The psychological functions of and individual differences in music listening in Japanese people

Abstract

Regardless of the time and location, people listen to music. One may ask why people listen to music and what function it serves. This study clarifies the psychological functions of listening to music and the attributes associated with the individual differences found in these functions. A total of 916 participants between the ages of 15 and 88 were asked to rate various psychological functions of music listening and Big Five traits. A factor analysis identified the seven factors of psychological functions of music listening: "self-awareness", "emotion regulation", "communication", "tool", "embodiment", "social distance regulation", and "solace". The results revealed that the individual differences in the functions were the result of gender, age, and personality traits. The nature of these seven functions and future directions are discussed.

Music Roles Affect the Selection of Consumption Means: A Questionnaire Survey of People’s Expectations for Music and Exploratory Factor Analysis

“…Several studies have classified the purposes of using music into various categories [6,8,9]. However, in the present study, "using music" does not only refer to listening to music, but also to various human activities such as portraying a particular image to others by making them listen to music.…”

“…Although the classification pattern partially differs among these studies [6,8,9], Lonsdale and North [8] indicate that purposes of using music can be classified into six categories (positive mood management, negative mood management, diversion, interpersonal relationships, personal identity, and surveillance). We adopted this classification partially in our study, because it is popular and often used for reference.…”

“…However, the relationship between the cultural aspects of music, that is, the multiple roles it plays [6,8,9] and the choice of music consumption means, including subscription, remains unknown. There is no guarantee that the means of listening to music, which have been transformed by recording and distribution technologies, are capable of fulfilling the various roles that music originally possessed.…”