Personality and Individual Differences

Abstract

To many people, music is the very expression of our inner selves. At the same time as it brings people together, music helps us to understand and articulate what it is that makes us unique as individuals. The psychology of individual differences refers to the study of inter-individual variability in people, including socio-demographic characteristics like age and gender, and variability in genetic and psychological factors, such as personality, motivation (including passion and grit), perfectionism, and anxiety. Many of the psychological differences have been associated with distinctive career paths and levels of attainment in music performance. Genetic differences can also play an important role in musical aptitude. While some of these individual differences are stable in musicians, others are considered to be more malleable. This chapter reviews the evidence on these differences in performing musicians from childhood through to the professional level, touching upon divergences concerning gender, and choices between musical genres and instruments. It offers practical suggestions for professional musicians, music teachers, parents, and students on how to deal with the more stable traits like personality and how to enhance the more malleable ones, such as perfectionism and anxiety, that considerably affect one’s musicianship.