Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine potential associations between an individual’s personality traits in reference to the Big Five, and their music preference and enjoyment. Method: This study consisted of 175 participants who each completed an online survey intended to measure both their personality traits and music they enjoyed. Participants would read various statements referencing each of the Big Five personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. They would then respond to how much they agreed or disagreed with the statements presented. Additionally, participants would listen to short 15-s audio clips of various songs with the music genres of: rock, rap, country, pop, electronic, new age and classical represented. After listening to these audio clips, participants would rate the degree to which they enjoyed the song. Results: The results revealed that individuals who scored high in Openness, Extraversion, or Agreeableness enjoyed more genres of music than those scoring low in these areas. Additionally, those scoring low in Neuroticism enjoyed more genres of music. People who scored high and low for Conscientiousness showed no difference in enjoyment. Discussion: Future research in this field could strengthen the idea that personality traits are associated with an individual’s music preference. Additional factors such as an individual’s age, race, cultural background, or other aspects of personality may also be beneficial to take into account due to the data not supporting all hypotheses.

Recommended Citation

Boccia, Isabella (2020) "Associations Between Personality Traits and Music Preference," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 22, Article 2.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss22/2