Relationships Between Individuals’ Mood, Introvert– Extrovert Personality Traits, and Music Preferences
The present study is the second extended version of a previous study conducted between 2017 and 2018. The present study aimed to assess the daily music-listening habits and subsequent emotional reactions of young adults (N = 1457) studying at various universities in Turkey according to their immediate mood and introvert (n = 247) or extrovert (n = 282) personality traits according to certain variables. The study group was composed of 794 women (54.5%) and 663 men (45.5%), with a mean age of 22.33 (SD = 2.54, range = 17–35) years. The study was carried out online. To assess the natural tendencies and reactions with reference to the relationship among mood, music, and emotion, participants were asked to use their smartphones at a time when they felt the need to listen to music during their daily living. Music classifications were categorized under the MUSIC model developed by Rentfrow, Goldberg, and Levitin. As regards gender, women preferred the mellow and energetic music category more than men, and men preferred the intense music category more than women. By contrast, the sense of tension felt by men after listening to music was higher than that of women. While introverts preferred both the mellow and energetic music less than extroverts, they preferred the intense music category more. Extroverts are more oriented toward energetic and conventional types than introverts. When the music categories preferred depending on their positive and negative moods before listening to music were compared, the positive emotion scores of those who preferred sophisticated music were higher than those who preferred mellow and unpretentious ones. All findings indicate that mood was one of the determining factors of music preferences of introverts and extroverts, and data discussed were within the framework of music psychology literature.
Bireylerin Duygu Durum, İçedönük-Dışadönük Kişilik Özelliği ve Müzik Tercihleri Arasındaki İlişkiler
Mevcut araştırma, 2017-2018 yılları arasında yürütülmüş bir çalışmanın genişletilmiş ikinci versiyonudur. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, Türkiye’de çeşitli üniversitelerde öğrenim gören genç yetişkinlik dönemindeki bireylerin (N = 1457) anlık duygu duruma ve içedönük (n = 247) – dışadönük (n = 282) kişilik özelliklerine göre günlük müzik dinleme eğilimlerini ve ortaya çıkan duygusal tepkileri belirli değişkenlere göre değerlendirmektir. Katılımcıların 794’ü (%54.5) kadın, 663’ü (%45.5) erkek ve yaş ortalaması 22.33 (SS = 2.54, ranj = 17-35) olarak saptanmıştır. Çalışma online olarak yürütülmüştür. Duygu durum, müzik ve duygu ilişkisi üzerine doğal eğilim ve tepkilerin tespit edilmesi amaçlandığı için katılımcılardan uygulamayı akıllı telefonlarıyla günlük yaşamlarında özellikle müzik dinleme ihtiyacı hissettikleri bir anda yapmaları istenmiştir. Çalışmadaki müzik sınıflandırmaları Rentfrow, Goldberg ve Levitin tarafından geliştirilen MUSIC modeline göre belirlenmiştir. Cinsiyet değişkeni açısından bakıldığında kadınların erkeklere göre yumuşak ve enerjik müzik kategorisini daha çok tercih ettikleri, erkeklerin ise şiddetli müzik kategorisini kadınlardan daha çok tercih ettikleri görülmüştür. Diğer yandan, erkeklerin müzik dinledikten sonra hissettikleri gerginlik duygusunun kadınlara göre daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. İçedönükler hem yumuşak hem enerjik müziği dışadönüklere göre daha az tercih ederken, şiddetli müzik kategorisini daha çok tercih etmişlerdir. Dışadönüklük düzeyi yüksek bireyler içedönüklere göre enerjik ve konvansiyonel türlere daha fazla yönelmiştir. Müzik dinlemeden önceki olumlu ve olumsuz duygu durumlarına bağlı olarak tercih edilen müzik kategorileri karşılaştırıldığında, çok yönlü müzik kategorisini tercih edenlerin olumlu duygu puanlarının yumuşak ve gösterişsiz kategorisini tercih edenlerin puanlarından daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür. Elde edilen tüm bulgular duygu durumun içedönüklerde ve dışadönüklerde müzik tercihleri üzerinde belirleyici faktörlerden biri olduğunu göstermiş, veriler müzik psikolojisi alan yazın çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır.
