Why Do We Feel Excited When Something Surprises Us?

Imagine you're playing a game and you guess the right answer, poof! You feel happy. That happens because your brain likes surprises! It sends out little happiness messages, like fireworks, when something unexpected happens. Your brain is like a detective looking for clues, and surprise gives it new clues to explore.

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Examples

You're eating your favorite snack, and suddenly you find a chocolate bar inside, surprise!
Your friend pretends to be asleep on the bus, but then suddenly starts singing a song, surprise!
You open a present and it's not what you expected, surprise!

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Categories: Psychology · surprise,excitement,neuroscience,brain reactions,emotions