Music Effects on Personality and Behavior
Group 6
MUSICS AFFECTS ON PERSONALITY&BEHAVIOR
Group 6
Heather Bolek
Phil Brown
Robert Gulley
Brandon Kenney
Kevin Munn
Brittany Ross
Corey Sayers
4/25/2008
EDP 101 A
How does music affect people’s personality and behavior?
Heather Bolek:
Music is a set of lyrics composed of notes and rhythms. It expresses a wide range of emotions that people can relate to. Music can be instruments, voices, or an arrangement of different sounds composed together to create a melody that most likely tells a story. Many people think that music is just their favorite tune or a collection of methodic beats but really it can take affect on our everyday life. Music has the ability to shape our personalities and behaviors, just but the types of music we listen to.
Behavior is the way in which a person acts toward other people. It is the way people act in certain situations, in other words it is there reaction. The behavior we as humans actually encompass has a lot to do with brain activity and the way the brain waves and central nervous system can work together to influence our behavior. With out the brain and nervous system it would be very hard to have behavioral influences in different situations. Behavior changes and they we react to things can also influence our personality.
Personality is what characterizes human beings and makes every one of different. It tends to a pattern or set way we act that makes they we way think different from the way others think. Personality can include attitudes, interests, behavioral patterns, emotional roles, and the social roles that people are in everyday.
Music is different for every person, some people like jazz and others like hip hop. It all depends on what you like and sometimes is dependent on your personality. No one person likes all the same music, each person varies to one point. Music is so wide range with so many diverse types and unique stories that it affects our personality and behavior everyday.
Behavior and the brain work together when listening to music. Music involves the temporal lobes which are responsible for hearing and understanding of words. When the brain hears something it can possibly trigger the “attacks of anger and rage that have been associated with the temporal lobes” (Davis & Paladino, 2006, pp 76). Music can be associated with this, if you are hearing an angry song and the temporal lobes process that, your behavior due to the music may become angry or violent. The music causes the behavioral change thus your normal behavioral pattern will change.
Behavior is able to change with the different types of music. If you are feeling angry you may listen to calming music which would change the behavioral pattern to a more sedated one. Music has the ability to impact the changes in behavior that we have as well as enhance current behavior. In Daniel Levitin’s book “This Is Your Brain on Music” he found research from musicologist David Huron who said “the key question for the evolutionary basis is what advantage might be conferred on individuals who exhibit musical behaviors versus those who do not” (pg. 249). This brings up a good point if those that listen to music on a regular basis may inhibit different behaviors then those people who emit music from their lives.
In an own personal experience I have realized that music does play an important role in behaviors and those who do find music to be of interest react differently. Those who listen to music know that their behavior can change by the music they listen to. Those who do not listen to music regularly have to find another way to calm down or even pick them up. If you are having a bad day and really fighting everyone and everything you come into contact with some of your favorite tunes can really change your behavior and make you feel better.
Studies show that music is a direct like to teenagers and having bad behavioral issues. In the “Journal of Youth and Adolescence” they researched the affect of heavy metal music and how boys and girls react differently. The study by Jeffery Arnett (1991) showed that “Boys who liked heavy metal music reported a higher rate of a wide range of reckless behavior, including driving behavior, sexual behavior, and drug use. They were also less satisfied with their family relationships. Girls who liked heavy metal music were more reckless in the areas of shoplifting, vandalism, sexual behavior, and drug use, and reported lower self-esteem” (Arnett). The heavy metal music transmitted brain signals to the boys and girls which then they reacted more aggressively then those who did not listen to the heavy metal music.
Another study shows that the age or a person may affect their ability to act on the music they are listening to. LeBlanc, Sims, Malin, and Sherrill did a study on the effects of humorous music on different ages. The results were that that the younger participates thought the music was extremely funny as the older participants did not see the humor in the music at all ( pg 275). The music and temporal lobe worked together to produce different reactions in each group of ages and as a result there behavior either stayed the same or they began to giggle at what they were hearing.
