A short-term musical training affects implicit emotion regulation only in behaviour but not in brain activity

Abstract

Background In everyday life, negative emotions can be implicitly regulated by positive stimuli, without any conscious cognitive engagement; however, the effects of such implicit regulation on mood and related neuro-mechanisms, remain poorly investigated in literature. Yet, improving implicit emotional regulation could reduce psychological burden and therefore be clinically relevant for treating psychiatric disorders with strong affective symptomatology. Results Music training reduced the negative emotional state elicited by negative odours. However, such change was not reflected at the brain level. Conclusions In a context of affective rivalry a musical training enhances implicit regulatory processes. Our findings offer a first base for future studies on implicit emotion regulation in clinical populations.

Seeing fast and slow: The influence of music-induced affective states and individual sensory sensitivity on visual processing speed

“…A range of experimental approaches has been developed to reliably modify participants' emotional experience (Kučera & Haviger, 2012;Marcusson-Clavertz et al, 2019), which can be divided into two main types of mood induction procedure (MIP): simple (one technique) and combined (two or more techniques at the same time) (Joseph et al, 2020;Jallais & Gilet, 2010;Eich et al, 2007). In particular, music seems to have a special power when combined with other procedures to induce changes in affect (Berthold-Losleben et al, 2021;Quarto et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2014). Indeed, music is a universal component of human life (Sloboda, 2010) that we strategically use in our everyday life to regulate emotions and manage mood (Berthold-Losleben et al, 2021;Cook et al, 2019), as it can both shape and reflect emotional arousal, energy, and tension (Park et al, 2019;Madison, 2011;Zampini & Melcher, 2011;North, 2010).…”

“…In particular, music seems to have a special power when combined with other procedures to induce changes in affect (Berthold-Losleben et al, 2021;Quarto et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2014). Indeed, music is a universal component of human life (Sloboda, 2010) that we strategically use in our everyday life to regulate emotions and manage mood (Berthold-Losleben et al, 2021;Cook et al, 2019), as it can both shape and reflect emotional arousal, energy, and tension (Park et al, 2019;Madison, 2011;Zampini & Melcher, 2011;North, 2010).…”