Yearbook of Music Psychology

Student Engagement During Singing in Music Lessons: An Empirical Investigation of Possible Predictors

Nadine Schäfer, Kilian Sander, Reinhard Kopiez — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Singing is a vital element of music learning in school. The present study investigates how selected factors influence students’ engagement during singing in music lessons. These factors are: (a) the basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness based on self-determination theory; (b) the relationship between students and their teacher; (c) the students’ musical sophistication; (d) well-being through singing; (e) the frequency of singing in music classes; (f) whether the students like to sing in their leisure time; (g) whether students are member of a choir; (h) whether the students like the songs that are sung in music classes; and (i) the students’ age and gender. In order to identify potential relations between these factors and engagement, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of students (N = 225) aged 10 to 13 (M = 11.38, SD = 0.70). Various statistical methods show similar results: whether students like the songs they sing and how much well-being they experience during singing are the two most important predictors of their engagement. Apart from that, the need for competence and autonomy, along with the students’ relationship with their teacher and their degree of musical sophistication, can also be considered solid predictors of engagement. Out of all these factors that determine students’ engagement during singing in music lessons, the only predictor that cannot be influenced by teachers is the students’ well-being.

The Creative Performance of the AI Agents ChatGPT and Google Magenta Compared to Human-Based Solutions in a Standardized Melody Continuation Task

Anton Schreiber, Kilian Sander, Reinhard Kopiez, Raphael Thöne — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Many generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems have been developed over the last decade. Some systems are more of a generic character, and some are specialized in music composition. However, whether these AI systems are serious competitors for human composers remains unclear. Despite increased public interest, there is currently little empirical foundation for a conceivably equivalent performance for creative AI when compared to human experts in a controlled task. Thus, we conducted an online experiment to evaluate the subjectively perceived quality of AI compositions with human-made products (by music students) in a standardized task. Based on a melody continuation paradigm, creative products using AI were generated by the AI agents ChatGPT (Version 3.5) and Google Magenta Studio (Version 2.0). The human creative performances were realized by 57 melodic continuations, composed by music students. In the online evaluation study, listeners (N = 71, mainly musicians) rated the aesthetic quality of the outcomes of the various systems. Additionally, the raters’ musical experience level was controlled as well as the length of the given melody completion task (two probe positions). As a main result, the overall quality of the AI compositions was rated significantly lower on all four target items compared to the human-made products (large effect sizes). Musical experience and the length of the melody did not influence the ratings. We conclude that the current capabilities of AI in the domain of musical creativity determined by a standardized composition task are far below human capabilities. However, we assume rapid progress will be made in the domain of generative music-specific AI systems.

Body Movement and Emotion: Investigating the Impact of Audiovisual Tempo Manipulations on Emotional Arousal and Valence

Xinyue Wang, Birgitta Burger, Clemens Wöllner — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0700

The perception of emotions in humans moving can be influenced by several movement features such as fluidity, complexity, and tempo. Manipulations of movement tempo by acceleration or deceleration are widely employed in media, yet there has been limited research on how these affect perceived emotions. The current study examined how tempo-manipulated point-light displays (PLDs) of human dance-like movements, compared to their tempo-original counterparts, influence the perceived emotional arousal and valence by altering the tempo and hence the underlying movement characteristics. In an online perceptual experiment, we presented tempo-original and tempo-manipulated PLDs at three tempi, with and without synchronized drumbeats. Participants were asked to judge the PLDs based on their emotional arousal, valence, and naturalness. Results suggest that movements with higher fluidity were perceived as lower in arousal than those with low fluidity. Stimuli higher in naturalness were perceived to be more positive in valence than those low in naturalness. Audiovisual stimuli, including the drumbeats, received higher arousal but lower valence ratings than visual-only stimuli. Furthermore, decelerated movements were associated with increased fluidity compared to accelerated or tempo-original ones. Tempo deceleration was associated with lower naturalness compared to tempo-original movements. These findings indicate that tempo manipulation can be identified via kinematic feature changes, consequently altering emotional attributes perceived in the movements.

