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Music is a promising (adjunctive) treatment for both acute and chronic pain, reducing the need for pharmacological analgesics and their side effects. Yet, little is known about the effect of different types of music. Hence, we investigated the efficacy of five music genres (Urban, Electronic, Classical, Rock and Pop) on pain tolerance. In this parallel randomized experimental study, we conducted a cold pressor test in healthy volunteers (n = 548). The primary outcome was pain tolerance, measured in seconds. No objective (tolerance time) or subjective (pain intensity and unpleasantness) differences were found among the five genres. Multinomial logistic regression showed that overall genre preference positively influenced pain tolerance. In contrast, the music genres that participants thought would help for pain relief did not. Our study was the first to investigate pain tolerance at genre level and in the context of genre preference without self-selecting music. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that listening to a favored music genre has a significant positive influence on pain tolerance, irrespective of the kind of genre. Our results emphasize the importance of individual music (genre) preference when looking at the analgesic benefits of music. This should be considered when implementing music in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Music is a promising (adjunctive) treatment for both acute and chronic pain, reducing the need for pharmacological analgesics and their side effects. Yet, little is known about the effect of different types of music. Hence, we investigated the efficacy of five music genres (Urban, Electronic, Classical, Rock and Pop) on pain tolerance. In this parallel randomized experimental study, we conducted a cold pressor test in healthy volunteers (n = 548). The primary outcome was pain tolerance, measured in seconds. No objective (tolerance time) or subjective (pain intensity and unpleasantness) differences were found among the five genres. Multinomial logistic regression showed that overall genre preference positively influenced pain tolerance. In contrast, the music genres that participants thought would help for pain relief did not. Our study was the first to investigate pain tolerance at genre level and in the context of genre preference without self-selecting music. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that listening to a favored music genre has a significant positive influence on pain tolerance, irrespective of the kind of genre. Our results emphasize the importance of individual music (genre) preference when looking at the analgesic benefits of music. This should be considered when implementing music in the clinical setting.

This study examined a conjugate approach for evaluating auditory stimulus preference for 81 participants using force as a continuous response dimension. First, the researchers used a verbal preference assessment to evaluate each participant's preference for listening to five genres of music. This process identified high‐preference and low‐preference music for each participant. Thereafter, the researchers exposed each participant to the five music genres in a randomized order while using a hand dynamometer to measure their response force to increase the auditory clarity of the music. The results indicate (a) 63% of the participants' high‐preference music genres corresponded to the genre for which they exerted the highest mean force and (b) most participants' low‐preference music genres corresponded to the genre for which they exerted the lowest mean force. These findings are consistent with those from Davis et al. (2021) and further support using conjugate preparations for measuring the relative value of some stimulus events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore students' musical genre preferences, exploring variations across gender and age groups in Hungary. Additionally, we investigated the relationships among the popularity of musical genres and connections between musical programs and related activities. With the help of stratified sampling, we examined the opinions of students aged 9–19 about each genre (N = 1159) using specific musical examples. In this study, musical genres were classified into four main types based on related music videos, including classical popular music (CPM), rock music (RM), classical art music (CAM), and folk music (FM). Different types of analyses, such as t-tests, one-way and two-way ANOVAs, and correlational analyses such as correlation coefficients (r), chi-square tests, and eta squares, were employed in this study. The results showed that the popularity of the four pieces of music classified as CPM, RM, CAM, and FM had a moderately strong correlation with each other. The correlations between FM, CPM, and RM did not differ from each other, but they showed significantly weaker correlation values than the correlation between FM and CAM. Moreover, significant differences were found in the students' perceptions of the genres based on their gender and age groups. Among the four performances, the girls had a greater preference compared to the boys for each one, except for the folk music piece. The youngest age group (9–12) showed the highest preference for the CPM, although the difference compared to the oldest age group (17–19) was not statistically significant. Therefore, this study is