5.1 Theories of Musical Emotion

Music stirs up feelings in us, but how exactly does that happen? Scientists have come up with some cool ideas to explain it. They look at things like what we expect to hear and how the music moves up and down.

One theory says our emotions come from imagining what's next in a song. Another thinks our brains build emotions by mixing body feelings with thoughts. These ideas help us understand why different tunes make us feel happy, sad, or pumped up.

Cognitive Theories of Musical Emotion

ITPRA and Conceptual Act Theories

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• ITPRA theory explains emotional responses to music through five components: Imagination, Tension, Prediction, Reaction, and Appraisal
  • Imagination involves anticipating future events in music
  • Tension arises from uncertainty about upcoming musical elements
  • Prediction occurs when listeners form expectations about musical progression
  • Reaction happens as immediate response to musical events
  • Appraisal involves evaluating the significance of musical experiences
• Conceptual Act Theory posits emotions as constructed experiences rather than innate responses
  • Combines physiological sensations with cognitive interpretations
  • Emphasizes the role of context and prior knowledge in shaping emotional responses to music
  • Suggests emotions are actively created through mental categorization processes

Expectancy and Contour Theories

• Expectancy Theory focuses on how musical expectations influence emotional responses
  • Listeners develop expectations based on musical patterns and cultural norms
  • Violations or confirmations of these expectations generate emotional reactions
  • Unexpected harmonies or rhythms can evoke surprise or tension
  • Familiar chord progressions often elicit feelings of satisfaction or comfort
• Contour Theory proposes that emotional responses to music mirror the contours of physical gestures
  • Rising melodic lines may evoke feelings of excitement or anticipation
  • Descending melodies might induce calmness or sadness
  • Staccato rhythms can generate energetic or agitated emotions
  • Legato phrases often elicit smooth or flowing emotional states

Prototype Theory in Musical Emotion

• Prototype Theory suggests emotions are categorized based on their similarity to prototypical examples
  • Applies concept of cognitive prototypes to emotional responses in music
  • Listeners compare musical experiences to prototypical emotional categories
  • Helps explain why certain musical features consistently evoke specific emotions across cultures
  • Accounts for individual differences in emotional responses based on personal prototypes
• Prototypical musical features for emotions include:
  • Joy: fast tempo, major key, consonant harmonies
  • Sadness: slow tempo, minor key, descending melodies
  • Anger: loud dynamics, dissonant harmonies, rhythmic intensity
  • Fear: irregular rhythms, sudden changes in dynamics or pitch

Dimensional Models of Musical Emotion

Arousal-Valence Model

• Arousal-Valence Model represents emotions along two primary dimensions
  • Arousal axis ranges from low (calm) to high (excited)
  • Valence axis spans from negative (unpleasant) to positive (pleasant)
• Allows for mapping of complex emotional states in a two-dimensional space
  • Joy: high arousal, positive valence
  • Sadness: low arousal, negative valence
  • Anger: high arousal, negative valence
  • Contentment: low arousal, positive valence
• Provides a framework for understanding how musical features influence emotional responses
  • Tempo and rhythm primarily affect arousal levels
  • Harmony and mode predominantly influence valence
• Facilitates research on emotional transitions in music as compositions move through different quadrants of the model

Mood Congruence Theory and Applications

• Mood Congruence Theory proposes that individuals tend to process information congruent with their current emotional state
  • Applies to musical preferences and emotional responses to music
  • Listeners often seek out music that matches their current mood
  • Can explain why sad people sometimes prefer melancholic music
• Implications for music therapy and mood regulation
  • Gradual mood shifts can be achieved by starting with mood-congruent music and slowly transitioning to desired emotional states
  • Helps in designing effective playlists for emotional regulation or therapeutic purposes
• Interactions with the Arousal-Valence Model
  • Mood congruence can be mapped onto specific regions of the arousal-valence space
  • Allows for predictions about which types of music will be most effective for different emotional states
  • Helps explain individual variations in emotional responses to the same piece of music