How Our Musical Preferences are Formed: The Psychology Behind Our Personal Music Taste

You like a girl. But she listens to Justin Bieber. Would you go out with her?

Or, you like a boy who loves nothing better than listening to thrash metal. Is that a green or a red flag?

Can our personal music taste reveal our personality?

Although research is still ongoing on this topic, studies on the science of music have confirmed that there is some link between the two.

And this is exactly what we will find out in this article. So, stay tuned to know the intriguing connection between music and our personality.

The connection between music and personality

There are several theories that try to form a relationship between music and personality.

Most of us form our musical identities since adolescence. Around the same time, we explore our social identities. A study on music therapy research states around the ages of 10 to 30 years we are especially fond of music, and try to associate ourselves with the artist.

Moreover, musical attributes such as arousal, valence, and depth play a role in shaping our preferences.

●  Arousal: This refers to the intensity and amount of energy in a piece of music. Some examples of this type of music are heavy metal and punk songs.

●  Valence: This refers to a spectrum, that can range from positive to negative emotions. Some examples of this type of music are lively pop and rock songs.

●  Depth: This refers to a level of intellectual and emotional complexity. Examples of songs high in depth are jazz and classical music.

We also tend to prefer music from artists we can associate with.

However, another study examined the relationship between Big 5 personality traits with music taste.

The results concluded the following:

● Pop: Hardworking and high self-esteem, but less creative and more uneasy.

● Rap/Hip Hop: High self-esteem and outgoing, with no link to aggression.

● Country: Hardworking, outgoing, and conservative, emotionally stable but less open to new experiences.

● Rock/Heavy Metal: Gentle, creative, and introverted, with low self-esteem.

● Indie: Introverted, intellectual, and creative, but less hardworking and gentle, with characteristics of passivity, anxiousness, and low self-esteem.

● Dance: Outgoing, assertive, and open to new experiences, but lower in gentleness.

● Classical: Somewhat introverted, comfortable with themselves, with creativity and healthy self-esteem.

● Jazz, Blues, and Soul: Extroverted with high self-esteem, creative, intelligent, and comfortable.

Another study states that music fulfills three critical psychological functions: improving performance, stimulating curiosity, and manipulating emotions.

Since our mood is associated with our personality, it further strengthens the fact that music does depend on our personality – to some extent.

For example, when we look at someone’s playlist, we immediately tend to make assumptions about someone’s personality.

Remember the girl who likes Justin Bieber?

Key Takeaway

The psychology behind our personal music taste reveals that different genres attract individuals with varying personality traits.

 Although research is underway, and more studies are needed to establish a deeper connection between music and psychology, the current studies offer insights into our personalities and the emotional connections we establish with different genres.