We have all passed judgment on someone’s character based on their musical taste. Even when said lightly, a person’s taste in music seriously affects how we view particular people.
Studies that prove music taste is a result of our environment
Countless psychological studies confirm your musical preferences are directly influenced by how you relate to your environment. A recent study found a link between the capacity for empathy and taste in music. The study said that people use empathy when perceiving various types of music, responding both physiologically and emotionally. Empathy can be described as the ability to recognize and respond to the emotional states of others.
A person’s taste in music can also reveal their political views. Sam Gosling, a psychologist, said that a conservative’s bedroom contains low openness and high conscientiousness trademarks like memorabilia, alcohol, sports, and various flags. On the flip side, a liberal’s bedroom is likely to be filled with books and CDs of various genres like classical music, folk music, and modern rock.
Your parents might also be to blame if anyone suggests that you have bad taste in music. According to a 2011 poll, parents’ preference of Pop music can be directly linked to their children’s Pop or Dance music preference. Their preference for Rock music was only seen in daughters and did not seem to reflect in sons.
Music’s emotional attachment
Music taste changes over time, but a long-running favorite is associated with emotional attachment. A small-scale study linked participants’ motives and personal stories to their taste in music. If the study held up on a larger scale, it would prove how emotional an individual can be over music.
On the other hand, Rob Brooks said that the music you like between the ages of 16 and 21 represents the music you are likely to enjoy for the rest of your life. This makes sense because there are so many experiences between late adolescence and early adulthood.
