The role of location in everyday experiences of music.

Abstract

Mehrabian and Russell's (1974) Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance model states that a propensity to approach/avoid an environment can be conceptualized in terms of the pleasure and arousal it elicits and one's degree of dominance therein. Using the Experience Sampling Method, 177 individuals provided responses concerning Mehrabian and Russell's model throughout one week regarding music experiences that occurred in their daily life (including how the music was heard and how their responses related to the listening location). Results indicate that the time of day and day of week are related to where music is experienced, and that the consequences of what was heard are related to both time and location. While music was experienced more often in private locations than in public overall, interesting patterns of music experiences that occurred in public locations demonstrate in detail how music listening varies by location. Specifically, portable devices were associated with positive responses, which contrasted sharply with the responses to music broadcasted publicly in public settings. Participants' ratings of choice, liking, and arousal demonstrated the importance of considering choice as an indication of dominance, such that music usage is consistent with Mehrabian and Russell's model, and has functions that vary according to the specific characteristics of the situation.

How do location and control over the music influence listeners’ responses?

“…These results can be interpreted meaningfully in terms of Mehrabian and Russell's () PAD model. In particular, although previous research has tended to ignore the dominance dimension, the present findings indicate that, at least in the context of music, the control dimension can make a useful contribution to the understanding of responses to the environment, even when controlling for a number of additional variables: this supports the conclusions of recent research (e.g., Krause & North, ; Krause, et al ., ). Support for the full, three factor model with regard to music listening came from the main analyses: the present results confirm that dominance, operationalized as degree of control over the music, was related to an individual's response to both the music and to the overall situation.…”

“…All participants were asked to listen to 15 minutes of music in a particular situation, namely in the laboratory, while commuting on public transportation, or while at the gym. The gym and commuting conditions represent two common, everyday listening contexts, as denoted by previous experience sampling method research (e.g., Greasley & Lamont, ; Krause, North & Hewitt, ; North et al ., ). Additionally, they differ with regard to expected level of arousal associated with the setting (e.g., Krause & North, ; North & Hargreaves, , ).…”

Music and Consumer Behavior

“…The third study (Krause, North & Hewitt, 2013c) shifted the focus to the nature of the locations within which music was heard and how it was heard. The study identified 11 locations in which people have reported frequently listening to music (at home, driving a car, at work, on public transport, in a car, other, at a friend's house, walking, at the gym, restaurant, and the pub/club), and the results supported the hypothesis that people's reactions to music in everyday life are influenced by the characteristics of the listening context.…”

Do the shuffle: Exploring reasons for music listening through shuffled play

“…For instance, North and Hargreaves [5] found that listeners preferred high arousal versions of a piece while exercising and low arousal versions of the same piece while relaxing. More recently, researchers have investigated both the contexts and the activities that are associated with music, finding differences in both [1,3,6]. For instance, music in the gym is found to be more motivating than music in a restaurant [6].…”

“…More recently, researchers have investigated both the contexts and the activities that are associated with music, finding differences in both [1,3,6]. For instance, music in the gym is found to be more motivating than music in a restaurant [6]. Greb, Schlotz and Steffens [7] directly compared the effects of individual and situational influences on different functions of music listening, asking participants to imagine and then describe self-chosen listening situations.…”