How music helps and impacts our emotions : a qualitative study

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of music on our emotions. The main aim was to explore the mechanisms that take place when our emotions get influenced by the music we listen to and examine the benefits that arise out of them. The data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 10 participants who are musically engaged and was further analysed using content analysis. The four themes that emerged out of the data mainly discuss music dependency, how music helps us in challenging situations, its effects on our emotions and nostalgia. Overall, the results of this study were consistent, and patterns were easily highlighted. It is evident that musical elements such as tempo and key play a significant role in what emotions are triggered in the listener. This provided a better insight on more than just the musical elements but as well as on the models and theories which further explain how emotions are evoked through music. This study also provides future researchers with more data to build on in the hope that music will become more commonly used to help others.