beneficial for music education, focusing on students' genre preferences, including CPM, RM, CAM, and FM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listening to music is a widespread activity. Openness to experience in particular has been found to be one of the dimensions of personality that most consistently predicts music preference. However, the singular facets of openness to experience have never been looked at in depth. This study tried to uncover the impact of the openness-to-experience facets of both the five-factor (FFM) and HEXACO models of personality on music preference. A total of 374 college students completed two openness-to-experience measures (FFM and HEXACO) and one music preference measure (ratings of music excerpts). In line with Rentfrow and colleagues, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested five dimensions of music preference. Dominance analysis (DA) was used to evaluate the relative importance of each facet in predicting music preference. It was observed that openness facets relate to music preference in ways that are not apparent when general openness to experience is used as a predictor of music preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ergogenecity of caffeine (CAF) and pre-exercise music have been studied extensively in male and mixed-gender groups, but there is limited information on their synergistic effects in females. This study assessed the effects of combining a low dose of CAF with warm-up music on taekwondo specific performance, perceived exertion (RPE), and psychological aspects in female athletes. In a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, 16 female taekwondo athletes (M ± SD; age: 17.69 ± 0.60 years) performed the taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s) and its multiple version (FSKT-mult) under the following conditions: 1) no supplement with music (NS+M); 2) no supplement without music (control); 3) CAF without music (CAF+NM), 4) placebo without music (PL+NM), 5) CAF with music (CAF+M), 6) PL with music (PL+M). After each test, athletes rated their RPE, feeling scale (FS), felt arousal scale (FAS) and physical enjoyment (PACES). CAF+M induced better physical performance than other conditions on the FSKT-10s, FSKT-mult, and more desirable psychophysiological responses including RPE post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKT-10s, PACES post_FSKT-10s, FS, FAS post_warm-up, FAS post_FSKT-10s and FAS post_FSKTmult (all p < 0.05). Except for PL+M, CAF+M also elicited more desirable responses than other conditions for FAS post_TSAT (p < 0.05). Furthermore, CAF+M and CAF+NM conditions enhanced TSAT, PACES post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKTmult greater than the other conditions (p < 0.05). Preceding warm-up music stimulus with a low dose of CAF may be a more efficient strategy to enhance physical performance and affective valence in female taekwondo athletes compared with using either strategy in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducts qualitative research on late adolescent digital music users aged 17–19 to explore their emotional resonance and identities in digital music consumption. The findings indicate that late adolescents are highly dependent on music, with it playing a significant role in their lives, particularly in meeting emotional needs and shaping identities. Late-adolescent digital music users seek to assert themselves through unique and unconventional music tastes. The study also uncovers the coexistence of personalization and socialization in their music-listening behaviors, dividing them into “music-experienced” and “music-socialized” groups. Regarding emotional motivation, the music-experienced group listens to music for personal empathy, while the music-socialized group seeks interpersonal emotional resonance through music-based social interaction. From a practical perspective, this study suggests that the digital music industry should focus on the emotional value generated by music and balance users’ personalization and socialization needs.

In this study, we employed a Deep Belief Network-Deep Neural Network (DBN-DNN) model to perform personalized data analysis based on user-specific music preferences and listening behavior. This approach seeks to transcend informational boundaries and enhance the exploration and realization of the intrinsic value of data. We conducted a regression correlation analysis on a comprehensive dataset to investigate the potential relationship between college students’ music preferences and their personality traits, considering both musical and psychological dimensions. The study revealed that pop music (mean rating of 3.89), classical music (2.97), and hip-hop music (2.13) ranked highest in popularity among college students. Additionally, a significant negative correlation was observed between the preference for tension-rebellion-themed music in adulthood and the family’s socioeconomic status during childhood (-0.357). Furthermore, there was a notable positive correlation between openness to experience and preferences for classical music, popular music, and blues music (-0.864). A positive correlation was also evident between conscientiousness and preferences for classical music, light music (0.834), and traditional Chinese music. Thus, the DBN-DNN model coupled with regression analysis effectively elucidates the relationship between music preferences and psychological traits.

