Individual Differences in Music-Perceived Emotions 253
Individual Differences in Music-Perceived Emotions 253 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN MUSIC-PERCEIVED EMOTIONS: THE INFLUENCE OF EXTERNALLY ORIENTED THINKING LIILA TARUFFI depicted by the music) are not culturally determined, but Freie Universita¨t Berlin, Berlin, Germany universal across human cultures. This idea is supported by a number of studies that showed that even young RORY ALLEN,JOHN DOWNING,& PAMELA HEATON children are able to recognize basic emotions represented Goldsmiths, London, United Kingdom by music, including happiness and sadness (Cunning- ham & Sterling, 1988; Dalla Bella, Peretz, Rousseau, & PREVIOUS MUSIC AND EMOTION RESEARCH SUGGESTS Gosselin, 2001; Kastner & Crowder, 1990; Nawrot, 2003), that individual differences in empathy, alexithymia, per- anger (Cunningham & Sterling, 1988; Heaton, Allen, sonality traits, and musical expertise might play a role in Williams, Cummins, & Happe´, 2008; Kastner & Crowder, music-perceived emotions. In this study, we investigated 1990; Nawrot, 2003), and fear (Cunningham & Sterling, the relationship between these individual characteristics 1988; Heaton et al., 2008; Nawrot, 2003). However, ques- and the ability of participants to recognize five basic tions remain about the extent that this ability is influ- emotions (happiness, sadness, tenderness, fear, and enced by listener characteristics. If such individual anger) conveyed by validated excerpts of film music. differences exist across the typical population (meaning One hundred and twenty participants were recruited that we are not all the same at recognizing emotions in through an online platform and completed an emotion music), it follows that the ‘‘universal’’ tendency to per- recognition task as well as the IRI (Interpersonal Reac- ceive musical emotions can be modulated by individual tivity Index), TAS-20 (Toronto Alexithymia Scale), BFI factors.
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