11.2 Personality Traits and Music Preferences

Music preferences reveal a lot about our personalities. The Big Five traits, like openness and extraversion, shape what tunes we enjoy. Sensation seeking also plays a role, with thrill-seekers drawn to intense genres.

Researchers use tools like STOMP to measure music preferences across four dimensions. These reflect psychological and aesthetic aspects of our taste in music. Genre preferences can change over time and vary across cultures.

Personality Traits and Music Preferences

Big Five Personality Model and Music

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• Big Five personality traits form a comprehensive model of human personality
• Openness to experience describes individuals who are curious, imaginative, and open to new ideas
  • Correlates with preferences for complex and unconventional music genres (jazz, classical)
  • Individuals high in openness tend to explore diverse musical styles
• Extraversion characterizes people who are outgoing, energetic, and sociable
  • Associated with preferences for upbeat, danceable music (pop, hip-hop)
  • Extraverts often use music for social bonding and mood enhancement
• Neuroticism reflects emotional instability and tendency to experience negative emotions
  • Linked to preferences for emotional and introspective music (indie rock, blues)
  • Individuals high in neuroticism may use music for emotional regulation

Sensation Seeking and Musical Exploration

• Sensation seeking involves the pursuit of novel, intense, and complex experiences
• High sensation seekers tend to prefer intense and arousing music (heavy metal, electronic dance music)
• Low sensation seekers often gravitate towards more conventional and relaxing genres (soft rock, easy listening)
• Sensation seeking influences music exploration behaviors
  • High sensation seekers actively seek out new and unfamiliar music
  • Low sensation seekers tend to stick with familiar and predictable musical choices

Measuring Music Preferences

STOMP and Music Preference Dimensions

• STOMP (Short Test of Music Preferences) assesses individual music preferences across various genres
• Developed by Rentfrow and Gosling (2003) to systematically measure music preferences
• STOMP identifies four broad music preference dimensions:
  • Reflective and Complex (classical, jazz, blues, folk)
  • Intense and Rebellious (rock, alternative, heavy metal)
  • Upbeat and Conventional (country, pop, religious, soundtrack)
  • Energetic and Rhythmic (rap/hip-hop, soul/funk, electronic/dance)
• These dimensions capture underlying psychological and aesthetic aspects of music preferences

Genre Preferences and Individual Differences

• Genre preferences reflect individual differences in personality, cognitive style, and cultural background
• Classical music preferences often associated with higher levels of education and cognitive complexity
• Pop music preferences linked to extraversion and conformity
• Rock and metal preferences correlated with openness to experience and need for uniqueness
• Hip-hop and electronic music preferences associated with sensation seeking and social dominance
• Genre preferences can change over time due to exposure, social influences, and personal development
• Cross-cultural variations in genre preferences reflect differences in musical traditions and cultural values