The purpose of this study was to determine if college students’ familiarity with Western classical repertoire influenced their musical preference and their likelihood of attending a traditional symphony concert where that piece was being performed. Participants were music majors (n = 30) and non-music majors (n = 30) recruited from the College of Music and various intramural sports teams at a large southeastern university. Participants in this study completed an online survey where they listened to eight musical excerpts performed by a major symphony orchestra. Musical excerpts consisted of a well-known composition and lesser-known composition of similar tempos by four classical music composers. For each piece, participants rated their familiarity and preference on Likert-type scales, indicated whether they would attend a concert where the piece was being performed, and specified how much they would pay to attend that concert. Results of a series of t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients indicated that music familiarity and preference were not related to participants’ decisions to attend a concert or the amount they were willing to pay for a concert ticket. Additionally, there were no significant differences found in music preference, music familiarity, concert attendance intentions, or the amount participants were willing to pay for a concert ticket between music majors and non-music majors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music, an influential environmental factor, significantly shapes cognitive processing and everyday experiences, thus rendering its effects on creativity a dynamic topic within the field of cognitive science. However, debates continue about whether music bolsters, obstructs, or exerts a dual influence on individual creativity. Among the points of contention is the impact of contrasting musical emotions-both positive and negative-on creative tasks. In this study, we focused on traditional Chinese music, drawn from a culture known for its 'preference for sadness,' as our selected emotional stimulus and background music. This choice, underrepresented in previous research, was based on its uniqueness. We examined the effects of differing music genres (including vocal and instrumental), each characterized by a distinct emotional valence (positive or negative), on performance in the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). To conduct this study, we utilized an affective arousal paradigm, with a quiet background serving as a neutral control setting. A total of 114 participants were randomly assigned to three distinct groups after completing a music preference questionnaire: instrumental, vocal, and silent. Our findings showed that when compared to a quiet environment, both instrumental and vocal music as background stimuli significantly affected AUT performance. Notably, music with a negative emotional charge bolstered individual originality in creative performance. These results lend support to the dual role of background music in creativity, with instrumental music appearing to enhance creativity through factors such as emotional arousal, cognitive interference, music preference, and psychological restoration. This study challenges conventional understanding that only positive background music boosts creativity and provides empirical validation for the two-path model (positive and negative) of emotional influence on creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore students’ musical genre preferences, exploring variations across gender and age groups in Hungary. Additionally, we investigated the relationships among the popularity of musical genres and connections between musical programs and related activities. With the help of stratified sampling, we examined the opinions of students aged 9–19 about each genre (N = 1159) using specific musical examples. In this study, musical genres were classified into four main types based on related music videos, including classical popular music (CPM), rock music (RM), classical art music (CAM), and folk music (FM). Different types of analyses, such as t-tests, one-way and two-way ANOVAs, and correlational analyses such as correlation coefficients (r), chi-square tests, and eta squares, were employed in this study. The results showed that the popularity of the four pieces of music classified as CPM, RM, CAM, and FM had a moderately strong correlation with each other. The correlations between FM, CPM, and RM did not differ from each other, but they showed significantly weaker correlation values than the correlation between FM and CAM. Moreover, significant differences were found in the students’ perceptions of the genres based on their gender and age groups. Among the four performances, the girls had a greater preference compared to the boys for each one, except for the folk music piece. The youngest age group (9–12) showed the highest preference for the CPM, although the difference compared to the oldest age group (17–19) was not statistically significant. Therefore, this study is beneficial for music education, focusing on students’ genre preferences, including CPM, RM, CAM, and FM.

The present study aimed to observe the relationships between music preference, pro-sociability, and personality, considering the mediating role of music preference. A total of 236 Brazilians participated in the study (59.7% female, M age = 20.11, SD = 4.74). The results showed that the music preference factors (Energetic-Rhythmic, Reflexive-Complex, Popular Music, and Conventional Music) correlated positively with pro-sociability, especially the preference for popular music, which encompasses some of the most heard genres in the Brazilian context (r =.42, p <.01). Regarding personality, the relationships between openness and reflexive-complex music (r =.28, p <.01), and between extroversion (r =.22, p <.01) and agreeableness (r =.13, p <.05) and popular music stand out. Finally, a statistically significant explanatory model (goodness-of-fit index = 0.99, comparative fit index = 0.99, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.01, 90% CI = [0.00, 0.01], root-mean-square of residual = 0.01) indicated that the preference for popular music mediated indirect effects of extroversion (λ = 0.06, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.11], p <.01) and agreeableness (λ = 0.05, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.11], p <.05) in pro-sociability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reviews in recent years have reported evidence of the effect of music on the serious problem of agitation in dementia. Some reviews draw different conclusions, however, which actualizes the need for studies that examine characteristics of music therapy with beneficial impacts on agitation. In an instrumental case study, documented through qualitative interviews, recordings of group meetings, and patient record excerpts, we examine how music was used intensively in interaction with a man in his 70s at a unit for persons with dementia. Music therapy was often able to ease his agitation and was especially valuable in a period when he needed to be isolated due to a suspected coronavirus infection. However, the interventions did not work every time, and his responses differed considerably. The case illustrates that music therapy can address agitation in dementia for some clients, but the claim must be qualified. Potential characteristics of music therapy with such an ability might be i) situated use of the most favored music, ii) careful adjustment to signs of pain and discomfort, iii) sustained effort to build trustful relationships, iv) transferable interaction patterns of health musicking, and v) sufficient access to attention and support for the client(s) during the musical interventions.

