Can Music Predict Emotions?
Written by Alissya Yuen
Edited by Christine Yee
May 2, 2021
Edited by Christine Yee
May 2, 2021
Do you usually find yourself feeling much happier after listening to your favorite song? Ever wondered what your brain is doing when you’re watching a sad movie? Scientists have often questioned why these activities can have such large impacts on our moods and recent studies have provided instrumental clues to understanding what goes on in the brain.
In a study conducted at the University of Turku, researchers used a machine learning algorithm to map activated brain regions as participants listened to music or watched film clips. The algorithm worked by associating specific emotions to the activated brain region giving researchers the ability to look at how music- or film-induced emotions are anatomically represented. Using fMRI data, researchers discovered that when participants listened to music, music-induced basic emotions of happiness, sadness, fear and tenderness had activation in the auditory cortex–the region of our brain responsible for sound perception and processing rhythm and melody–and the motor cortex–the region responsible for voluntary movements. However, there was no strong activation in the limbic and medial prefrontal regions where emotions are typically associated. Activation of the motor cortex emphasizes that music inspires movement even when subjects are listening to music and are not physically moving in the MRI machine. Conversely, limbic and medial prefrontal activation was seen when subjects watched emotional film clips.
The results suggested that the varied emotions evoked by films and music are likely due to different mechanisms of brain activation, but may also be dependent on the context of the movie or song (V. P. et al 2020). For instance, films activated deeper regions of the brain typically responsible for regulating emotions in real-life situations. Listening to music, however, did not strongly activate these regions. Researchers explain that the different emotions elicited may be attributable to the ability of films to reflect real-life events, subsequently activating innate emotion mechanisms. Music-induced emotions, on the other hand, are rooted more in the characteristics of the music and influenced by culture and personal history.
Music induced emotions have traditionally been studied through classical music, so the inclusion of lyrical music and film clips in this study points to a more complex emotional response by the human brain. Current research on music and emotions has been a fairly recent field within psychology and neuroscience, but with further curiosity, we can continue to uncover the many things our brains are doing when listening to our favorite song or watching a sad movie.
Works Cited
University of Turku. (2020, December 28). Music-induced emotions can be predicted from brain scans. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 22, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201228101801.htm
Original Journal Citation:
V. P., S., N-F., K. S, et al. (2020). Decoding Music-Evoked Emotions in the Auditory and Motor Cortex. Cerebral Cortex, 0(1), 1-12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhaa373