Music and Personality: Traits Associated with Musical Preferences

Image Courtesy of Michal Marcol, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There haven’t been many studies conducted into the intersection of musical preference and personality, as most research in the field has focused on how music (particularly heavy metal and rap) may influence behaviour (see the Heavy Metal and Rap Music pages for more information on this). However, there has been some fascinating research conducted in recent years linking musical tastes to certain personality traits, which I’ve summarized below. These are, of course, only tendencies. Although the average fan of a particular genre may be more or less likely to have certain traits, there will always be plenty of individuals who don’t fit the prototype.

The Link Between Music Preference and Personality

An ongoing study undertaken by Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University (2008), the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, has generated a number of interesting findings regarding personality traits and musical preferences. The following table indicates which traits have been associated with preference for each music genre. Some of the findings run contrary to traditional stereotypes. For example, heavy metal fans are more inclined to be gentle and at ease, and dance music fans are more aggressive, on average.

Personality Dimensions Associated with Music Choice

Research undertaken by Rentfrow and Gosling (2003) also found links between a number of personality dimensions and musical preferences. It’s important to note that because intelligence and physical attractiveness scores come from self-ratings by subjects, they may provide more information about a subject’s self-esteem than the way in which he or she is perceived by others. Also worth noting is that emotional stability was not linked with music preference, and contrary to popular belief, fans of intense and rebellious music were not more likely to be more disagreeable or neurotic than fans of other music genres.

*”Openness to Experience” is a personality trait that encompasses a love of variety, aesthetic sensitivity, imaginativeness, and intellectual curiosity.

For more music psychology articles, visit the Music Psychology page. For a full list of psychology articles, visit the Psychology page.

References:

• Heriot-Watt Univerisity. (2008). “Music Preferences Link to Personality – Press Release.” Scribd.com.
• Rentfrow, P.J., & Gosling, S.D. (2003). “The Do Re Mi’s of Everyday Life: The Structure and Personality Correlates of Music Preferences.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(6), 1,236–1,256.