It might be interesting for you to know why each of us is inclined to a particular style of music and the reason for people’s different tastes. Several types of research that have been done so far answer this question. These researchers associate people’s musical tastes with their personality traits. This article reveals the relationship between people’s music taste and their personalities.
What is the relationship between music taste and personality traits?
Although personality traits do not entirely determine people’s musical tastes, research has shown they are not without influence. In one of these studies, which had more than 36 thousand participants from all over the world, the participants were asked to rate more than 104 different styles of music. They also filled out the five essential personality traits list and provided information about their favorite music. This research showed the relationship between people’s personalities and musical tastes, although other individual differences are also involved in forming people’s musical tastes. According to this research, certain styles of music have been associated with certain personality traits that you will read below.
1. pop
Outgoing, honest, and disciplined. Pop music lovers were hardworking and had high self-esteem. Of course, according to the researchers, these people are less creative and restless compared to people who are fascinated by other styles of music.
2. Rap/hip hop
Rap fans are often considered aggressive and violent, but researchers found no such connection. Rap fans had high self-esteem and were more outgoing than fans of other music styles.
3. Country
Proponents of this style are known for hard work, regularity, extroversion, and conservatism. Although country music often focuses on heartbreak, the people who love it are emotionally stable. They are less receptive to new experiences than others.
4. Rock/heavy metal
Rock and heavy metal evoke anger, boldness, and aggression. Despite this, research has shown that followers of these styles are gentle, creative, and introverted. Also, the self-esteem of these people is relatively low.
5. Indie
The supporters of this style are introverted, enlightened, and creative, but they are less hardworking and more gentle than the supporters of other styles. Passivity, anxiety, and low self-esteem were other notable personality traits of the fans of this style.
6. Dance
People who preferred this style were generally extroverted, decisive, and ready to experience, but they ranked lower than others in terms of gentleness.
7. Classical
According to this research, classical music lovers are somewhat introverted but accept themselves. Creativity and healthy self-esteem are among them every day.
8. Jazz, blues, and soul
Those who choose this type of music are outgoing and have high self-esteem. They are almost creative, intelligent, and carefree.
This research shows that people define themselves through music and use it to communicate with other people. This answers why people sometimes feel defensive about their taste in music. Criticizing people’s favorite music is like blaming themselves.
Music performance and its three main dimensions
Music is a significant way to express identity. According to one research, music has other vital functions:
- improve efficiency and performance;
- stimulate curiosity and imagination;
- You are reinforcing situations or particular feelings.
People’s music taste is identified by the styles they prefer to listen to, but a more accurate way to understand people’s music taste is to examine the characteristics of music. According to one of the models, music has three dimensions: arousal, capacity, and depth.
According to David M. Greenberg, a Bar-Ilan and Cambridge universities researcher, arousal is related to the amount of energy and intensity of the music. Research by Greenberg and other researchers shows that punk and heavy metal songs like “White Knuckles” by the band “Five Finger Death Punch” are highly arousing.
“Capacity” is a spectrum from negative emotions to positive emotions. Upbeat rock and pop songs like “Razzle Dazzle” by Bill Haley & His Comets were trendy. “Depth” also indicates a level of emotional and intellectual complexity. According to David M. Pitball, Greenberg, the famous rapper, is a shallow type of music, and classical and jazz styles can be profound.
These three features of music have an exciting relationship. Greenberg says:
Greater depth often correlates with less capacity, so sadness in music also evokes depth.
We prefer music by artists who have the qualities we are known for.
When people listen to music, they are influenced by the artist’s similarity to themselves.
– David M. Greenberg
The relationship between brain structure and music taste
Our cognitive styles and thinking can also predict what music we like. A 2015 study by Greenberg and colleagues showed the difference between empaths (people who understand the world through thoughts and feelings) and systems builders (people interested in rules and systems).
Empaths prefer sadness in music, while system builders prefer more intensity. Many IT and data science professionals are strong system builders and like loud music. Empaths and system builders listen to deep music, but empaths prefer music that shows emotional depth, while system builders prefer music that shows intellectual depth and technical sophistication.
Based on five main personality traits, the researchers investigated how people’s music taste compares with their personality:
- Being open or receptive to new experiences;
- Conscientiousness and responsibility;
- introversion and extroversion;
- Agreeableness and empathy ;
- Neuropathy.
Researchers concluded that people with a more receptive personality enjoy more complex music such as classical, opera, and jazz, and more mellow music (calm and relaxing genres such as R&B and soft rock) and contemporary music (electronic, dance, Europop, Latin). and rap) they dislike. More extroverted people were more inclined to relaxing acoustic music such as folk and country music. More extroverted people show stronger reactions to happy, rhythmic, and electronic music, and more receptive people prefer complex music such as improvised and wordless songs.
According to research conducted in 2022 about the music preferences of more than 350,000 people from 50 countries on six continents, the relationship between music preferences and personality is universal. It doesn’t matter where you live; Music and character are intertwined.
Other factors affecting musical taste
It should be noted that personality is one of the determining factors of music taste, and context is another influencing factor. The general public tends to listen to relaxing music in the evening and energetic music during the day. These tendencies are almost identical regardless of cultural background and other demographic information. However, different cultures also influence people’s musical tastes. In Latin America, people tend to listen to more exciting music than people in other regions, and Asians tend to listen to more relaxing music than other regions. Age and gender are also associated with certain types of music. According to Greenberg’s research, younger people are interested in powerful pieces, and older people are less interested in this type of music. Listeners of soft music are primarily women, and listeners of intense and powerful music are mostly men from the Western Hemisphere.
Young people listen to music significantly more than middle-aged people in different situations, while middle-aged people mainly listen to music in intimate situations and environments.
final word
Personality may affect our musical taste, but it is important to note that a change in musical taste does not necessarily indicate a change in nature. Next time you make a playlist, try including some genres of music you don’t usually prefer. Research shows that this can have a long-term positive effect on the brain.