The music environment of a restaurant is an important factor that affects consumer behaviors during the dining experience, especially silent dining behaviors among people who are not encouraged to talk in the context of COVID-19. This study empirically analyzed the influence of consumers' background music preferences on their emotions and behavioral responses during their dining experience at a high-end Chinese restaurant. A total of 393 valid samples were obtained through purposive sampling and snowball sampling. The research tools used in this study included a personal background information questionnaire, four Oriental and Western music conditions, a background music preference scale, a scale for evaluating emotions during the dining experience, and a behavioral response scale. The results showed that the subjects preferred the Chinese classical music—the Butterfly Lovers Concerto. Background music affected the participants' emotions during their dining experience, and different background music conditions resulted in significant differences in emotions and behaviors. The consumers' emotions, during their dining experience significantly predicted their behaviors under all four music conditions. The greatest contribution and value of this study stem from the finding that the background music at a restaurant can arouse specific positive emotions in consumers during their dining experience and thus affect their eating behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over two studies, we examined the extent to which individual differences in the experience and expression of curiosity are reflected in patterns of music preferences and appreciation. In Study 1, we investigated whether differences in trait curiosity profiles are associated with distinct patterns of preferences for commonly heard music genres, while in Study 2, we asked whether curiosity profiles predict the degree of enjoyment of, and interest in, music from non-Western cultures. We were able to produce clusters similar to the four curiosity profile subgroups previously reported in the literature and show that the subgroup lowest in the experience and expression of curiosity (referred to as the Avoiders) displayed the least appreciation of music, regardless of genre dimension and cultural origin. In contrast, we showed that two subgroups, characterized by relatively high levels of social curiosity and deprivation sensitivity displayed the greatest liking of commonly heard music genres, whereas the subgroup highest in acceptance of novelty-related stress and uncertainty (referred to as the Fascinated) demonstrated the greatest appreciation for non-Western music. Taken together, our findings extend previous work that explores links between personality and music preferences, by showing the relevance of considering individual differences in information-seeking traits. Our work also demonstrates how the study of music listening behaviors may be used to enrich research into curiosity and information-seeking. We recommend that future studies seek to include additional ecologically valid measures of music preferences (e.g., patterns of music streaming activity) in any attempts to corroborate and/or extend these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored the correlation between music preference and mental health of college students to make an empirical contribution to research in this field. The self-reported music preference scale and positive mental health scale of college students were adopted to conduct a questionnaire survey in college students. Common method variance was conducted to test any serious common method bias problem. No serious common method bias problem was observed. The results showed that college students' preference for pop music, Western classical music, and Chinese traditional music has a significant and positive correlation with their mental health. Furthermore, college students' preference for heavy music has a significant and inverse correlation with their mental health. This research presents a correlational study; therefore, no causality can be inferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of BMS: Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique (Sage Publications Ltd.) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background  The acceptable noise level (ANL) is the maximum level of background noise that an individual is willing to accept while listening to speech. The type of background noise does not affect ANL results except for music. Purpose  The purpose of this study was to determine if ANL differed due to music genre or music genre preference. Research Design  A repeated-measures experimental design was employed. Study Sample  Thirty-three young adults with normal hearing served as listeners. Data Collection and Analysis  Most comfortable listening level and background noise level were measured to twelve-talker babble and five music samples from different genres: blues, classical, country, jazz, and rock. Additionally, music preference was evaluated via rank ordering of genre and by completion of the Short Test of Music Preference (STOMP) questionnaire. Results  The ANL for music differed based on music genre; however, the difference was unrelated to music genre preference. Also, those with low ANLs tended to prefer the intense and rebellious music-preference dimension compared with those with high ANLs. Conclusions  For instrumental music, ANL was lower for blues and rock music compared with classical, country, and jazz. The differences identified were not related to music genre preference; however, this finding may be related to the music-preference dimension of intense and rebellious music. Future work should evaluate the psychological variables that make up music-preference dimension to determine if these relate to our ANL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “tragedy paradox” of music, avoiding experiencing negative emotions but enjoying the sadness portrayed in music, has attracted a great deal of academic attention in recent decades. Combining experimental psychology research methods and machine learning techniques, this study (a) investigated the effects of gender and Big Five personality factors on the preference for sad music in the Chinese social environment and (b) constructed sad music preference prediction models using audio features and individual features as inputs. Statistical analysis found that males have a greater preference for sad music than females do, and that gender and the extraversion factor are involved in significant two-way interactions. The best-performing random forest regression shows a low predictive effect on the preference for sad music ( $R^{2} =0.138$ ), providing references for music recommendation systems. Finally, the importance-based model interpretation feature reveals that, in addition to the same music inputs (audio features), the perceived relaxation and happiness of music play an important role in the prediction of sad music preferences.

