.e., the one that manages states of relaxation) needs to be given explicit signals of safety - slow breathing, a kind touch, a soothing environment". N. Rapoport-Hubschman.
In the field of sexuality, there is often confusion between the notions of arousal and desire, to the point where one word is frequently used for the other, particularly in the context of the major debates linked to the #MeToo and Not All Men movements.
In this field, arousal is an observable reaction of the body, automatic and physiological, in response to a real or imagined sexual stimulus. Desire, on the other hand, is a mental and emotional state, expressing the urge to engage in an activity to satisfy an anticipated pleasure (Floravi, 2025). In principle, the two are associated, but sometimes this is not the case.
As we can see from the definitions given here, these notions can be extrapolated to areas other than sex. Excitement, like desire, can manifest itself, with the same effects on the body and mind, in other settings, such as anything involving passion (artistic or professional, for example) or any activity arousing strong enthusiasm.
Another way of looking at excitement is to consider the positive effects it can also have on joie de vivre and involvement in general. This brings us to the notion of exaltation, an emotionally heightened form of excitement.
"(Exaltation) can be defined as a form of extreme excitement that generates a transcendent emotional state. Exaltation is characterized by an elevation of emotions, a sensation of transcendence or ecstasy, which may be associated with moments of extreme pleasure or spiritual contemplation." The Topics, 2025.
This form of excitement can be found in the artistic, sporting and spiritual fields in particular. In these cases, it is not experienced as a negative phenomenon - quite the contrary. On the contrary, in these different fields, letting go, which leads to a loss of control, is seen as a means of accessing other resources, notably from the subconscious, which enable us to surpass ourselves and achieve unsuspected results. In other words, the body is allowed to surpass thought.
The exhilaration of letting go gives a sense of personal or collective accomplishment, and awakens a feeling of surpassing oneself, often amplified by a keen sense of the present (The Topics, 2025). Some would call it an inner vibration, in other words, contact with the living within.
Social psychology has gradually led us to recognize that individuals behave differently when they're part of a group. Groups have their own dynamics. The crowd, as a much larger group, is yet another dimension of human behavior.
In a crowd, individuals often lose their critical faculties and personal identity, their bearings change, and this can lead to unpredictable and sometimes dangerous behavior. Crowds can amplify enthusiasm and reinforce solidarity, but they can also intensify fear. It's true that the word "crowd" comes from the Latin "fullare", which means to press, tread on or crush.
So it's easy to imagine the anxiety that the idea of an "excited" crowd, and therefore a priori uncontrollable, can bring. Even if, recently, psychosociologists and simple observers have been able to highlight the altruistic and supportive behaviours observed during human gatherings in the context of natural disasters or very violent events (e.g. behaviours observed during the 2015 Paris attacks or during earthquakes in Asia), crowds are generally considered to be decerebrate, potentially dangerous entities. The most recent social and ecological protests of recent years have suffered the consequences of this way of seeing things.
On the Internet, you'll find numerous articles entitled "exciting the crowds", with varying meanings, some meaning to arouse anger, others to create a buzz, still others to encourage a mass reactionary movement. It's all part of the stimulus seeking to provoke a reaction.
In fact, what will or won't "excite the crowds" and thus provoke a reactionary movement often seems unpredictable. Reaction often is, anyway. The You Tube channel Fouloscopie, created by a cognitive scientist at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, studies crowd phenomena and what sets them in motion (stimulus and reaction), from a variety of angles.
As the neurosciences emphasize, excitement is life. The whole question revolves around the context and type of reaction, and whether or not it can be controlled and regulated. Consequently, it's essential when using this term to situate and even define it, in order to avoid a priori and biased judgments.
Any judgment made by a human being is potentially subjective, and therefore relative. Judgment on the positivity or negativity of an arousal behavior will depend very much on the effects this behavior has on the individual judging it, in other words, whether or not this arousal is disturbing and anxiety-provoking for him or her.
The notion of an excitation barrier
"For the living organism, warding off stimuli is almost a more important task than receiving stimuli" Sigmund Freud - Beyond the Pleasure Principle
"If current events draw our attention to the excitability factor, it's because they raise questions about the flagrant lack of an excitability function on the part of political leaders. Not to mention most of the media, which are the opposite of the restraining, protective function that would help metabolize events that are, by their very nature, traumatic. Jean-Philippe Guégen.
Psychoanalysts see their practice as a place for processing arousal, as a containing, protective space that guarantees a form of continuity and irremovability. (Guégen). In this way, the psychoanalyst goes against the tide of society's constant excitement, offering distance and a freeze-frame that temporarily interrupts the agitation.
The pare-excitation (a term coined by Freud in 1920) is thus defined as "a psychic structure which acts as a shield against excessive excitations, thus preserving mental equilibrium". French language dictionary.
From the Greek "soma" meaning "body", somatic education brings together a range of approaches aimed at reclaiming one's body in movement and developing awareness. This awareness enables the individual to better understand the way he or she functions, and to create new possibilities for self-expression. (Health Passport).
