Are Personality Traits Linked to Musical Ability?
Understanding a person’s personality can enable them to make an educated guess at things they may or may not do, how they may react to certain stimuli, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Recent research may even be able to tell us if a person is likely to be musically inclined.
According to a research paper published in Journal of Research in Personality (volume 58) entitled Personality predicts musical sophistication by David M.Greenberg, DanielMüllensiefen, Michael E.Lamb, and Peter J.Rentfrow it was found that the personality trait of “openness (to experience)” was the best predictor of musical ability than the other 4 traits that were tested. The other traits that were tested were levels of extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness.
Participants first filled out a questionnaire designed to measure the strength of each of the five personality traits in each individual. The researchers also found that people who had the high levels of extroversion also reported having the greatest singing abilities. This implies that higher levels of extroversion may enable the singer to feel more comfortable in the spotlight.
While it may seem that our music tastes and behaviors are random research indicates that it may be more tied to our personalities. For example, another study showed that there was a link between the personality trait of “openness” and liking sad songs, classical music, and jazz.
Research about music and personality can provide great insight for teachers and students alike. By understanding an individual’s personality, it may be easier to find out which musical endeavor they would be best suited for. That’s what some of us would like to believe, however, there are exceptions to everything in this world. Humans are complicated and multifaceted creatures that can’t always be measured using simple calculations. There have been shy singers that were very successful, so no matter what you can become better at just about any skill if you pursue it with all that you have.