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We’re exposed to music for nearly 20% of our waking lives. But much of our musical experience seems to be a mystery. Why does some music bring us to tears while other pieces make us dance? Why is it that the music that we like can make others agitated? And why do some people seem to have a natural ability to play music while others have difficulty carrying a tune? Science is beginning to show that these individual differences are not just random but are, in part, due to people’s personalities.
A new research suggests that people’s musical preferences are linked to three broad thinking styles:
Empathisers (Type E) have a strong interest in people’s thoughts and emotions.
Systemisers (Type S) have a strong interest in patterns, systems and the rules that govern the world.
Those who score relatively equally on empathy and systemising are classified as Type B for “balanced”.
Across studies analyzed, it was found that empathisers preferred mellow music that had low energy, sad emotions, and emotional depth, as heard in R&B, soft rock, and singer-songwriter genres. For example, empathising was linked to preferences for “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones and Jeff Buckley’s recording of “Hallelujah”.
On the other hand, systemisers preferred more intense music, as heard in hard rock, punk and heavy metal genres. Systemisers also preferred music with intellectual depth and complexity as heard in avant-garde classical genres. For example, systemizing was linked to preferences for Alexander Scriabin’s “Etude opus 65 no 3”.
Importantly, those who were Type B had a tendency to prefer music that spans more of a range than the other two thinking styles.
Read the full article by following the link below.
Category(s):Dance Therapy
Source material from PsyPost
