23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Musical Induction of Emotions: Influencing Perceived and Experienced Emotional Qualities
Nicholas H. Hopkins
Dr. Karen Vittengl, Faculty Mentor
The influence of music on emotion has been only recently studied, with models of emotional induction describing both direct and indirect pathways. The influence of expectancy was examined for effects on perceived and experienced emotional qualities. Participants listened to nine short musical excerpts preselected for emotional ambiguity. Prior to some excerpts, subjects were given fictional ratings of emotional content to induce expectancy. Subjects rated the stimuli for perceived and experienced emotional qualities while considering these ratings. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant variation between the high and low expectancy conditions in relation to the control. No variation was observed between perceived and experienced dimensions of emotion regardless of expectancy condition or dimension. No relationship was found between musical experience and expectancy or perceived and experienced valence and arousal. These findings support an indirect pathway of emotional induction via music, where perception and context play a role in experienced emotions.
Keywords: induction, valence, arousal, expectancy, emotion, music
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 45-3
Location: MG 1000
Time: 1:45