personality correlates of music
Some Personality Correlates of Music Preferences
Malvika Arora & Dr. Shobhana Abhyankar, Dept of Psychology, Fergusson College, Pune
Abstract
The present study is aimed at studying some personality correlates of Music Preferences. A sample of 175 individuals, aged 18-28 and living in urban settings was surveyed on two inventories, namely, ‘Short Test on Music Preferences-Revised (STOMP-R)’ and ‘NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)’. STOMP-R rated individuals’ music preferences on four broader ones, namely, Reflective and Complex, Intense and Rebellious, Upbeat and Conventional and Energetic and Rhythmic. Pearson’s produce moment correlation was used to study the relationship between personality dimensions and music preference. A preference for Reflective and Complex music showed significant correlation with Openness to Experience (r = .339, p < .01). Upbeat and Conventional music preference significantly correlated to Extraversion (r = .181, p < .05) and Openness to Experience (r = .239, p < .01). Preference for Intense and Rebellious music negatively correlated to Conscientiousness (r = -.166, p < .05). Music is often used as a ‘badge’ of social identity, especially by the youth. This leads to the emergence of various stereotypes associated with listeners of a particular music genre. The present study investigated how far the lay beliefs about music preferences being indicative of a certain personality type, hold true. The results are discussed in the light of past research.
Key words: Personality, Music Preference
Introduction
Music, a widespread social phenomenon, has manifested itself as an indispensable part of our everyday lives. Rentfrow & Gosling (2003) reviewed college students on ‘Lay Beliefs about the Importance of Music’ and found that music is important to people and that individuals believe that the music people listen to provides information about who they are. Contemporarily, an increasing body of research has indicated Music-listening
Malvika Arora & Dr. Shobhana Abhyankar, Dept of Psychology, Fergusson College, Pune
Abstract
The present study is aimed at studying some personality correlates of Music Preferences. A sample of 175 individuals, aged 18-28 and living in urban settings was surveyed on two inventories, namely, ‘Short Test on Music Preferences-Revised (STOMP-R)’ and ‘NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)’. STOMP-R rated individuals’ music preferences on four broader ones, namely, Reflective and Complex, Intense and Rebellious, Upbeat and Conventional and Energetic and Rhythmic. Pearson’s produce moment correlation was used to study the relationship between personality dimensions and music preference. A preference for Reflective and Complex music showed significant correlation with Openness to Experience (r = .339, p < .01). Upbeat and Conventional music preference significantly correlated to Extraversion (r = .181, p < .05) and Openness to Experience (r = .239, p < .01). Preference for Intense and Rebellious music negatively correlated to Conscientiousness (r = -.166, p < .05). Music is often used as a ‘badge’ of social identity, especially by the youth. This leads to the emergence of various stereotypes associated with listeners of a particular music genre. The present study investigated how far the lay beliefs about music preferences being indicative of a certain personality type, hold true. The results are discussed in the light of past research.
Key words: Personality, Music Preference
Introduction
Music, a widespread social phenomenon, has manifested itself as an indispensable part of our everyday lives. Rentfrow & Gosling (2003) reviewed college students on ‘Lay Beliefs about the Importance of Music’ and found that music is important to people and that individuals believe that the music people listen to provides information about who they are. Contemporarily, an increasing body of research has indicated Music-listening