The Relation Between Technology Acceptance and Music Listening: An Experience Sampling Study

Nicolas Ruth, Florian Hantschel, Tim Loepthien, Will M. Randall, Jochen Steffens — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0700

In the intersection of technology and music listening, understanding user experiences is paramount. This research employed the Experience Sampling Method via the smartphone app MuPsych to continuously capture real-time data on individuals' music listening behaviors and related emotional responses. Over a span of two weeks, participants from Germany were prompted to report on various factors as they engaged in music listening, resulting in a rich dataset. Results indicate that Spotify Premium was the most frequently used music application, with personal playlists being the preferred listening format. To unravel the intricacies of these responses and their determinants, linear mixed-effects model analysis was utilized. Among the critical findings, the Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use, two of the central constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model, emerged as significant predictors for the valence and enjoyment of the music experienced by users during the onset of music listening sessions. This highlights the imperative role of user-friendly interfaces in enhancing positive emotional states even before fully engaging with the music, underscoring the need for designers and developers of music-related apps to prioritise usability and useful functions.

Influence of Structurally Fitting Film Music on Emotions, Immersive Film Experience, and Film Evaluation

Miguel Machulla, Friederike Mertens, Alexander Frank, Ann-Kristin Herget — Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Experts in the media industry frequently stress the significance of structural congruence between music and film in audiovisual media. Despite this emphasis, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of this type of musical fit. This study addresses this gap by examining how structural fit impacts emotionality, spatial presence, and overall film evaluation. Three different stimuli versions were created for a one-way between-subjects online experiment, each with varying degrees of fit (consonant, out-of-phase, and dissonant) between the music and film in an Arctic travel film (3 min). Music that fits the film's structural attributes can influence viewers' emotions. ANCOVAs (covariate: music expertise) reveal that music significantly affects feelings of transcendence and peacefulness. In addition, structural fit can determine how much viewers get immersed in the film's world. However, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that a structural fit between music and film affects viewers' evaluation of the movie. Music expertise, as a covariate, has no impact whatsoever. The results of the study can be classified according to the current state of research and indicate minor structural fit effects. The small effect sizes may be attributed to the implementation as online-experiment and the challenges of audio-visual stimulus material. For future studies, improving the validity of the stimulus material and considering additional covariates, such as music preferences and visual expertise, is recommended. The potential connections between structural fit, fluency, and entrainment are discussed as possible explanations.

How Music Can Change Evaluations of Social Situations: Exploring the Influence of Emotional States and Perceived Group Characteristics

Mia Kuch, Clemens Wöllner — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0700

In everyday life, music is increasingly being listened to through headphones and mobile devices in public situations. While a large body of research has demonstrated that music may influence the emotional states of listeners and affect multimodal perceptions i.e. in films, less is known about the music’s impact on environments and the interpretation of social situations. We conducted an online experiment to investigate the influence of music on evaluations, considering individuals’ emotional states (emotion congruence) and group perception. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions (music with positive valence and high arousal, music with negative valence and low arousal, and no music) while viewing images of two different social group types that varied in perceived group characteristics (group members being familiar or unfamiliar with each other). Images were rated on four bipolar scales measuring affective quality and cognitive evaluation of social situations. Results show that individuals who listened to negative music provided lower valence ratings and also judgded social environments lower in terms of pleasantness and cheerfulness (affective) than individuals in the other experimental conditions. In contrast, ratings of crowdedness and familiarity (cognitive) did not differ between experimental conditions. The effect of music on affective evaluations was shaped by social group types, such that participants were more influenced by music when viewing intimacy groups (e.g., friends) than when viewing transitory groups (e.g., strangers). Overall, our results support the assumption of mood congruency for affective evaluations and emphasize the need to consider social information when studying the influence of music on the perception of environments.

