Why do we enjoy listening to music?

In summary: We are rewarded when we do that. In summary, music has existed in human societies since prehistory and is believed to evoke pleasure and regulate emotions. Research has shown that the auditory cortex and frontal cortices play a role in recognizing and creating musical patterns, while the mesolimbic striatal system is responsible for the reward and pleasure associated with music. There is evidence that music is tied to our evolutionary traits and can cause "false" goosebumps and other pleasurable sensations. However, more research is needed to fully understand the complexities of music and its effects on the brain.
  • #1
ElinaY
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I've been researching this subject for a little while. I'd like to hear your ideas, because the topic is widely discussed.
So here is some part of my research which makes my opinion quite clear:
"Sometimes we say , that one is moved by music. Of course, it does not mean for him/her to be producing physical actions in order to catch up with the sound. Contribution to the vibrational projection, which in itself is an arrangement of the sounds, is what scientists call “flood of dopamine”. There was a brain scanning experiment performed, where researchers N.Salimpoor and Robert J. Zaratorre offered participants to listen to music that gave them goosebumps or chills. “ The researchers then injected them with a radioactive tracer that binds to the receptors of dopamine, a chemical that’s involved in motivation and reward. With this technique, called positron emission tomography or PET”, the brain scans highlighted the nucleus accumbens, often referred to as the brain’s ‘pleasure center’, a deep region of the brain that connects to dopamine neurons and is activated during eating, gambling, etc.” There were also mentioned in the article of National Geographic magazine that the areas included amygdala, “which is involved in processing emotions”, the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, “which is involved in decision-making”. That confirms the fact our body responds to the ‘made-up’ melody of the brain in an organized wayhttps://www.physicsforums.com/file:///E:/School%2010th/School%20english/Research%20project(2).docx#Chain [Broken] The dopamine hormone, mentioned above quite enough, is what scientists follow to make conclusions about happiness, any other emotions. However, these emotions surrender to the brain and body activity. We call them emotions, they, in fact, are signals of hormones to approach certain brain center and release their energy."
And also:
"The physiology of brain and body and the mental analysis all together possesses a complex system of previously mentioned vibrational projection of the world. There´s no good and no bad terms for music in such world, participation in this system allows one to understand the thing rather than look for description of emotions he is experiencing."

So once again, what do you think about it? How would you explain enjoyment and excitement we get from listening to music?
 
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  • #2
Please cite the source so others may read. Thank you.

Music has existed in human societies since prehistory, perhaps because it allows expression and regulation of emotion and evokes pleasure. In this review, we present findings from cognitive neuroscience that bear on the question of how we get from perception of sound patterns to pleasurable responses. First, we identify some of the auditory cortical circuits that are responsible for encoding and storing tonal patterns and discuss evidence that cortical loops between auditory and frontal cortices are important for maintaining musical information in working memory and for the recognition of structural regularities in musical patterns, which then lead to expectancies. Second, we review evidence concerning the mesolimbic striatal system and its involvement in reward, motivation, and pleasure in other domains. Recent data indicate that this dopaminergic system mediates pleasure associated with music; specifically, reward value for music can be coded by activity levels in the nucleus accumbens, whose functional connectivity with auditory and frontal areas increases as a function of increasing musical reward. We propose that pleasure in music arises from interactions between cortical loops that enable predictions and expectancies to emerge from sound patterns and subcortical systems responsible for reward and valuation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3690607/
 
  • #3
I've been thinking about it and I've came up with some questions : Isn't there any real explanation for this? Why does it actually boost our dopamine level? Why does it do what is does to our brains ? Is it in any way related to our evolution ?
 
  • #4
NewtonsFellow said:
I've been thinking about it and I've came up with some questions : Isn't there any real explanation for this? Why does it actually boost our dopamine level? Why does it do what is does to our brains ? Is it in any way related to our evolution ?
Read the research posted above.
 
  • #5
I have taken this lecture series here at my school. http://news.ucsc.edu/2015/03/arts-dean-series.html Which focused on the evolutionary traits of music in different animals, how music has evolved, and how music is tied into human behavior. From what I have learned, there are some parts of music which are universal. Some of the things that are universal is that we can recognize music as being sad or happy, based on the rhythm and tone, regardless of the environment we grew up in. Other studies show that the reason why some music is appealing is because of some thing that causes "false" goose bumps or something. There is a technical term, but I would have to look back at my notes. Basically music can sometimes surprise us, which is tied in biologically, and this gives us a good sensation since it sends out brain chemicals that make us feel happy. Similar to the feeling we get when we ride a roller coaster, and we feel "scared" but in a good way. But another thing I got from the lecture series is that, not enough research has been comfortably done to conclude anything being certain to music. It seems to be a strange phenomenon only found in humans for the most part. (not the songs part, but the music for entertainment part. Don't know if this added to the post or not, just wanted to contribute what I learned (or semi-learned) from my course. :rolleyes:
 
  • #6
Its been so many years I do not like any kind of music...
 
