Acoustic and structural differences between musically portrayed subtypes of fear

Abstract

Fear is a frequently studied emotion category in music and emotion research. However, research in music theory suggests that music can convey finer-grained subtypes of fear, such as terror and anxiety. Previous research on musically expressed emotions has neglected to investigate subtypes of fearful emotions. This study seeks to fill this gap in the literature. To that end, 99 participants rated the emotional impression of short excerpts of horror film music predicted to convey terror and anxiety, respectively. Then, the excerpts that most effectively conveyed these target emotions were analyzed descriptively and acoustically to demonstrate the sonic differences between musically conveyed terror and anxiety. The results support the hypothesis that music conveys terror and anxiety with markedly different musical structures and acoustic features. Terrifying music has a brighter, rougher, harsher timbre, is musically denser, and may be faster and louder than anxious music. Anxious music has a greater degree of loudness variability. Both types of fearful music tend towards minor modalities and are rhythmically unpredictable. These findings further support the application of emotional granularity in music and emotion research.

Music as an Evolved Tool for Socio-Affective Fiction

“…However, examining contemporary applications of music is still a useful starting point for evolutionary hypotheses. In outlining our theory, we begin by examining one of music's primary functions: portraying and/or inducing emotions ( Eerola et al, 2018 ; Eerola & Vuoskoski, 2013 ; Juslin & Sloboda, 2011 ; Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008 ; Trevor et al, 2020 , 2023 ).…”

Surfing uncertainty with screams: predictive processing, error dynamics and horror films

“…However, even novice horror fans can pick up on music that signals threat because the music in horror movies acoustically mimics screams, which evolved to signal threat [ 91 ]. Interestingly, terrifying music is also rhythmically unpredictable, which may prime our minds to pay attention and learn [ 92 ]. The upshot is, if we know a jump scare is coming, and we know it will elicit an embodied response, then that knowledge constitutes exactly the sort of increase in the agent's sense of control and subsequent reduction in interoceptive noise.…”

Surfing Uncertainty with Screams: Predictive Processing, Error Dynamics and Horror Films

“…However, even novice horror fans can pick up on music that signals threat because the music in horror movies acoustically mimics screams, which evolved to signal threat (Trevor et al, 2020). Interestingly, terrifying music is also rhythmically unpredictable, which may prime our minds to pay attention and learn (Trevor et al, 2023).…”