Why do we approach sad music? Evidence from the acoustic startle eyeblink reflex and post auricular muscle response
List of Authors
  • Dorothy DeWitt , Ping Ning

Keyword
  • approach motivation, sad music, acoustic startle eyeblink reflex, post-auricular muscle response, perceived emotions, felt emotions.

Abstract
  • The aim of this laboratory study was to investigate the paradoxical phenomenon of humans experiencing enjoyment from sad music despite their innate tendency to avoid sadness. A random selection of 30 college students were utilized to explore the role of approach and avoidance motivation, as well as the emotional experiences associated with listening to sad, happy, and neutral music. Psychophysiological measures, specifically the acoustic startle eyeblink reflex (ASER) and post-auricular muscle response (PAMR) were employed to assess participants' physiological responses to music excerpts presented through E-prime. Additionally, an adapted Mood Adjective Check List (MACL) was administered via E-prime to evaluate both the felt and perceived emotions experienced by the participants.The results of the study revealed noteworthy findings. Participants reported significantly lower levels of the felt romantic emotion compared to perceived romantic emotion when exposed to happy music. Furthermore, the psychophysiological measures, ASER and PAMR, demonstrated that sad music had the unique ability to evoke both avoidance and approach motivation simultaneously. These findings suggest that sad music can serve as an aesthetic carrier of mixed emotions. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind the enjoyment of sad music, future research should explore various individual differences and consider cognitive factors. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of how negative music influences human emotions and behavior, with potential implications for its use in diverse settings, including education.

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