There is a wide range of methods that fall under this definition (Feldenkrais, Alexander, Libération des cuirasses, holistic gymnastics, somato-psycho-pedagogy, etc.). As we all know, this is a time for reconciling body and mind, developing body awareness and listening to one's own and others' needs and emotions.
Certain methods, such as Nonviolent Communication, propose a whole process of regulation, from the identification of needs and emotions, via body awareness, to action. The first step is always to slow down and listen (to yourself). This is also what Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness proposes. The way our brains work requires us to slow down in order to become aware of our feelings and thoughts, and to make a reasoned choice of action.
Self-awareness is therefore the royal road to regulating uncontrolled and deleterious excitation. As we have also seen in the case of artistic endeavours, self-awareness can also accompany and observe the effects of excitement, without seeking to calm it, for creative purposes.
Our daily lives, inundated with injunctions and information, almost inevitably lead us to survival behaviors based on automatic pilot. We react by reflex, without often questioning the relevance of our responses to the various stimuli we are constantly bombarded with. Automatisms have their merits, but mastery of our own lives requires us to question the freedom of our choices.
As the oft-repeated quote by neurobiologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl puts it:
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom".
In other words, the immediate reaction, without awareness, is an automatism, which in fact stems from our programming (social, educational, professional...) and our fears. The brain makes us react first and very quickly to what appears to be a danger, real or supposed (many of the "dangers" that cause us anguish have in fact no concrete reality).
To regain freedom - free will - we need to give ourselves time to consider the various possible choices. This is done in several stages, which can be found in the NVC (Non-Violent Communication) approach:
Of course, this can seem a long and laborious process in the heat of the moment. That's why you need to train, sometimes for years, so that slowing down becomes a reflex, so that questioning your choices becomes unavoidable, at least in all high-stakes situations, so that self-awareness, in short, replaces defensive automatisms.
This requires a great deal of patience and practice. It also means resisting the pressure to act on a daily basis, giving yourself time for silence, calm and listening to yourself, taking care of your body by listening to your needs, not losing touch with others and supporting them in exchange for support when needed.
Discovering that there's a whole space of freedom between stimulus and action can be exhilarating, because it means realizing that we all possess within us a power and a will that we can mobilize so as not to be content to suffer the events of our lives. We often can't change these events, but we can change the way we react to them.
Illustration: Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
References
Alvau, Zoé d'. Crowd psychology: why we act differently in groups. On lps-aix.com, February 2025. https://lps-aix.com/la-psychologie-des-foules-pourquoi-nous-agissons-differemment-en-groupe/
Bourahla-Farine, Agnès. Stimulus: what role . what types? On Passeport-santé, 2024. https://www.passeportsante.net/fr/parties-corps/Fiche.aspx?doc=stimulus-role-types
Chneiweiss, Hervé. A brief neurophysiological sketch of excitation: neurons, astrocytes and images. On Cain-info, 2005. https://shs.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-psychanalyse-2005-1-page-21?lang=fr
Desire and sexual arousal, do you know the difference? On Floravi. Com: https: //www.floravi.com/blogs/news/desir-et-excitation-sexuelle-connaissez-vous-la-difference
Excitation / sous la dir. d'Isabelle Martin-Kamieniak et Félcie Nayrou. Presses universitaires de France, 2020. https://shs.cairn.info/excitation--9782130823902-page-31?lang=fr
Excitement and exhilaration. Sur La Sujets, 2025. https://lasujets.com/lexcitation-et-lexaltation/
Ferry Wilczek, Antoine. Freedom lies between stimulus and response: how to regain your power of choice. https://antoinefw.fr/liberte-entre-stimulus-et-reponse/
Guégen, Jean-Philippe. Pare-Excitation. On: Sprf-asso.fr: https: //sprf.asso.fr/sprfwp/2024/07/18/pare-excitation/
Is freedom illusory or real? On Éducation de classe, December 2024. https://educationdeclasse.com/francais/la-liberte-humaine-est-elle-illusoire-ou-reelle/
Mariot, Nicolas. Les formes élémentaires de l'effervescence collective, ou l'état d'esprit prêté aux foules. On Cairn.Info, 2001. https://shs.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-science-politique-2001-5-page-707?lang=fr#s1n2
Moussaid, Mehdi. Crowd movement: how does panic spread? On Fouloscopie, 2020 (You Tube). https://www.youtube.com/@Fouloscopie/videos
Fechner's psychophysics: a revolution in sensation measurement. On Afpro.eu, February 2025. https://afpro.eu/news/la-psychophysique-de-fechner-une-revolution-dans-la-mesure-des-sensations/
Rapoport-Hubschman, Nathalie. Stress chronique, les réflexes qui sauvent. In: Cerveau & Psycho, January 2026.
Tassin, Jean-Pol. Les sources biologiques de l'excitation. On Cairn.Info, 2001. https://shs.cairn.info/revue-enfances-et-psy-2001-2-page-15?lang=fr
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