Robert Gulley:
Music is one of the most commonly enjoyed leisure activity around the world and it is very interesting to think about how music can affect us in a negative or a positive way. I was never sure if music with a violent background or lyrics could rub off on a listener but it is very possible. After reading an article published by the American Physiological Association about Violent music and how it affects people’s actions I now see what the effect on music can be. David Partenheimer said that “The violent songs increased feelings of hostility without provocation or threat, according to the authors, and this effect was not the result of differences in musical style, specific performing artist or arousal properties of the songs. Even the humorous violent songs increased aggressive thoughts” (Partenheimer, 2003). Showing that people are easily persuaded in their actions by the music that they listened to and this can result in changes in their actions with out even attempting to alter their state of mind.
Music is also used to change people behavior in the everyday atmosphere. One of the recent studies done is how music can change the behaviors of employees and shopper’s at supermarkets. It is stated that “Music is employed in the background of production facilities, offices and stores to produce certain desired attitudes and behaviors among employees and customers. Music is thought to improve store image and make employees happier” (Milliman, 1982). When you have a store that is perceived better by the customers and has employees working that are in good moods it will in turn make the customers happy as well for they will being dealing with pleasant people and are encouraged to shop at the store.
Brandon Kenney:
Many studies have been done to prove that music does in fact affect the behavior of its listeners, especially teens. One study done showed that teens who listen to music with dirty song lyrics are more likely to have early teen sex. “Songs depicting men as ‘sex-driven studs,’ women as sex objects and with explicit references to sex acts are more likely to trigger early sexual behavior than those where sexual references are more veiled and relationships appear more committed, the study found” (MSNBC 1). The song is associated with popular culture and the cool thing to do; its words are very forceful. Young teens who listen to this music are very susceptible to entertaining the message elicited in the song. Since these songs display sex as a great thing and cool thing, then teens are more likely to partake in such activities.
Rap and explicit lyrics have been known to produce other types of behaviors as well, aside from the early teen sex. A study was done on black girls that were avid listeners of rap music and the study showed a variety of things. The girls were three times more likely to hit a teacher, they were over 2.5 times more likely to get arrested, they were twice as likely to have multiple sexual partners, and they were 1.5 times more likely to get a sexually transmitted disease, use drugs or drink alcohol (O’Toole 1). This study pretty much shows that rap music promotes very inappropriate and many times illegal behavior in teens. It influences the clothes teens wear and the actions they perform in their everyday life.
Rock music can also affect a teen’s behavior. “People who listen to hard rock have been found to speed, drive while intoxicated, use illegal substances, and do satanic things or worship the devil. A lot of heavy metal has a dark sound which resembles devil sounds” (O’Toole 1). Hard rock has a sound that promotes demonic activities and behavior. It is said by some that it was rock music that played a part in the Columbine shooting. The two shooters listened to hard rock music with violent lyrics that would promote strong feelings of suicide and killing. When it was discovered that the two shooters were big fans of heavy metal and Goth music, the media immediately made that type of music as a means for the destruction and they immediately placed a label on that type of music for promoting such types of behavior (Keshen 1).
So does music really have a relationship with the behavior of a person? Looking at the individual cases described, one would not be able to come to a clear conclusion on the exact connection. It is however, very apparent that music is a contributing factor as to the actions a man or woman will perform. It is very clear that illegal activity is more perceptible in teens who listen to violent types of music such as rap or heavy metal. While the music does not directly force a certain behavior or style of life on a person, it does have a great influence on the thoughts and interests of its listener.
Phil Brown:
Music has an enormous impact on most people’s lives, whether it is their profession, they work for musicians or it simply is something that they love. Everybody is affected in one way or another by music, even if they do not realize it. Music can either adversely affect decisions people make or have a positive impact on something in their life.
In my opinion, music has had a positive effect on my behavior, especially when related to studying or sports. In high school we would play rap music before our basketball games, which usually got all of us ready to play. We felt more energetic and ready to play than if we just sat in the locker room in silence. I also played lacrosse and when I was driving to practice sometimes I would listen to metal or rock. I felt that it got me more excited before I had to go to practice for a few hours. Overall, the music I played just helped to get me in the right mood to go to practice or just before a game.
