Preferred musical attribute dimensions underlie individual differences in music-induced analgesia

Abstract

Music-induced analgesia (MIA) is a phenomenon that describes a situation in which listening to music influences pain perception. The heterogeneity of music used in MIA studies leads to a problem of a specific effect for an unspecified stimulus. To address this, we use a previously established model of musical preferences that categorizes the multidimensional sonic space of music into three basic dimensions: arousal, valence and depth. Participants entered an experimental pain stimulation while listening to compilations of short musical excerpts characteristic of each of the three attribute dimensions. The results showed an effect on the part of music attribute preferences on average pain, maximal pain, and pain tolerance after controlling for musical attributes and order effects. This suggests that individual preferences for music attributes play a significant role in MIA and that, in clinical contexts, music should not be chosen arbitrarily but according to individual preferences.

Tune out pain: Agency and active engagement predict decreases in pain intensity after music listening

“…focussed listening, self-reflection, meaning-making) that mediates the analgesic benefits of music listening. This argument is supported by the number of studies [ 5 , 41 ] and meta-analyses [ 4 , 7 , 39 ] that continue to demonstrate that personal choice is the strongest predictor of a successful music intervention for pain. The current study extends previous findings that demonstrate the importance of cognitive agency beyond a laboratory setting to a sample who are experiencing real acute pain.…”

“…Specifically, in this paper the feature of music complexity was targeted, but it was not found to effect reductions in pain intensity or pain unpleasantness scores, even when individual musicality traits were accounted for in the linear model. Previous papers that have targeted other music features such as tempo [ 4 , 6 , 7 ], energy [ 5 ], perceived relaxing properties in the music [ 6 ] have not found relationships between basic perceptual properties, and decreases in pain perception. Indeed, several meta-analyses support the view that specific features do not predict reductions in pain [ 4 , 39 ].…”

“…But there is still an open question in terms of what is driving the analgesic benefits of music listening. Previous studies that have targeted basic acoustic features such as tempo [ 3 , 4 ], energy [ 5 ], or combinations of features leading to perceived relaxing properties in the music [ 6 ] or perceived arousal, valence and depth [ 7 ]. Yet these studies have found no relationship between basic perceptual properties, and decreases in pain perception.…”

“…Individual responses to music are highly idiosyncratic, meaning different features are likely to evoke different types of emotional responses in different individuals [ 18 – 21 ]. Therefore, music analgesia does not arise as an automated or induced response to music [ 5 , 7 , 22 ]. We suggest that music analgesia arises as from an interaction between the music and the listener that is characterised by an optimal level of active music engagement [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 9 ].…”

“…Therefore, music analgesia does not arise as an automated or induced response to music [ 5 , 7 , 22 ]. We suggest that music analgesia arises as from an interaction between the music and the listener that is characterised by an optimal level of active music engagement [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]. Optimal engagement arises from a music listening experience that is neither too complex nor too simple for the listener [ 23 – 25 ], based on their own personal music preferences, expertise, and baseline state of arousal [ 26 ].…”