This study is an expanded second iteration of a previous study initially carried out during the period from 2017 to 2018. This study aimed to assess study participants enrolled in various universities in Turkey and going through early adulthood (N = 1457), in terms of their daily music-listening habits regarding the mood of the moment and them being introverts (n = 247) or extroverts (n = 282), in the light of certain variables to analyze their emotional reactions.
Method
This study used the MUSIC model (developed by Rentfrow, Goldberg, and Levitin), the Five Factor Personality Inventory, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule scales as data collection tools. The study was carried out online, and data were collected over a 2-year period. The study group was composed of 794 women (54.5%) and 663 men (45.5%), with a mean age of 22.33 (SD = 2.54, range = 17–35) years.
Results
As regards music-listening habits according to gender, women have a more emphasized preference for mellow and contemporary music than men, whereas men more often preferred intense music. Compared with extroverts, introverts less frequently preferred mellow and contemporary/rhythmic/energetic music and opted for the intense music. In general, compared with introverts, extroverts have a marked preference for pop and electronic dance music. Extroverts prefer energetic/rhythmic and conventional genres more than did their introvert peers. When the music categories preferred concerning emotions prior to listening music were compared, those who preferred sophisticated genres scored higher in the positive emotions scale than those who preferred mellow and unpretentious genres. Men experienced higher levels of tension/nervousness than did women after listening to music.
Discussion
Compared with introverts, extroverts have a marked preference for pop and electronic dance music. Moreover, extroverts prefer energetic/rhythmic and conventional genres more than did their introvert peers. This finding indicates that introverts preferred intense and rebellious tunes, probably owing to their relatively high levels of neuroticism (Chamorro-Premuzic, Gomà-i-Freixanet, Furnham, & Muro, 2009; Chamorro-Premuzic, Swami, Furnham, & Maakip, 2009). A study reported that using music for emotional purposes exhibits a positive correlation with neuroticism. However, to support this interpretation, we found that extroverts felt happier and harbored more positive emotions right before listening to music than introverts. By contrast, introverts exhibited higher levels of tension/nervousness before listening to music. Some studies have found that individuals with higher scores on the extrovert scale were more inclined to positive emotions (Costa & McCrae, 1980; Matthews, Jones, & Chamberlain, 1990; Rusting & Larsen, 1997; Watson & Clark, 1992). By contrast, those with higher neuroticism scores were inclined to negative emotions. In this context, given the introverts’ marked preference for the intense category, the music they listen may be yet another element that expands negative emotions. When comparing the preferred music genres in relation to participants’ positive and negative emotions prior to listening music, those who preferred sophisticated tunes scored higher in the positive emotions scale than those who preferred mellow and unpretentious ones. Clearly, individuals who listen to sophisticated genres such as jazz and classical music harbor a rather cognitive outlook toward music than individuals who prefer the mellow and unpretentious categories. Although the study did not present participants according to their use of music, it is possible to argue that listening to mellow and unpretentious music can be associated with tunes in the background. In this sense, it is logical that the level of positive or negative influence from music is lower. This argument requires more in-depth analysis in subsequent studies. In terms of music-listening habits according to gender, women have a more emphasized preference for mellow and contemporary genres than men, whereas men more often preferred an intense genre. For instance, concerning demographic factors, men listen to music in a cognitive sense, while women are more inclined toward emotional uses (Colley, 2008; Chamorro-Premuzic et al., 2009; Chamorro-Premuzic, Swami, & Cermakova, 2012). In addition, men experienced higher levels of tension/nervousness than women after listening to music. In other words, after listening to music, women experience a more positive emotional state and benefit more from the positive effects of music. However, the study group preferred to listen to music mainly during evenings and night hours. Furthermore, individuals mostly chose to listen to music alone. In this study, listening to music is mainly carried out in solitude because participants took part in the study during night hours. Overall, findings showed that mood was one of the determining factors on the music preferences of introverts and extroverts.