I started listening to music while writing papers back in high school and continue to do so now. Listening to my favorite songs gets my mind in the right place for me to start writing. It also keeps my mind from wandering to other things in my life while I am supposed to be working. Research confirms that listening to classical music can have a positive effect on studying habits (Coff). Research has shown that classical music seems to promote a positive state of mind and prepare a person for studying (Coff).
Another interesting effect music has is on patients with osteoarthritis. It has been shown that after exposing older people suffering from this condition benefited from music. A control group sat in silence for twenty minutes a day, while another group listened to music for twenty minutes. It was concluded that the group that listened to music experienced reduced pain due to the endorphins released while listening to music (McCaffery).
Levitin talks about the positive effects of music on a person’s mood and behavior. For him, music can encourage learning and helps most people with their social skills. Music has an immense impact on the way most people behave since everybody has songs that make them feel some sort of emotion. Whether it is anger, sadness or happiness everybody has songs that make them feel something which in turn affects their behavior.
Heather Bolek:
Behavior and personality can be identified as very similar things. We have already looked at how music shapes behavior now we are going to take a look at how music affects personalities. Personality is actually in a way in which we behave but involves they way we think and feel about certain subjects.
Brittany Ross:
What is personality? According to the Psychology book by Davis, S.F. & Palladino J.J personality is defined in two ways. How the individual has a distinctive way that he or she thinks, behaves, and feels, and how personalities are relatively consistent. Meaning that an individual can be different from his or her peers while at the same time have a similar personality. One factor that helps someone’s personality be similar to other people is the type of music that they listen to.
Two questions that are commonly asked are: Does the type of music you listen to affect your personality? Does the type of music you listen to whether it is rap or country effect the person you are or become?
A study at the University of Texas in 2003 on music preferences answers these questions. The study was done by Dr. Samuel Gosling and P. J. Rentfrow. This experiment was tested on over 3,500 diverse individuals. The study able to explain some of the diverse personalities that were derived from various music options. For instance those listeners who liked classical, jazz, blues, and or folk music were individuals that tend to be inventive, had active imaginations, valued aesthetic experiences, had a high tolerant while dealing with others, and were politically liberal.
The individuals that listened to heavy metal and or rock music were profiled as being curious, risk takers, intelligent, and physically active.
Those students tested that enjoyed listening to country, pop, and or religious music were classified as being outgoing and cheerful, saw themselves as physically attractive, were conservative, and enjoyed helping others.
Also the individuals that listened to funk, hip-pop, electronica, and or soul were talkative, energetic, forgiving, opposed conservative ideas, and saw themselves physically attractive. (Rentfrow)
This study displays that the music you listen to defines you. It defines your personality, and sometimes the individuals that you spend your time with, the friends that you hang out with.
After talking with some of my peers here at MiamiUniversity I was able to get a different aspect of the topic. One individual said: “I think personality shapes the music I listen to just as well as the music shapes my personality. I also think that my friends have a lot to do with the kind of music that I listen to. Along with most of my friends I listen to mostly pop music which gives me a positive outlook on life as well as keeps me interested in popular media. This statement basically says that music affects us as much as we shape the music that’s available in the music industry. Also that the people around shape our personality resulting in the type we listen to be similar.
In Daniel J. Levitin's book, This is your Brain on Music: The science of a human obsessionit explains this concept of music and ones surroundings. For instance on page 232 Levitin says: “To some degree, we might say that personality characteristics are associated with, or predictive of, the kind of music that people like. But to a large degree, it is determined by more or less chance factors: where you went to school, who you hung out with, and what music they happen to be listening to.” He is saying that your surroundings affect your personality and affect the music that you listen to. For example, growing up in NashvilleTennessee it is most likely that you enjoy country music since that’s what Tennessee is for.
Therefore my personal opinion is that your personality is shaped by the type of music you listen to, and the community that surround you.
Corey Sayers:
Can music really have an effect on our personalities? Well, according to the professors at The University of Texas it can. Not only do they believe it can affect our personalities, but they have research that shows a person’s taste in music can determine what kind of person that is, before even meeting them. For example, energetic, rhythmic, or typically what is referred to as “techno,” is most often listened to by people who are “talkative, energetic, forgiving and opposed to conservative ideals” (Gosling).