Hooked on a Feeling: Influence of Brief Exposure to Familiar Music on Feelings of Emotion in Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Research has indicated that individuals with Alzheimer’s-type dementia (AD) can experience prolonged emotions, even when they cannot recall the eliciting event. Less is known about whether music can modify the emotional state of individuals with AD and whether emotions evoked by music linger in the absence of a declarative memory for the eliciting event. Objective: We examined the effects of participant-selected recorded music on self-reported feelings of emotion in individuals with AD, and whether these feelings persisted irrespective of declarative memory for the emotion-inducing stimuli. Methods: Twenty participants with AD and 19 healthy comparisons (HCs) listened to two 4.5-minute blocks of self-selected music that aimed to induce either sadness or happiness. Participants reported their feelings at baseline and three times post-induction and completed recall and recognition tests for the music selections after each induction. Results: Participants with AD had impaired memory for music selections compared to HCs. Both groups reported elevated sadness and negative affect after listening to sad music and increased happiness and positive affect after listening to happy music, relative to baseline. Sad/negative and happy/positive emotions endured up to 20 minutes post-induction. Conclusion: Brief exposure to music can induce strong and lingering emotions in individuals with AD. These findings extend the intriguing phenomenon whereby lasting emotions can be prompted by stimuli that are not remembered declaratively. Our results underscore the utility of familiar music for inducing emotions in individuals with AD and may ultimately inform strategies for using music listening as a therapeutic tool with this population.

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The Importance of Positive Events When Living With Chronic Pain

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.990 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 309-309

Author(s):

Julie Kircher ◽

Susan Charles ◽

Nancy Sin ◽

David Almeida

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Later Life ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Positive Events ◽

Pain Status ◽

Daily Events ◽

Multi Level

Abstract Chronic pain is a common condition in later life that is related to high levels of anxiety and depression. One reason why chronic pain is related to affective distress is that this condition may prevent people from deriving the same positive emotions from enjoyable activities. Few studies, however, have examined how exposure and reactivity to daily events differ by chronic pain status. We hypothesized that those with chronic pain will have less exposure and less positive affect reactivity to positive daily events compared to those without chronic pain. Participants from the diary substudy of MIDUS (N = 1,733; nChronicPain = 658, nNoPain = 1,075; M = 56 years-old) completed eight interview days. Chronic pain status was unrelated to the frequency of positive events. Multi-level models revealed that although people with chronic pain had lower levels of daily positive affect, they reacted more positively to daily events (γ = -.033, SE = .010, p < .0001). As a result, levels of daily positive affect on days when people experienced a positive event did not vary by pain status (MChronicPain = 2.73, MNoPain = 2.75). People with chronic pain averaged higher levels of daily negative affect compared to people without chronic pain (MChronicPain = .21, M NoPain =.20), but, on days when they experience a positive event, those with chronic pain had a greater decrease in their negative affect. Findings suggest that positive events impact those with chronic pain more than they do individuals without chronic pain.

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I Get Knocked Down but I Get Up Again: The Effects of Listening to Music When Sad on Young Adults

10.31234/osf.io/hkqcs ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joel L Larwood ◽

Genevieve Dingle

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Research Finding ◽

Emotional State ◽

Music Listening ◽

Random Assignment ◽

Regulation Process ◽

Baseline Levels ◽

The Impact ◽

Sad Music

*THIS PAPER HAS NOT YET BEEN PEER REVIEWED* Listening to music is a strategy many people use to regulate their emotions, especially sadness. However, there is disagreement about whether listening to music is a healthy way to regulate emotions, with some research finding that sad music worsens a sad state, especially for people high in rumination. To further explore the immediate consequences of music listening when sad 128 young adults (41% male, aged 18 to 25 years) were induced into a sad emotional state prior to random assignment to listening of either self-selected music, experimenter-selected sad music, or no music. Results revealed that listening to either self-selectedor experimenter-selected music led to a decrease in sadness. No difference was found between groups at post-listening. However, participants who listened to self-selected music reported a return to baseline levels of sadness, while this did not occur for participants who listened to experimenter-selected or were in the no music control. Rumination was also measured but did not moderate the impact of music listening on sadness for either musiccondition. Furthermore, there was no impact of rumination on participants’ perceptions of sadness in music. These results support the notion that listening to sad music does not worsen a sad state—even for those high in rumination—although it does appear to slow the emotion regulation process in cases where sad music is not self-selected.

