The influence of stress, optimism, and music training on music uses and preferences

Abstract

In the present study we examined how different aspects of a person's life, such as the amount of stress experienced, levels of optimism, and the amount of musical training received, were related to their motives for listening to music (for emotional regulation and/or for cognitive stimulation) and their preferences for what types of music to listen to. Participants (N = 154) completed surveys measuring stress, optimism, music uses, and music preferences. Results indicate that high stress ratings predicted the use of music for emotional regulation. Additionally, optimistic individuals also tended to use music emotionally, meaning that stress and optimism, though highly negatively correlated, appear to influence uses of music independently. People with more music training followed a different pattern; even though they had higher stress ratings and lower optimism ratings overall, individuals with music training tended to listen to music for cognitive reasons more than for emotional regulation. These findings help us further understand the variables that lead to individual differences in music uses and preferences.

The relationship between music preferences of different mode and tempo and personality traits – implications for music pedagogy

“…Dispositional optimism as a personality trait is a general expectation of the individual that during lifetime they will encounter more of good than bad things (Scheier and Carver 1992). Only in one recent research did the authors suggest that optimism as a personality trait has an impact on the use of music for emotional regulation (Getz, Marks, and Roy 2014), while Popović (2006) states that the preferences for blues, classical, jazz, alternative and electronic music are associated with the structure of personality traits that belong to optimistic people. In this research we tried to explore the role of dispositional optimism/pessimism in musical preferences for different tempo and mode starting with the assumption that optimism is related to preference of fast music in major mode since those music characteristics is associated with happiness.…”

Aesthetic Emotions Across Arts: A Comparison Between Painting and Music

“…People use music to manage their mood to a greater extent than they use other leisure activities such as reading or exercising (Lonsdale and North, 2011 ). However, the tendency to use music for mood repair may be influenced by music training considering that musicians use music for cognitive (e.g., attention to structural complexity or performing technique) rather than emotional reasons (Getz et al, 2014 ). To our knowledge, no study has yet investigated motivation for aesthetic experience with painting.…”

The relationship between university students attitude towards listening to music and their level of optimism

“…For instance, Lemont and Eerola (2011) reviewed the relationship between music and emotions. Getz et al (2014) conducted research on the effects of stress, optimism and music training on listening to music and preferences. The results showed that a high level of stress predicted the tendency for listening to music, while optimistic individuals were emotionally more inclined to listen to music.…”