Whether it’s a slow love song or an upbeat dance song, songs have a unique way of evoking emotions in people.
Now scientists have revealed exactly where in the body different types of music are felt.
It is not surprising that sad songs evoke a response in the heart and stomach.
Meanwhile, aggressive songs really make us hot-headed, according to researchers at the Turku PET Center in Finland.
“The influence of music on the body is universal,” says Vesa Putkinen, lead author of the study.
Scientists have revealed exactly where in the body different types of music are felt. It is not surprising that sad songs evoke a response in the heart and stomach. Meanwhile, aggressive songs really make us hot-headed
Whether it’s a slow love song or an upbeat dance song, songs have a unique way of evoking emotions in people (stock image)
Music is often described as the ‘universal language that everyone speaks’, with previous studies showing that when people from different cultures hear their favorite song, they can’t help but get moving.
However, until now, little research has been done on how music evokes physical sensations in different cultures.
In their new study, the team surveyed 2,000 participants, half of whom came from Europe or North America, and the other half from China.
Participants were shown silhouettes of human bodies and asked to indicate which body area they thought would be activated in response to different styles of music.
The results showed that the different music styles produced very different physical sensations.
Sad or tender songs were felt in the head, chest and stomach cavity, while scary or aggressive songs were felt mainly in the head.
Meanwhile, both cheerful and danceable songs could be felt in my head and feet.
The researchers also found that the emotions and physical sensations that music evoked were similar in Western and Asian listeners.
The researchers also found that the emotions and physical sensations evoked by music were similar in Western and Asian listeners (stock image)
“Certain acoustic features of music were associated with similar emotions in both Western and Asian listeners,” said Professor Lauri Nummenmaa, co-author of the study.
‘Music with a clear beat was found cheerful and danceable, while dissonance in the music was associated with aggressiveness.
‘Since these sensations are similar across cultures, music-induced emotions are likely independent of culture and learning and based on inherited biological mechanisms.’
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that music may have emerged as a way to encourage social interaction.
“People in all cultures move to music, and synchronized postures, movements and vocalizations are a universal sign of connection,” said Dr. Putkinen.
‘Music may have emerged during the evolution of the human species to promote social interaction and a sense of community by synchronizing the bodies and emotions of listeners.’