The present study explored the correlation between music preference and mental health of college students to make an empirical contribution to research in this field. The self-reported music preference scale and positive mental health scale of college students were adopted to conduct a questionnaire survey in college students. Common method variance was conducted to test any serious common method bias problem. No serious common method bias problem was observed. The results showed that college students’ preference for pop music, Western classical music, and Chinese traditional music has a significant and positive correlation with their mental health. Furthermore, college students’ preference for heavy music has a significant and inverse correlation with their mental health. This research presents a correlational study; therefore, no causality can be inferred.

Online music communities reflect and influence people's music tastes, providing a detailed digital record of individuals' behavior. There have been extensive studies on human musical preference; however, the further questions of how the preferences correlate, how intensive and extensive a musical preference can spread in social networks and an individual's preference is like his/her neighbors, and which factors are most relevant to the diversity of individual music preference are not well explored. In this paper, we analyze the music preference of users in a large online music community in China. We find that there exists obvious correlated musical preference for certain pairs of genres or languages. The preference locality leads to the decay of preference similarity between users and their neighbors with network distance, and the decay is asymmetric for fans and followees in terms of preference probability, preference distribution similarity and list similarity. Users' musical preference well reflects their ethnic, cultural, and demographic features. We quantify preference diversity, reveal the factors which are significantly correlated with or can predict the diversity, and find that the mean diversity of users' nearest fans can be the most important predictor. This study reveals the characteristics of users' music preference, producing new sights on musical tastes, their diversity determinants, and their correlation with surrounding communities and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many practices have been presented in music generation recently. While stylistic music generation using deep learning techniques has became the main stream, these models still struggle to generate music with high musicality, different levels of music structure, and controllability. In addition, more application scenarios such as music therapy require imitating more specific musical styles from a few given music examples, rather than capturing the overall genre style of a large data corpus. To address requirements that challenge current deep learning methods, we propose a statistical machine learning model that is able to capture and imitate the structure, melody, chord, and bass style from a given example seed song. An evaluation using 10 pop songs shows that our new representations and methods are able to create high-quality stylistic music that is similar to a given input song. We also discuss potential uses of our approach in music evaluation and music therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to discuss musical preference and children's repertoire in early childhood based on a research with 33 children, aged between 8 months and 4 years old, from the program Music Education for Babies and Children of the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil (2019). In this article we will, initially, present a literature review on the development of musical preference in the early childhood, focusing on how children process and interact with sounds and music. Data were collected through literature review, field diary, questionnaires and video recording. The music classes were held once a week with 50 minutes of duration. During this period, 138 performances were cataloged. The discussion and analysis will focus on the musical and cultural characteristics of the songs performed during the music class, trying to identify how it connects with the children's social and cultural context. The results indicated that the children live in a rich musical environment at home and at school. Although the songs experienced in both contexts come from different genres and styles, they chose traditional children's song for their performances. These songs have strong influences from the main ethnic groups that formed Brazilian culture - Indigenous, Portuguese, and African. From the Portuguese influence we inherited a repertoire formed by simple melodic lines, short melodic intervals, predominance of the major key, anacrusis, and themes about social interactions and daily activities. The indigenous songs bring themes related to the forest, animals, flora, among others. African songs address themes about life, nature and religion. It is common to find words in local dialects such Yoruba and Swahili, and the rhythm is highlighted with a wide variety of percussion instruments. In the conclusion, we discuss how music teachers can contribute to children's musical development, expansion of their repertoire and connecting with their culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RAST Musicology Journal / Rast Muzikoloji Dergisi is the property of RAST Musicology Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recent statistical studies have suggested a relationship between increased harmonic surprise and music preference. Conclusive behavioral evidence to establish this relationship is still lacking. We set out to address this gap through a behavioral study using computer-generated stimuli designed to differ only in contrastive and absolute harmonic surprise. We produced the stimuli with both experimental control and ecological validity in mind by engaging the help of studio musicians. The stimuli were rated for preference by 84 participants (44 female, 40 male) between 18 to 65 years old. Participants rated items featuring moderately increased absolute and contrastive surprise significantly higher than items with lower harmonic surprise. This effect applied only to levels of surprise within a range typically found in popular music, however. Excessive surprises did not yield an increase in preference. We discuss different mechanisms of consistency and how they may mediate the selection of neural strategies leading to preference formation. These findings provide evidence of a causal behavioral relationship between harmonic surprise and music preference.