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Preference for Non-Cooperative Economic Strategies is Associated with Lower Perceived Self-Efficacy, Fewer Positive Emotions, and Less Optimism

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/09.07.pr0.115c10z5 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 115 (1) ◽

pp. 199-212

Author(s):

Vassia Karamanoli ◽

Kyriaki Fousiani ◽

Maria Sakalaki

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Experimental Research ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Positive Emotion ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Association ◽

Positive Thinking ◽

Game Situation ◽

Economic Strategies

The goal was to investigate the association of economic opportunism with self-efficacy, optimism, and positive emotion. It was hypothesized that economic opportunists should experience lower self-efficacy, less positive thinking, and less optimism. Study 1 ( N = 206) showed that economic opportunism was negatively correlated with self-efficacy, optimism, and positive affect, and positively correlated with negative affect. Study 2 ( N = 128) indicated that individuals reporting higher self-efficacy were less likely to defect on their counterparts in a game situation. These findings show the negative association of opportunistic propensity with self-efficacy and positive emotions. Implications for experimental research on economic opportunism and positive emotions are discussed.

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Music major, affects, and positive music listening experience

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/0305735619901151 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 030573561990115

Author(s):

Joanne Chang ◽

Peter Lin ◽

Edward Hoffman

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Positive And Negative Affect ◽

Music Listening ◽

Music Majors ◽

Emotional Intensity ◽

Listening Experience ◽

Two Measures

The use of music in mood regulation has gained increasing attention in recent years. In this study, 199 college students (70 music majors, 126 non-music majors; 101 males, 94 females) responded to two measures: the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and a 15-item Positive Music Listening Experience Scale we developed (Cronbach’s alpha = .90). It comprised 1 item on frequency of deliberate listening to music and 14 items concerning the effects of such listening on coping, solitude, and contemplative experience, comprising three subscales, respectively. Music majors scored significantly higher than non-music majors on overall Positive Music Listening Experience, as well as significantly higher in positive affect and lower in negative affect than non-music majors. Music majors scored significantly higher than non-music majors on the contemplation subscale; there were no significant differences on the coping and solitude subscales. In addition, the overall Positive Music Listening Experience score was linked significantly with positive affect and self-reported emotional intensity after the demographics were controlled. Contrary to our expectation, negative affect was not a significant predictor and was unrelated to all items of positive music listening experience. In contrast, positive affect was associated significantly with most items relating to positive music listening experience, particularly contemplative subscales items. We discuss the implications of these findings for better understanding the role of affect in influencing the effects of deliberate music listening.

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Positive Emotions Trigger Upward Spirals Toward Emotional Well-Being

Psychological Science ◽

10.1111/1467-9280.00431 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 172-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 1061

Author(s):

Barbara L. Fredrickson ◽

Thomas Joiner

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Broaden And Build Theory ◽

And Coping

The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions predicts that positive emotions broaden the scopes of attention and cognition, and, by consequence, initiate upward spirals toward increasing emotional well-being. The present study assessed this prediction by testing whether positive affect and broad-minded coping reciprocally and prospectively predict one another. One hundred thirty-eight college students completed self-report measures of affect and coping at two assessment periods 5 weeks apart. As hypothesized, regression analyses showed that initial positive affect, but not negative affect, predicted improved broad-minded coping, and initial broad-minded coping predicted increased positive affect, but not reductions in negative affect. Further mediational analyses showed that positive affect and broad-minded coping serially enhanced one another. These findings provide prospective evidence to support the prediction that positive emotions initiate upward spirals toward enhanced emotional well-being. Implications for clinical practice and health promotion are discussed.

