How Do You Use Music?
In a previous blog, we discussed how different personality types are attracted to different types of music. In a sense that was merely scratching the surface of the relationship between music and personality. Music, is used for a variety of reasons, such as events and enjoyment, however, did you know that people of different personality traits can actually use and experience music differently?
A paper from the British Journal of Psychology titled “Personality and music: Can traits explain how people use music in everyday life?” reported that individuals with a higher IQ have a tendency to utilize music in a more cognitive way. The paper also reported that neurotic individuals tended to use music as a way to regulate their emotions. This may suggest that music becomes what is necessary for the person listening to it. Music is typically open to interpretation, so it would make sense for it to be used in a variety of fashions depending on an individual’s needs, environmental factors, and personality traits
Naturally, using music differently will change the one’s experience when listening to said music. Either from an intellectual standpoint, and perhaps even analyzing the song and its meaning or an emotional standpoint, and experiencing the song and its impact on your emotions. Both perspectives and ways of using music are necessary and we find the difference between how people experience music to be very similar to the differences in math and science versus art. One tends to have a more direct and logical path, while the other is more creative and free form.
Everyone is different and has a unique perspective when it comes to even very similar experiences. So, how do you experience music? Do you think your music preferences are in anyway related to your personality? Leave your answers in the comments below!