The present study sought to examine the relationship between musical preference and aspects of aggression in a United States of America community sample. A total of 400 adults (M age = 34.14; 50.3% female) completed the Short Test of Musical Preference, Revised (STOMP-R), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., DSM-5) Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure, and several aggression questionnaires aimed at assessing normative beliefs about aggression and prior history of aggressive behaviors. Results of correlational analyses revealed significant relationships between all examined musical genres and psychopathology. Results of regression analyses revealed the presence of psychopathology as the main contributor to scores across aggression measures, with age and gender variables also varying in their significance. Importantly, preference for intense and rebellious musical genres (i.e., alternative, rock, punk, and heavy metal) was a nonsignificant predictor across all aggression questionnaires. As such, the current results do not support a correlational nor causal link between intense and/or rebellious musical preference and aggressive behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The music environment of a restaurant is an important factor that affects consumer behaviors during the dining experience, especially silent dining behaviors among people who are not encouraged to talk in the context of COVID-19. This study empirically analyzed the influence of consumers’ background music preferences on their emotions and behavioral responses during their dining experience at a high-end Chinese restaurant. A total of 393 valid samples were obtained through purposive sampling and snowball sampling. The research tools used in this study included a personal background information questionnaire, four Oriental and Western music conditions, a background music preference scale, a scale for evaluating emotions during the dining experience, and a behavioral response scale. The results showed that the subjects preferred the Chinese classical music—the Butterfly Lovers Concerto. Background music affected the participants’ emotions during their dining experience, and different background music conditions resulted in significant differences in emotions and behaviors. The consumers’ emotions, during their dining experience significantly predicted their behaviors under all four music conditions. The greatest contribution and value of this study stem from the finding that the background music at a restaurant can arouse specific positive emotions in consumers during their dining experience and thus affect their eating behavior.

The present study explored the relationship between music reference dimensions and personality trait. This study comprised of three stages. In Stage-I, adaptation of Short Test of Music Preference Scale (STOMP; Rentfrow & Gosling, 2003) was done. In Stage-II the psychometric properties of adapted STOMP Scale and NEO-PI-R (Costa & McCrea, 1992) were determined on a sample of 60 students (20-25 years). Stage-III involved measuring the relationship between music preference dimensions and personality traits on sample of 250 students age range of 20-25 years. Results revealed that extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeableness showed positive association with intense and rebellious music, upbeat and conventional music, and reflective and complex music. Whereas extraversion and openness to experience was negatively associated with energetic and rhythmic music. Additionally, neuroticism was negatively related with reflective and complex music, and agreeableness has negative relation with intense and rebellious music. Conscientiousness has negative relationship with reflective and complex, intense and rebellious, and upbeat and conventional; while exhibited positive relationship with energetic and rhythmic music. Future implications of the study were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music preference was reported as a factor, which could elicit innermost music emotion, entailing accurate ground-truth data and music therapy efficiency. This study executes statistical analysis to investigate the distinction of music preference through familiarity scores, response times (response rates), and brain response (EEG). Twenty participants did self-assessment after listening to two types of popular music’s chorus section: music without lyrics (Melody) and music with lyrics (Song). We then conduct a music preference classification using a support vector machine, random forest, and k-nearest neighbors with the familiarity scores, the response rates, and EEG as the feature vectors. The statistical analysis and F1-score of EEG are congruent, which says that the brain’s right side outperformed its left side in classification performance. Finally, these behavioral and brain studies support that preference, familiarity, and response rates can contribute to the music emotion experiment’s design to understand music, emotion, and listener. Not only to the music industry, the biomedical and healthcare industry can also exploit this experiment to collect data from patients to improve the efficiency of healing by music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groove is a common experience in music listeners, often described as an enjoyable impulse to move in synchrony with the music. Research has suggested that the groove experience is influenced by listeners' musical taste and their familiarity with a musical repertoire. This study reports the results from an online listening experiment in which 233 participants rated the groove quality of 208 short clips from different Western popular music styles. Findings show that participants' familiarity with a song, its musical style, and listeners' preference for that style have a considerable effect on the groove experience. Overall, pop and funk stimuli triggered a stronger groove experience than rock stimuli. Listeners had a tendency to give high groove ratings to music they had heard before and to music that belonged to a style they liked. Results also show that professional musicians had a tendency to experience more groove in response to funk compared to pop music, whereas non-musicians experienced more groove with pop compared to funk. Together, these effects explained approximately 15% of the groove ratings' variance. In sum, listeners' attitudes and their musical backgrounds have a considerable impact on their experience of groove. