Empirical research on music performance has increased considerably during recent decades. This article updates the review of the research up to 1995 published by the current author in 1999. Coverin...

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Music Performance Research at the Millennium

Although most studies that examined associations between music training and cognitive abilities had correlational designs, the prevailing bias is that music training causes improvements in cognition. It is also possible, however, that high-functioning children are more likely than other children to take music lessons, and that they also differ in personality. We asked whether individual differences in cognition and personality predict who takes music lessons and for how long. The participants were 118 adults (Study 1) and 167 10- to 12-year-old children (Study 2). We collected demographic information and measured cognitive ability and the Big Five personality dimensions. As in previous research, cognitive ability was associated with musical involvement even when demographic variables were controlled statistically. Novel findings indicated that personality was associated with musical involvement when demographics and cognitive ability were held constant, and that openness-to-experience was the personality dimension with the best predictive power. These findings reveal that: (1) individual differences influence who takes music lessons and for how long, (2) personality variables are at least as good as cognitive variables at predicting music training, and (3) future correlational studies of links between music training and nonmusical ability should account for individual differences in personality.

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Music training, cognition, and personality.

. Through the development of the Short Test of Musical Preferences (STOMP) and a larger theory of music preferences, Rentfrow and Gosling (2003, 2006) have helped guide the way toward understanding the role of music in people's lives, and the relationship between music preferences and personality. The four music dimensions they established in their 2003 study provide a broad-brush look at some of the relationships between music preferences and personality. This study of 83 undergraduates at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, used the NEO-PI, rather than the Big Five Inventory, which allowed us to examine the six facets that make up each of the Big Five traits as well as those traits themselves, and it looked separately at the music genres that make up the four music dimensions identified by Rentfrow and Gosling (2003). The findings provide general support for Rentfrow and Gosling's work, but they also demonstrate that the personality patterns for the specific music genres differ considerably from...

A do re mi encore: A closer look at the personality correlates of music preferences.

Personality related traits as predictors of music practice: Underlying environmental and genetic influences

In order to investigate mental health problems among professional musicians, we estimate the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression (psychological distress) among musicians compared to the general workforce. A total sample of 1,607 musicians from the Norwegian Musicians Union answered an online questionnaire about demographic characteristics, lifestyle and symptoms of anxiety and depression. They were compared to a sample of the Norwegian workforce (n = 2,550) drawn from the Norwegian survey of level of living 2012. Based on logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, education level, smoking status, alcohol usage, use of drugs, physical exercise and financial status, we compared anxiety and depression symptom levels in musicians to a variety of professions. Psychological distress was more prevalent among musicians than in the total workforce sample. Solo/lead performers, vocalists, keyboard instrument players and musicians playing within the traditional music genre reported the highest prevalence. Further research needs to map the psychosocial and personal factors contributing to the higher degree of depression and anxiety symptoms among musicians, as well as establishing evidence-based preventative measures.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0305735614564910

Symptoms of anxiety and depression among Norwegian musicians compared to the general workforce

The personality characteristics of rock and popular musicians were examined in a sample of 100 musicians who completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and a questionnaire about mus...

Wayne Gillespie

Papers

Personality of Rock Musicians