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Gender Differences in Psychophysiological Responses to Music Listening

Music and Medicine ◽

10.47513/mmd.v8i1.471 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Uma Gupta ◽

B. S. Gupta

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Music Listening ◽

Psychophysiological Responses ◽

Fréquence Cardiaque ◽

Pression Artérielle ◽

Males And Females

AbstractThis study presents a comparative account of psychophysiological responses to music listening in healthy males and females. The stimulus material was a slow-paced taped rāga Desi-Todi on a flute. The participants listened to music for 30 minutes a day, for 20 days. Pre- and post-treatment procedure was adopted for assessments on psychophysiological measures. The study supports the following conclusions: (1) music listening produced significant decreases in the blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) and heart rate of females, but had no significant effect in males; (2) music listening reduced stress, anxiety and depression, enhanced life satisfaction, optimism and hope, and was perceived as making life more meaningful in males and females; (3) the effects of music listening, that is, reduction in negative affect, enhancement of positive affect (except the ‘hope’ scores), and decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, were more intense in females than males.Keywords: music listening, gender differences, psychophysiological responses, negative affect, positive affect, blood pressure, heart rateFrenchDifférences en fonction du sexe des réactions psycho- physiologiques à l’écoute musicaleCette études présente un compte-rendu comparatif des réactions psycho- physiologiques à l’écoute musicale par des hommes et des femmes sains. Le matériel sonore de stimulation était l’enregistement d’un motif lent joué à la flute dans le style Raga (Desi-Todi). Les participants ont écouté cette musique à raison de 30 mn par jour pendant 20 jours. Une procédure a été adoptée pour évaluer les mesures psycho-physiologiques en pré et post-traitement. L’étude soutient les conclusions suivantes : (1) l’écoute musicale a produit une baisse significative de la pression artérielle (diastolique et systolique) et de la fréquence cardiaque chez les femmes, mais n’a pas eu d’effet significatif chez les hommes; (2) l’écoute musicale a réduit le stress, l’anxiété et la dépression, amélioré le sentiment de satisfaction, d’optimisme et d’espérance, et a été perçue comme rendant la vie plus riche de sens chez l’homme et la femme; (3) les effets de l’écoute musicale, c’est-à-dire la réduction des effects négatifs, l’amélioration des effets positifs (à l’exception des résultats concernant l’espérance), et la diminution de la pression sanguine et de la fréquence cardiaque étaient plus intenses chez les femmes que chez les hommes.Mots clés :écoute musicale, différence sexuelle, réactions psycho-physiologiques, effet négatif, effet positif, pression artérielle, fréquence cardiaque

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A Comparison of the Effects of Short-term Singing, Exercise, and Discussion Group Activities on the Emotional State and Social Connectedness of Older Australians

Music & Science ◽

10.1177/2059204318800607 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 205920431880060 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Susan Maury ◽

Nikki Rickard

Keyword(s):

Social Interaction ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Social Group ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Emotional State ◽

Discussion Group ◽

Music Listening ◽

Short Term ◽

Group Activities ◽

Over Time

Choir membership has been shown to improve emotional states and facilitate social connectedness. It is, however, less clear whether these benefits are unique to group singing or are shared by other social group activities that include some of the characteristics of choirs other than singing, such as music listening and social interaction. This research compares older Australians who are members of either a choir that both produces and listens to music in a social context, an exercise group that incorporates music listening and movement with social interaction, or a current events discussion group with social interaction but no music content. Participants were administered emotional state and cohesion questionnaires at two test times, just prior to and immediately after the session, to determine the short-term (60–90 minutes) effects on emotional state and social cohesion as result of different social activities containing varying levels of music engagement. A two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed significant improvements in positive affect and cohesion scores, and a decrease in negative affect and tiredness scores, over time for all groups. The choir and exercise groups were also observed by two raters who recorded observable behaviors categorized using the circumplex model of emotion. Findings revealed that both groups demonstrated significant increases in Activated Pleasant (high positive affect, high arousal) behaviors over time, but with no differences between the two groups. Taken together, these studies suggest that well-being benefits are shared by self-selected leisure social group activities, and that the effects can be observed within a very short time frame using both self-report and behavioral measures. The authors suggest that future research incorporates suitable control groups into research designs to better articulate any unique benefits that group singing may confer.