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of music on emotion, the physiological responses to music were analyzed with respect to heart rate variability (HRV) using an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor. For the experiment, music was categorized by its bits per minute (BPM) and played while monitoring the HRV of the participants. The obtained data were analyzed to obtain parameters in the frequency domain analysis. The indicators of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) changed with the BPM of music and represented the emotional state of the participants. In particular, total power (TP), high- and low-frequency powers, and high- and low-frequency power ratios (HFR and LFR, respectively) changed when listening to fast (120-140 BPM), intermediate (60-80 BPM), and slow (less than 40 BPM) music. Fast music enhanced the autonomic sympathetic nervous system, thus increasing LFR and TP, but HFR decreased owing to the reduced activity of the parasympathetic nerve. Intermediate music inhibited the activity of the autonomic sympathetic nerve, leading to decreased LFR and increased HRF owing to the enhanced activity of the parasympathetic nerve. Slow music did not change the activity of the autonomic sympathetic nerve. These results suggest that music can be used to lessen or prevent stress and enhance work performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does accompanying information (“framing”) such as in a program note influence our preference for music? To date the findings have been mixed, although a small body of research has suggested that when framing accompanies music considered unusual (characterized by extreme complexity and extreme unfamiliarity), the music may be preferred compared to when no such framing occurs. A literature review (study 1) revealed that for 50% of experiments where valenced framing (positive versus negative suggestions of prestige) was manipulated, positive framing was accompanied by significantly higher ratings of preference and/or quality judgements. However, only one example contained music that could be considered unusual (atonal music). We therefore conducted two follow-up experiments, with each examining the influence of valenced framing as well as historical framing (accompanying historical details) for music intended to be unusual. Study 2 manipulated framing for an excerpt using atonal music, although we were unable to find evidence that positively valenced historical framing increased preference for this piece. A surprising finding in study 2 was that our active control—requiring the participant to engage imaginatively with the music—produced a significant increase in preference. Subsequently, in study 3 we examined the same three framing conditions and included both an unusual excerpt (free jazz) as well as an over-familiar, typical excerpt for comparison (being a repeatedly pre-exposed classical piano piece). Study 3 produced no significant differences in preference ratings between the two historical conditions, although a positive impact of imagination was again evident. We concluded that the impact of historical framing may be highly subjective and not of favorable consequence to the typical listener. Furthermore, while imaginative engagement appears a fruitful avenue for further preference research, it has been largely ignored.

Most nonhuman animals do not show selective preference for types of music, but researchers have typically employed only Western classical music in such studies. Thus, there has been bias in music choice. Degus (Octodon degus), originally from the mountain areas of Chile, have highly developed vocal communication. Here, we examined music preference of degus using not only Western classical music (music composed by Bach and Stravinsky), but also South American folk music (Chilean and Peruvian). The degus preferred the South American music to the Western classical music but did not show selective preference between the two Western classical music choices. Furthermore, the degus preferred the Chilean to the Peruvian music to some extent. In the second experiment, we examined preference for music vs. silence. Degus overall showed a preference for Chilean music over silence, but preferred silence over Western music. The present results indicate that the previous negative data for musical preference in nonhuman animals may be due to biased music selection (Krause, 2012). Our results suggest the possibility that the soundscape of an environment influences folk music created by native peoples living there and the auditory preference of other resident animals there.

Does accompanying information ("framing") such as in a program note influence our preference for music? To date the findings have been mixed, although a small body of research has suggested that when framing accompanies music considered unusual (characterized by extreme complexity and extreme unfamiliarity), the music may be preferred compared to when no such framing occurs. A literature review (study 1) revealed that for 50% of experiments where valenced framing (positive versus negative suggestions of prestige) was manipulated, positive framing was accompanied by significantly higher ratings of preference and/or quality judgements. However, only one example contained music that could be considered unusual (atonal music). We therefore conducted two follow-up experiments, with each examining the influence of valenced framing as well as historical framing (accompanying historical details) for music intended to be unusual. Study 2 manipulated framing for an excerpt using atonal music, although we were unable to find evidence that positively valenced historical framing increased preference for this piece. A surprising finding in study 2 was that our active control—requiring the participant to engage imaginatively with the music—produced a significant increase in preference. Subsequently, in study 3 we examined the same three framing conditions and included both an unusual excerpt (free jazz) as well as an over-familiar, typical excerpt for comparison (being a repeatedly pre-exposed classical piano piece). Study 3 produced no significant differences in preference ratings between the two historical conditions, although a positive impact of imagination was again evident. We concluded that the impact of