The modulating effects of music listening on health-related exercise and physical activity in adults: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

Abstract

A systematic review and narrative synthesis of theories was conducted to examine the modulating effects of music listening on health-related exercise and physical activity. Searches were conducted on multiple bibliographic databases from the earliest available date until April 2013 using the key terms of music, physical activity and theory and related synonyms. Two reviewers independently screened retrieved texts using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included texts was appraised using a checklist, and key concepts were recorded and synthesised using inductive thematic analysis. The narrative synthesis comprised 23 theoretical texts representing three contexts: therapeutic outcomes, sports and exercise performance, and auditory-motor processing. The quality appraisal demonstrated some limitations in the reporting of evidence informing theories. Analysis across all texts identified a main theme, cortical and subcortical stimulation and response, and two sub-themes, physiological arousal and subjective experience. These themes contributed to a common hypothesis that music could promote behavioural change with increased exercise adherence and participation. A meta-theory is presented, offering a framework for clinical practice and research. Music therapists might use the meta-theory to inform music listening interventions in programmes that aim to increase levels of physical activity.

Music Use in Exercise: A Questionnaire Study

“…Juslin et al (2013) present their model as an underpinning for emotional responses to music, although they also note physiological changes that occur alongside the emotional response: emotion is experienced by the listener, rather than simply recognised as something the artist is trying to express. Clark et al (2016) extend their theory beyond emotion, presenting a hypothesis that the mechanisms they identify contribute towards exercise adherence through the interaction of physiology and psychology. This area of research is at an early stage but it underlines the likelihood that emotional response to music is interlinked with broader psychological, behavioural and physiological responses, and that this is why music may be useful as a tool to assist with exercise adherence.…”

“…An additional factor not addressed by Clark et al (2016) or Juslin et al (2013) is the possibility that music assists with dissociation and may moderate the experience of discomfort or pain during exercise. Listening to music can moderate the experience of pain (Mitchell & MacDonald, 2006;Mitchell, MacDonald and Knussen, 2008) and the control facilitated by self-selecting music (rather than listening to something someone else has chosen) may contribute.…”

Structure of a year cycle of athletes training in aerobics (woman) with various psychophysiological and functional features

“…In other researches were established: Influence of audiovisual incentives on psychophysiological reactions during physical exercises [11]; Spontaneous effect of musical expression speed on quality of motor [12]; Impact of music and video on perceived tension during exercises of high intensity [13]; The modulating effects of listening music at classes [14]; Parameters of model for musical biological feedback [15]; Effect of preliminary music for sports activities or physical exercises [16].…”

Evaluation of a motivational pre-exercise music intervention

“…While music played during exercise appears to help boost output for intense and moderate activities (Clark et al, 2015;Elliott et al, 2005;Olson et al, 2015;Stork et al, 2014), and increase adherence (Alter et al, 2015;Hallett, 2015), there are also grounds to speculate that music played before exercise might help bridge the intentionbehaviour gap. Juslin and Sloboda note that "listeners use music to change emotions… most people experience music (somehow, somewhere) every day of their lives, often with an accompanying affective reaction of some sort" (2010, p.3), and the emotional effect of music appears to relate to levels of physiological arousal (Rickard, 2004).…”

“…A possible mechanism by which pre-exercise music might lead to adherence involves a combination of cognitive processes and an increase in positive affect (Clark et al, 2015), which in turn prevents ego depletion Zhu et al, 2015) and its accompanying reduction in self-control, or willpower .…”