Measuring the Auditory Bubble: How Mobile Music Listening Affects Personal Space

Eva Schurig — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Research on mobile music listening (through headphones while on the move) revealed that people use music to create an imaginary space around themselves that cannot be breached by others. This concept recalls the zone around each person called personal space. Thus, the questions posed in this exploratory study were as follows: How does music listening through headphones influence personal space? Is there a difference between air-conduction and bone-conduction headphones? Thirty people (M_age = 34.6, SD_age = 15.4; 11 male, 19 female) took part in the experiment. They were each approached by either a female or male assistant while listening to self-chosen music and were instructed to ask them to stop at two points: firstly, when an ideal conversation distance had been reached, and secondly, when the assistant should not come any closer. The distances between assistant and participant were measured first without music and then randomly while listening through air-conduction or bone-conduction headphones. Results indicate that listening to music influences personal space: when music was listened to through headphones, the ideal conversation distance was smaller, whereas the second distance measurement was only affected by air-conduction headphones. Apart from music, no other factor was found to influence the size of personal space. The findings of the present study reveal that listening to music and even the kind of headphones used have a measurable influence on personal space. The smaller personal distance required when listening to music can be explained by the fact that the listener is distracted from unpleasant situations and can instead focus on something positive.

Harmonizing With Machines: A Quantitative Exploration of AI Coverage in German Music Magazines

Nicolas Ruth, Kristin Marie Zickler — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

In the zeitgeist of the 21st century, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a focal point of discussions across various domains, from its applications in everyday life to its implications in creative fields. Music culture and the music industry have not remained untouched. This empirical study examines the portrayal of AI in German music-focused print magazines between 2016 and 2022, a period marked by significant advancements in AI, including its foray into artistic creation. Through a quantitative content analysis of 10,344 articles from prominent music publications, a mere 0.67% were found to engage with the topic of AI. The data reveals a noticeable uptick in such articles from 2019 onward. This study elucidates the multifaceted perceptions and evaluations of AI with the help of framing theory and the technology acceptance model. The findings indicate a predominantly neutral stance, with variations across different magazines. Most magazines treat AI as a noteworthy topic, but not a central one. Thus, only a few articles address technology acceptance or relevant factors pertaining to it. Based on these findings, this article examines the implications for musicians and experts in the music media sector, along with future research approaches.

Perception and Experience of Earworms in Music Students and Non-Music Students: Relations With Working Memory, Pitch Imagination, and Musical Experience

Selina Janetschek, Klaus Frieler, Kai Lothwesen — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0700

The experience of involuntary musical imagery (earworm experience) is an everyday phenomenon that differs in frequency and subjective quality and may be strongly influenced by musical sophistication and expertise. An online survey was used to examine differences between music students and non-music students testing for relationships between earworm experience, working memory capacity, pitch imagination, and musical experience. The results of this quasi-experimental group study (N = 124) confirm that music students experience earworms more frequently than non-music students, but neither longer earworms nor longer lasting earworm episodes. Better working memory capacity is correlated with a longer duration of the earworm episodes but not with the frequency of earworm experiences or the length of the musical segments experienced as earworm. Finally, music students also tended to synchronize movements with an earworm to a greater extent than non-music students, which hints at a motoric component of
earworm phenomenon.

General Pause: Journalistic Coverage of Music and Time Perception During the First Covid-19-Related Lockdown in Germany

Frithjof Faasch, Mia Kuch, Clemens Wöllner — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0700

The lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic during the Spring of 2020 led to extensive changes regarding the daily life of the population, cultural and leisure activities, and mobility. The changes in individual daily routines were not without consequences for the subjective perception of time. The present study examined the newspaper reporting on musical activities and time perception during the lockdown. The data was based on a corpus of 185 newspaper articles from five nationwide German newspapers during the first lockdown (03/16/2020–06/15/2020). Thematic categories were established, categorical connections examined by association rule mining, and the articles’ emotional contents were estimated using sentiment analysis. The content analysis of 185 newspaper articles resulted in a system of 21 thematic categories, and the subsequent association rule mining detected strong connections between the categories “music perception” and “digitization”, as well as “music business”, “live events”, and “economy and finances”. The category “time perception” was connected with “silence and reflection” as well as “public life”, whereas no connection was found between „time perception“ and music related categories. The sentiment analysis revealed a more positive language in articles referring to music, especially for articles in the subcategory “active music making”, while the category “law and politics” had a more negative tone. These results allow insights into public reactions regarding the lockdown and its repercussions. They also suggest a change in individual musical activities in the wake of cancelled live events, balcony concerts, and increased digitization.