historical framing may be highly subjective and not of favorable consequence to the typical listener. Furthermore, while imaginative engagement appears a fruitful avenue for further preference research, it has been largely ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music is of central importance in the daily life of peoples. It forms a part of the habit of people. Music may bring peace to mind, promote relaxation, and lower tension. It may be said that music considerably impacts human life. Although in India, music has made its journey from being an oral tradition in the form of guru-shishya parampara to institutional learning in modern classroom settings, students may not always choose to study music academically in an educational institute. Even individuals with keen interest, liking, and love for music are often seen opting to study non-musical subjects at the college level, though many of them study music non-academically, outside the college system of education. The present study was conducted among college students of Kolkata, who were studying non-musical subjects at the undergraduate level, to investigate the musical preferences, involvement level in music and appreciation towards music as a career, in relation to gender. A descriptive survey with the help of a structured questionnaire was carried out for the study. The obtained results were analyzed with suitable statistics. The findings were discussed, and conclusions were made regarding the outcome of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is to analyse the musical preferences of Brazilian students by considering the variables of gender and religion. Using random sampling, a class was selected from each high school year group of 10 public schools in the city of São Luís (Brazil).The total study sample consisted of 658 students: 358 females (54.4%) and 300 males (45.6%). Of these, 343 (52.1%) were Protestants and 315 (47.9%) were Catholics, and their ages ranged from 14 to 19 years (M = 16.24 years old, SD = 1.14). For the data collection, a version of the Questionnaire on Musical Style Preferences by Lorenzo, Herrera, and Cremades (2008) was used; however, it was shortened and culturally adapted to the Brazilian context. The participants were asked to evaluate how often they listened to 19 different styles of music. The overall results indicated that the participants' musical preferences were heavily influenced by mass media. However, ANOVA results indicated significant differences and a variety of size effects in the frequency of musical listening based on gender and religion. Females had a greater preference for styles with emotional content, dance music and music with a strong connection to mass culture, while males preferred more vigorous styles. Regarding religion, Protestants had a stronger preference for gospel music, while Catholic preferences were more diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the role of unusualness ratings in predicting music preference. In addition, the variables complexity and familiarity were rated for five music stimuli covering a range of styles. Ninety-four participants were exposed to each stimulus ten times over a three-week period. The three variables were tested as predictors of preference using linear and quadratic curve-fitting procedures. A linear increasing relationship was observed for familiarity, and inverted-U relationships were observed for unusualness and complexity. These results are consistent with Berlyne's inverted-U model, or a segment of the inverted-U in the case of familiarity. Unusualness was a good indicator of music preference, and explained more variance than complexity or familiarity. Furthermore, the two stimuli that scored highest in unusualness produced consistently low ratings of preference independent of exposure, which appears to be a hallmark of "extreme" music stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a theoretical paradigm encapsulating the interrelations of music arousal and emotional valence with four commonly-studied musical factors: tempo, preference, familiarity, and presence of lyrics. We first posit music valence-arousal classifications and descriptors in accordance with the Circumplex model and a combination of several existing arousal theories. The subsequent section encompasses concise literature reviews on each of the four musical factors based on their interrelations with arousal, valence, individual difference, music-listening and engagement-related factors, while proposing delineations on their methodological considerations and classifications. Finally, a novel theoretical paradigm of interrelations among the pertaining musical factors, arousal theories, and potential differential effects among extroversion and neuroticism traits is constructed with several gap identifications following. Nevertheless, we emphasise the need in accounting for the intricate interrelations among musical factors in order to avoid confoundments in future music intervention research, while remaining open to further refinements of the proposed framework. • Circumplex model applicability in music valence-arousal stimulus classifications. • Methodological considerations of music tempo, preference, familiarity, and lyrics. • Theoretical framework of interrelations among valence-arousal and musical factors. • Interrelations of musical factors must not be overlooked as potential confounders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between music preferences (MP), listening styles (LS), functions of music (FoM), perceived rasa (music) and personality traits (PT – Big Five Factors). A sample of 77 young adults (M = 39; F = 38; M = 22.7 years) completed measures of the above constructs and data were analysed via correlations, one-way ANOVA, post hoc tests, and T-tests. Significant correlations were found between LS and PT; MP and PT; FoM and PT; FoM and emotion; and LS and FoM. Findings indicated stronger preferences for genres namely Romantic songs, Soft songs and Filmy (Sad) songs. Gender difference existed in terms of MP, perceived emotions and LS. Music listening mainly served as a ‘source of pleasure and enjoyment’ and which ‘calms, motivates, or reminds of past events’. Musical genres inducing santoṣa rasa were perceived significantly higher in female participants. Based on the findings, a ‘music engagement model for Young Adults’ describing their music behaviour, have been proposed.