Music and COVID-19: Changes in uses and emotional reaction to music under stay-at-home restrictions

Abstract

During stay-at-home orders in response to COVID-19, individuals had to deal with both health-related fear and anxiety and the difficulties related to social distancing and isolation. The present study, conducted in Israel shortly after the first lockdown was lifted, at the end of May 2020, examined individuals’ subjective evaluation of differences in their music listening habits and emotional reaction to music compared with normal times. A total of 200 participants filled an online questionnaire focusing on three issues: (1) changes in amount and situations of music listening. These included reference to new music clip types recently created and directly related to COVID-19 and its effects ( Corona Clips); (2) changes in intensity of emotions experienced in reaction to music; and (3) changes in general emotions. For most participants music listening and uses remained similar or increased. Both emotional reaction to music general negative and socially related emotions were stronger than under normal circumstances. Music uses and emotion scales were correlated with socially related emotions. The results support previous findings regarding the use of music for mood regulation and the importance of music as a means for social contact and provide a demonstration of subjective evaluation of these functions in real-time coping during a global crisis.

Music for hedonia and eudaimonia during pandemic social isolation

“…The fact that similar increases were reported for many other domestic activities-like watching news and movies, calling friends, cooking, cleaning, and sleeping (Fink et al, 2021;Muñiz-Velázquez et al, 2021;Ziv & Hollander-Shabtai, 2021)-raises the pertinent question whether changes in musical habits were merely an epiphenomenon of home confinement. Survey studies on qualitative motivations for engagement and perceived coping efficacy of music suggest that this was not the case.…”

“…Equivalent negative associations emerged between watching TV and eudaimonic as well as hedonic well-being (Muñiz-Velázquez et al, 2021). While most people experienced equally strong emotions in response to music during lockdown compared to before, increases were slightly more frequent than decreases-but this was also the case for non-music-induced emotions (Ziv & Hollander-Shabtai, 2021). Musical activities in children increased during lockdown, and parents used music significantly more for emotion regulation and for connecting socially with their offspring (Cho & Ilari, 2021;Ribeiro et al, 2021a;Steinberg et al, 2021).…”

“…When asked directly, most participants reported increased music listening during lockdown (Cabedo-Mas et al, 2021;Carlson et al, 2021;Ferreri et al, 2021;Fink et al, 2021;Mas-Herrero et al, 2020;Ribeiro et al, 2021aRibeiro et al, , 2021bSteinberg et al, 2021;Ziv & Hollander-Shabtai, 2021)-paradoxically, also for Spotify (Hurwitz & Krumhansl, 2021). Individual differences are, however, substantial, and some studies found no to little change (Carlson et al, 2021;Krause et al, 2021;Ziv & Hollander-Shabtai, 2021). Canadian university students deemed music listening the most frequent solitary, extra-curricular activity during lockdown (Finnerty et al, 2021) Potentially, decreased objective listening, increased subjective listening, alongside switching towards video-based platforms could result from more attentive, meaningful listening forms subject to lower degrees of distraction during lockdown.…”

“…Hansen et al, 2021). At least 87.5% of Israelis were exposed to coronamusic videos, with the greatest prominence of humoristic clips followed by splitscreen recordings and performances in empty concert halls and musicians' homes (Ziv & Hollander-Shabtai, 2021). Thirty-one percent of Spanish respondents enthusiastically followed musical initiatives designed to enhance wellbeing during confinement whereas another 24.2% were aware of them and had created or participated in some capacity (Cabedo-Mas et al, 2021).…”

The Virus as a Catalyst for Culture? Sociological Reflections Using as Example the Musical Practices during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The most recent research by psychologists indicates that the role of music in coping with the crisis situation that the global pandemic entailed is undoubtedly important. According to the analysis conducted by Naomi Ziv and Revital Hollander-Shabtai (2021) and published in article form as "Music and COVID-19: Changes in Uses and Emotional Reaction to Music Under Stay-at-home Restrictions", music is something very personal as well as social at the same time: it allows one to both experience one's personal emotional states and provides an opportunity to maintain relationships with others. The researchers' findings are clear-people were definitely more likely to listen to music during the pandemic, especially in its first stages.…”