Emotional Reactions to Music Research Paper Example

Music has the ability to cause negative or positive emotions just based on the key elements of the music. The way music is heard and interpreted can cause fluxes in the listener's mood drastically;such as making the listener happier or more downcast.

Music's beat and tone can cause changes in emotions.“Several studies have shown that psychoacoustic parameters such as tempo, mode and intensity, amongst other parameters, are able to influence emotions. Musical pieces are rated as 'happier' if they are in the major mode and have faster tempos and higher intensity. The opposite is true when pieces are in the minor mode and have slower tempos and lower intensities.”(Rosabel Yu Ling 2019) .As exemplified in Ling’s writing the song or music’s tempos and mode can cause a major change in mood whether for the better or worse. As Ling stated, faster and major mode songs are the causation for more positive emotions. Whereas slower songs and minor mode causes disconsolate emotions instead.

There are two responses to music; positive and negative.“A positive relationship means that the emotions felt are the same as the emotions expressed (e.g. hearing a sad piece of music and feeling sad). In contrast, a negative relationship would mean hearing a sad music piece but feeling happiness. It is also possible to find no relationship, where no emotions are felt. They demonstrated how the participants' ratings of emotion did not always coincide with perceived emotion of the music stimuli. Therefore, distinguishing between the emotions felt by the listener and emotions expressed by the music is paramount so that a clear separation of both types of responses is achieved.”(Rosabel Yu Ling 2019)  Ling talks about Gabrielsson's schema and how there are positive and negative relationships. Such as hearing a positive song but feeling sad about it or having no reaction at all. One could feel dejected whilst listening to a happy love song and reflecting on how they just fell out of love therefore causing sad reactions. On the other hand you could be listening to a sad song about a breakup but it causes you to think about how you're in a happy successful relationship.

There is data to support music causing changes in emotions. “A study done with electroencephalography data found that emotional responses are activated or enhanced in response to changes in the music—such as the introduction of a new instrument or motif, or an increase in pitch, volume, or tempo. This might help explain why certain songs bring up more emotions.”(Monroe, Jamison 2019).There's been a multitude of studies and experiments to prove music's effect on the brain. They all come back with more and more proof that music is beneficial. The study Jamison is talking about explains how the pitch,tempo, and volume matters when it comes to the emotions you are trying to induce. For example, sad songs typically have slower tempos and lower pitches; whereas happier songs have faster beats and higher pitches.

Positive music releases dopamine in the brain. “It was discovered that music can release dopamine in two main places in the brain, the dorsal and ventral striatum. When you are having a pleasurable experience, such as listening to your favorite song, these areas of the brain light up.”(Admin,2019). Positive music releases dopamine in the brain. There have been a multitude of studies that prove listening to or creating happy sounding music causes the brain to produce dopamine therefore causing the listener, writer, or performer to be more euphoric and happy.

In summary, music can cause both positive and negative emotions. There has been a multitude of studies and research proving that music can flux your emotions whether it be positive or negative. It was also proven that music with faster tempos cause happier reactions whereas music with slow tempos cause sad reactions.