  • #7
Muti said:
Its been so many years I do not like any kind of music...
how sad for you...
 
  • #8
Ive played guitar for decades. Get a high off of music.

My theory. We humans are complex organisms. Our brains are inundated with information and we make conscious decisions...we literally need to train our brain to think.

Music is about patterns. Systems. Systems are a positive. Our brain wants us to find patterns...efficiencies. Patterns are rewarded with pleasure...we keep pursuing more. Patterns allow us to quickly fill in the blank. A couple notes of a song and we recognize it. Efficient. We can fill in number patterns, word blanks, instructions, etc. We like to eat. We like sex. We like patterns that help develop complex thinking. Things that are necessary are rewarded with a sense if pleasure.
 
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  • #9
tom aaron said:
Ive played guitar for decades. Get a high off of music.

My theory. We humans are complex organisms. Our brains are inundated with information and we make conscious decisions...we literally need to train our brain to think.

Music is about patterns. Systems. Systems are a positive. Our brain wants us to find patterns...efficiencies. Patterns are rewarded with pleasure...we keep pursuing more. Patterns allow us to quickly fill in the blank. A couple notes of a song and we recognize it. Efficient. We can fill in number patterns, word blanks, instructions, etc. We like to eat. We like sex. We like patterns that help develop complex thinking. Things that are necessary are rewarded with a sense if pleasure.

But why then do we like only some, but not all music even though all music has patterns?
 
  • #10
WWGD said:
But why then do we like only some, but not all music even though all music has patterns?

a possible explanation could be due to what gender you are and the state of mind you have or how you were raised in a sense. I remember from the lecture series that I took that many people disliked opera because it sounded like screaming. When you look at the frequencies at which they sing, it does in fact sound like screaming which might set off a bit of a fight or flight type of scenario in your brain. It was studied that young males (18-30 years old) liked screamo (a type of metal music that involves large amounts of screaming) more then their female counterparts. This could have been due to lots of things, such as males being more prone to that fight response, they type of hormones through out their bodies at that time, and their state of mind.

Music has the ability to "surprise" us, and when our brain is surprised, it gets a bit scared. It then realizes it isn't going to die and chemicals are released and you might get goosebumps and a pleasant sensation. Surely you have felt this before?
 
  • #11
My girlfriend says that reason we enjoy music is because it gives us a buzz.
 
  • #12
rootone said:
My girlfriend says that reason we enjoy music is because it gives us a buzz.
True, but I think OP wants to understand better what the buzz is about, or how it comes about when listening to music. Correct me if I am wrong,
ElinaY.
 
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  • #13
Well I asked and she said it was to do with 'enjoying life'.
Anyway it's late here now, thanks for your response.
night night.
 
  • #14
The OP stopped coming to PF over a month ago, so thread closed.
 
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1. Why is music enjoyable?

There are several reasons why music is enjoyable. One possible explanation is that music activates the reward centers of our brain, releasing dopamine and creating a pleasurable sensation. Additionally, music has the ability to evoke emotions and memories, making it a powerful tool for self-expression and connection with others.

2. Is there a biological reason why we enjoy music?

Yes, there is a biological basis for our enjoyment of music. Studies have shown that our brains are wired to respond to music, with specific regions of the brain being activated when we listen to music. This suggests that our enjoyment of music is rooted in our evolutionary development.

3. How does music affect our mood?

Music has the ability to influence our mood in a variety of ways. Upbeat and fast-paced music can increase our heart rate and energy levels, while slower and more calming music can have a relaxing effect. The type of music we listen to can also evoke specific emotions, such as happiness, sadness, or nostalgia.

4. Can our personal experiences impact our enjoyment of music?

Yes, our personal experiences can greatly impact our enjoyment of music. Our past experiences and memories associated with certain songs or genres can influence how we perceive and respond to music. Additionally, our cultural background and upbringing can also play a role in shaping our musical preferences.

5. Is there a cultural aspect to why we enjoy music?

Yes, there is a cultural aspect to our enjoyment of music. Different cultures have their own unique musical traditions and preferences, which can greatly influence the type of music that individuals enjoy. Additionally, music is often used as a means of communication and expression within cultures, further highlighting its cultural significance.

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