3rd Edition

Music in the Human Experience An Introduction to Music Psychology

By Donald A. Hodges, Gary E. McPherson Copyright 2025
542 Pages 229 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

542 Pages 229 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

542 Pages 229 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Music in the Human Experience: An Introduction to Music Psychology, Third Edition, explores the ways in which we make sense of music and how we respond to it—cognitively, physically, and emotionally. Written by musicians, for musicians, while incorporating findings from biology, anthropology, sociology, physics, philosophy, and education, the text presents musical experiences as widely varied... Read more

Part I: Introducing Music Psychology

 Chapter 1. What is Music Psychology?

The Purview of Music Psychology

A Model of Music Psychology

            Contributions from Biology

            Contributions from Anthropology

            Contributions from Philosophy

            Contributions from Education

            Contributions from Psychology

            Contributions from Sociology

            Contributions from Physics

            Contributions from Music

A Brief History of Music Psychology

An Overview of the Literature in Music Psychology

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 2. Philosophical Issues in Music Psychology

Human and Musical Nature

            Biological Differences

            Adaptability

            Cultural Development

            Symbolic Behaviors

            Love

            Play

            Religion

            Technology

            Aesthetic Sensitivity

            Knowledge

The Interface of Music Philosophy and Music Psychology

            General Philosophical Approaches

            The Science of Beauty

                        Experimental Aesthetics

                        The Golden Mean and Mathematical Influences

            A Philosophical Paradigm Shift in Music Psychology

            Music as a Way of Knowing

Is Music Psychology Encroaching on Music Philosophy’s Territory?

Seashore’s Involvement with Eugenics

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 3. How We Came to be Musical

Rhythm, a Fundamental Life Process

Natural Soundscapes

Parent-Infant Bonding

The Acquisition of Language

Music as a Way of Knowing

Social Organization

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

            Chapter 4.  Music Around the World and Across Time

Time-Line of Early Artistic Behaviors

Prehistoric Cave and Rock Art

Art and Technology

Invariants

            Religion

            Celebrations

            Altered States of Consciousness

Music: A Human Invariant

Emotional expression (Merriam), Regulation of an individual's emotional, cognitive, or physiological state (Clayton)

Aesthetic enjoyment (Merriam)

Entertainment (Merriam), Personal enjoyment, Games (Gregory)

Communication (Merriam, Gregory)

Symbolic representation (Merriam, Clayton), Personal symbol (Gregory)

Physical response (Merriam), Dancing (Clayton)

Enforcing conformity to social norms (Merriam), Mediation between self and other (Clayton)

Validation of social institutions and religious rituals (Merriam), Ceremonies and festivals; Religious music (Gregory)

Contribution to the continuity and stability of culture (Merriam), Ethnic or group identity (Gregory)

Contribution to the integration of society (Merriam)

Lullabies (Gregory)

Work music (Gregory), Coordination of action (Clayton)

Storytelling (Gregory)

Battle (Gregory)

Salesmanship (Gregory)

Healing, trance (Gregory)

Court (Gregory)

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Part II: Perceiving, Understanding and Responding to Music

 

Chapter 5. Acoustical Foundations of Music

What is Sound?

Important Parameters of Sound

Measuring and Describing Sound and Vibration

            Frequency

            Amplitude

            Waveform (Signal Shape)

            Time

How Environment Affects Sound

            Transmission and Absorption

            Reflection

            Diffraction

            Refraction

            Interference

Tuning Systems

            Tuning in Western Music

            Non-Western Tuning Systems

Acoustics of the Voice and Musical Instruments

            The Voice

            Aerophones

            Chordophones

            Idiophones, Membranophones, and Corpophones

            Electrophones

Room Acoustics

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

 Chapter 6. Musical Hearing

The Hearing Mechanism

            Outer Ear

            Middle Ear

            Inner Ear

            From Ear to Brain

The Auditory Cortex

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 7. Psychoacoustics and the Perception of Music

