Repetition Effects Depend on Duration and Are Enhanced by Continuation of Interrupted Music

Abstract

An experiment with 108 young adults showed that (a) repetition produced habituation or enhancement of liking, galvanic skin response (GSR) and respiration amplitude only if music selections continued longer than an initial five seconds and (b) when five seconds of either selection is, on the posttest, continued for 15 seconds, there is relatively more liking, more GSR, and less amplitude of respiration. These results are consistent with reports of the repetition effect of increased liking if one assumes that continuing interrupted music sequences elicits attention to- and liking of the repeated elements of the first five seconds. The origin of following behaviors, and extrapolations from them, are discussed as instances of Pavlovian processes in intellectual development.

Play it again Sam: Repeated exposure to emotionally evocative music polarises liking and smiling responses, and influences other affective reports, facial EMG, and heart rate

“…A number of music studies have assessed exposure effects (e.g., Coppock, 1978;Gilliland & Moore, 1924;Hargreaves, 1984;Heyduk, 1975;Meyer, 1903;Szpunar, Schellenberg, & Pliner, 2004;Verveer, Barry, & Bousfield, 1933;Washburn, Child, & Abel, 1927), and music liking and recognition have been largely distinguished as implicit and explicit forms of memory that are influenced by exposure (Peretz, Gaudreau, & Bonnel, 1998). However, only two studies have*indirectly*examined how music differing in initial affective qualities impacted emotional judgements to the music after repeated exposures.…”

An Analysis of Repetitive Motifs and Their Listening Duration in Selected Western Popular Songs from 2000 to 2013

“…The occurrence of repetitive motifs may not be the one and only approach to popularizing a song. However, the analysis shows a strong dominance of repetitive motif in listening time for a majority of songs selected from the years 2000 to 2013, which relates to the findings and theories between musical preference and repetition in Getz (1966), Bradley (1971), Coppock (1978) and Hargreaves (1984).…”

“…Getz (1966), Bradley (1971), Coppock (1978) and Hargreaves (1984) suggest that the utilization of repetition in music plays a significant role in gaining positive preferences from listeners. Getz (1966) and Bradley (1971) agree that adequate acceptance derives from an ample amount of familiarity towards a particular subject.…”

“…Getz (1966) and Bradley (1971) agree that adequate acceptance derives from an ample amount of familiarity towards a particular subject. Coppock (1978) and Hargreaves (1984) further stress the importance of recurrence that is achieved by repetition, meaning that a repetitive motif will only have an exceptional culmination after certain duration and a suitable level of complexity. In addition, different age groups might have contrasting preferences; hence the data results may reflect only a specific age group (Hargreaves, 1984).…”

“…Past research discussed repetition in music as an important factor in gaining preference (Getz 1966;Bradley, 1971;Coppock, 1978;Hargreaves, 1984). The occurrence of repetitive motifs in popular music is seen as one of the ways to enhance listeners' preference.…”