The Psychology of Music and Fancy.
Music can have a strong force on the human emotion, sometimes influencing the mood whether one wants to or not. One song can instantly transform the mood as one can become calm and get energized, become philosophical and be happy or become tense and relaxed. This effect happens due to the direct interrelatedness of music to the emotional and neurological mechanisms of the brain. On the contrary to other entertainment types where concentration or interpretation is required, music is able to influence mood in a passive way. It gets into consciousness via sound, beat and music, and emotional reactions can get automatically and fast constructed.
The relation to the reward system of the brain is one of the reasons why music has a strong influence on mood. Music is heard and this triggers regions of the brain related to pleasure and emotional processing. Rhythm, harmony and melody trigger dopamine release, which helps in evoking a sense of enjoyment and motivational feelings. This reaction is the reason why human beings tend to listen to music at their high and low moments. Emotions are not passively implicated in that music has an influence on them.Imagine changing your life overnight win a million dollars Enter now!One chance can make you the next big winner. The slow and soft music may help to relax anxiety, whereas fast and energetic rhythm may enhance energy and enthusiasm.
Music interacts with the memory as well which enhances its emotional appeal. Songs tend to be relatable to certain situations, relationships or life stage. Memories come back and the emotions associated with them come about when people listen to familiar music. This is a comforting or bitter process depending on the surrounding. Due to the strong association of memory and emotion in the brain, music is a strong emotional stimulant. It can take the listeners to the past experiences and make the emotions bright and immediate.
Lyrics bring in another dimension to the emotional impacting influence of music. Words offer narrative meaning, which can be associated by the listener to his or her experiences. Lyrics that convey emotions that are personal to the listener make the listener feel that he/she is heard and confirmed. Although the lyrics may be abstract, the mood of the words is added through the emotional tone. Music enables individuals to process feelings indirectly by relating to themes and avoids the face-on feelings. This processing may seem safer and more available indirectly.
There is also cultural and personal context that influences music and its influence on mood. Various styles of music are associated with various emotions according to the background and exposure. A song which seems to be uplifting to one individual may be nostalgic or emotional to another. These differences bring out the fact that music is both tribal and individual. Group listening or attending concerts enhances the level of emotional effects because of the ability of music to be played together with social interaction. Emotional intensity and relationship is enhanced when emotions are felt in unison.
Finally, music influences moods as they directly address emotional systems within the brain. It does not involve logical thinking, but relates itself by rhythm, memory, and feeling. This association is the reason why music has been among the most powerful and persistent entertainment. It not only entertains, but influences emotional experience in both subtle but significant ways.