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The effects of music induction on mood and affect in an Asian context

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/0305735620928578 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 030573562092857

Author(s):

Elizabeth Ann Campbell ◽

Elizaveta Berezina ◽

C M Hew D Gill

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Mood Induction ◽

Energy Levels ◽

Circumplex Model ◽

Before And After ◽

Subject Factor ◽

Asian Context ◽

Mood Scale ◽

Sad Music

A sample of Asian participants was assessed using the Brunel Mood Scale and the Positive & Negative Affect Scale before and after music mood induction procedures to which each participant was randomly assigned. A series of mixed analyses of variance with the type of music (happy/positive vs. sad/negative) as the between-subject factor and pre–post music exposure as the within-subject factor revealed that the sad music induction attenuated the positive moods Vigor and Happiness, as well as the negative moods Anger, Tension, Fatigue, and Confusion but had no significant impact on Depression or Calmness, casting doubt on the robustness of Thayer’s circumplex model of mood formation. The happy music induction increased Vigor and decreased Fatigue and Confusion, suggesting that positive music has the potential to lift energy levels. The happy music induction led to increases in Positive Affect only, whereas the sad music condition attenuated both Positive Affect and Negative affect, casting doubt on Watson and Tellegen’s contention that the Affect systems are independent and suggesting that the bipolarity hypothesis may not provide a comprehensive explanation of mood formation. The mechanisms by which music may impact mood and potential differences in the expression of affect between Asian and Western participants are discussed.

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Loving-Kindness Meditation to Target Affect in Mood Disorders: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2015/269126 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Stefan G. Hofmann ◽

Nicola Petrocchi ◽

James Steinberg ◽

Muyu Lin ◽

Kohki Arimitsu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Mood Disorders ◽

Group Intervention ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Emotional States ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Loving Kindness ◽

Concept Evaluation ◽

Additional Support

Conventional treatments for mood disorders primarily focus on reducing negative affect, but little on enhancing positive affect. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a traditional meditation practice directly oriented toward enhancing unconditional and positive emotional states of kindness towards oneself and others. We report here two independent and uncontrolled studies carried out at different centers, one in Boston, USA (n= 10), and one in Frankfurt, Germany (n= 8), to examine the potential therapeutic utility of a brief LKM group intervention for symptoms of dysthymia and depression. Results at both centers suggest that LKM was associated with large-sized effects on self-reported symptoms of depression (d= 3.33 and 1.90), negative affect (d= 1.98 and 0.92), and positive affect (d= 1.63 and 0.94). Large effects were also found for clinician-reported changes in depression, rumination and specific positive emotions, and moderate effects for changes in adaptive emotion regulation strategies. The qualitative data analyses provide additional support for the potential clinical utility of the intervention. This proof-of-concept evaluation of LKM as a clinical strategy warrants further investigation.

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How mindfulness training promotes positive emotions: Dismantling acceptance skills training in two randomized controlled trials

10.31231/osf.io/hk5gp ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Emily K Lindsay ◽

Brian Chin ◽

Carol M. Greco ◽

Shinzen Young ◽

Kirk Warren Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Daily Life ◽

Skills Training ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Present Moment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Mindfulness Interventions

Mindfulness meditation interventions – which train skills in monitoring present-moment experiences with a lens of acceptance – have shown promise for increasing positive emotions. Using a theory-based approach, we hypothesized that learning acceptance skills in mindfulness interventions helps people notice more positive experiences in daily life, and tested whether removing acceptance training from mindfulness interventions would eliminate intervention- related boosts in positive affect. In two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of stressed community adults, mindfulness skills were dismantled into two structurally equivalent interventions: (1) training in both monitoring and acceptance (Monitor+Accept) and (2) training in monitoring only (Monitor Only) without acceptance training. Study 1 tested 8-week group- based Monitor+Accept and Monitor Only interventions compared to a no treatment control group. Study 2 tested 2-week smartphone-based Monitor+Accept and Monitor Only interventions compared to an active control training. In both studies, end-of-day and momentary positive affect and negative affect were measured in daily life for three days pre- and post- intervention using ambulatory assessments. As predicted, across two RCTs, Monitor+Accept training increased positive affect compared to both Monitor Only and control groups. In Study 1, this effect was observed in end-of-day positive affect. In Study 2, this effect was found in both end-of-day and momentary positive affect outcomes. In contrast, all active interventions in Studies 1 and 2 decreased negative affect. These studies provide the first experimental evidence that developing an orientation of acceptance toward present-moment experiences is a central mechanism of mindfulness interventions for boosting positive emotions in daily life.

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