The Critical Band

The Perception of Pitch

            Pitch Discrimination

            Pitch Matching

            Pitch Height and Pitch Chroma

            Absolute Pitch

Synesthesia

The Perception of Loudness

The Perception of Timbre

The Perception of Duration

Secondary Relationships

            Pitch

            Loudness

            Timbre

            Duration

            Volume and Density

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 8. Music Cognition

Gestalt Laws of Cognitive Organization

Auditory Scene Analysis

            Schemata

            The Spotlight of Attention

            The Cocktail Party Phenomenon and Auditory Stream Segregation

Musical Memory

Statistical Learning in Music

Expectancy Theory

Tonality

Cognition of Musical Elements

            Melody and Harmony

Tonality in Melody Cognition

Melodic Contour

Consonance - Dissonance

            Rhythm

            Timbre

Cognition of Larger Musical Forms

Cross-Cultural Comparative Research in Music

Music and Language

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 9. Music and the Brain

Brief Introduction to the Brain

Neural Plasticity

Pruning

Critical and Sensitive Periods

Neural Networks

Multisensory Integration

Music in the Brain

            Support from Ancillary Disciplines

Support from Indirect Approaches

Special Musicians

Imaging Techniques for Studying Music      

Electroencephalography

Electrocorticography

Event-related Potentials

Magnetoencephalography

Positron-Emission Tomography

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Diffusion Tensor Imaging

fNIRS: Functional Near-Infared Spectroscopy

Hyperscanning

                                    Imaging Music Perception and Cognition 

                                    Imaging Affective Responses to Music

                                    Imaging Musical Performance 

Imaging Music Learning

Predictive Coding of Music (PCM) Model   

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 10. Bodily Responses to Music

Physiological Responses to Music

            Heart Rate and Pulse Rate

            Blood Pressure

            Respiration

            Skin Conductance Responses

            Neurochemical Responses

            Skin, Finger, or Body Temperature  

            Miscellaneous Responses

Physical Responses to Music

            Muscular and Motor Responses

            Chills and Tears

            Facial Gestures

            Body Movements

Discussion of Psychophysiological Variables

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 11. Musical Emotions

                        Introduction to the Study of Emotions

                                    The Role of Expectations in Musical Emotions

                                    Measuring Musical Emotions

Perceived Emotions: The Cognitivist Position

Induced Musical Emotions: The Emotivist Position

A Third Viewpoint: Aesthetic Trinity Theory

Musical Emotions in Everyday Experiences

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

 Part III: Being Musical

 

Chapter 12. The Musical Person

Is Musicality Inherited or Acquired?

            Genetic Factors in Musicality

The Acquisition of Musical Attributes

Summary of the Inheritance/Acquisition of Musical Attributes

The Relationship of Musical Attributes to Other Human Attributes

The Musical Personality

Religious and Spiritual Aspects

Musical Identity

Musical Preferences

            Preferences for Instruments

            Preferences for Musical Genres        

                        The Listener

                        The Music

                        Situations and Contexts

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 13. Music Performance

Motor Skills

            Neuromotor Aspects of Music Making

            Motor Aspects of Music Making

Music Performance

            The Acquisition of Motor Skills

            Audio-Motor and Mirror Neuron Systems

            Quantity of Practice

Cognitive Skills

            Quality of Practice

            Mental Rehearsal

            Music Reading

Expressive Skills

            Body Movement

            Musical Cues for Expressiveness

Musical Creativity

Memory and Creativity

Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Flow

Improvisation

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 14. The Psychology of Music Learning

Psychoanalysis

Behavioral Psychology

Cognitive Approaches

            Humanistic Psychology

            Gestalt Psychology

            Developmental Psychology

            Social Psychology     

            Cognitive Psychology

                        Taxonomies

                        Music Intelligence

Music Cognition, Music Learning, and Reflective Thinking

                        Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive Load Theory

Explicit Instruction

Worked Examples

Connectivism

Learning Styles

Music Teaching and Learning

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 15. Music and Health

Music Therapy

            Alzheimer's Disease  

            Autism

            Cerebral Palsy

            Dyslexia

            Parkinson's Disease and Stroke

            Premature and Newborn Infants

            Psychiatric Disorders

                        Music Medicine

Aphasia          

Stress, Pain, Anxiety, and the Immune System

Performing Arts Medicine

            Hearing HealthMM6.4

            Vocal Health

            Bodily Health

            Psychosocial Health

                        Performance Anxiety

                        Other Mental Health Issues

Music and Wellbeing

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Chapter 16. Music in Social Contexts

Music in Society

            From Birth to Death

            From Lowest to Highest Cognitive Functioning

            From One Person to Thousands

Reflections of Society in Music

            Social Behaviors among Performing Musicians

            Social Behaviors among Music Listeners

The Influence of Music on Social Behaviors

            Music as a Socializing Agent

            The Influence of Music in the Workplace

The Influence of Music on Thought, Attitude, and Social Behavior

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

 

Epilogue: Ruminations on Music Psychology Research

R1. What is music psychology, and who conducts music psychology research?

R2. Interactions between philosophy and music psychology

R3. The triumvirate of theory, research and practice

R4. Basic and applied research

R5. Quantitative and qualitative research

R6. Formal and informal music experiences

R7. Global perspectives

R8. Toward a cultural music psychology

R9. Replications

R10. A music psychology research collaboratory

 

Biography

Donald A. Hodges, formerly the Covington Distinguished Professor of Music Education, is now Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro (USA).

Gary E. McPherson is the Ormond Chair of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne (Australia).