Music plays a significant role in human culture, and we have all experienced the powerful emotions that music can evoke unlike anything else. But what is it about music that can elicit such intense feelings in our minds and bodies? A recent study has shed light on how the perception of unique musical chords can trigger specific bodily sensations and emotions.
The latest research published in the journal iScience on April 4 explores the connection between the perception of musical chords and the sensations and emotions they evoke in our bodies. Tatsuya Daikoku of The University of Tokyo explains that the study sheds light on how musical uncertainty, prediction error, and temporal dynamics influence distinct bodily sensations and emotions, particularly in the heart and abdominal areas. The researchers conducted a study in which participants were asked to map their bodily sensations and emotions while listening to different musical chord progressions. The goal was to gain insight into how chord progressions are felt in the body and how they evoke emotions. Specifically, the researchers aimed to identify which types of musical chords elicit sensations in the heart and stomach, and the emotions associated with them.
The researchers hypothesized that uncertainty and surprise in music could be significant factors. To investigate this, they created 92 distinct chord progressions with different levels of uncertainty and surprise. Participants were then exposed to 8 of these chord progressions.The study involved participants being shown chords in a random order and then asked to click on the positions on a body onscreen where they felt the chords. They were also asked about the emotional impact of the chords. The results indicated that specific chord progressions triggered sensations in the heart, while others were felt more in the stomach. These bodily sensations were also linked to a person’s aesthetic appreciation and positive emotions towards the chords they had heard. Additionally, the findings supported a connection between uncertainty and surprise as key factors in eliciting these bodily sensations and emotional responses.The study discovered that different chord progressions can create different emotions. Some chords were found to evoke appreciation for beauty, which led to a decrease in negative feelings of unease and stress. On the other hand, more predictable chord progressions resulted in feelings of calmness, relief, contentment, nostalgia, and empathy, according to the researchers.
Based on their findings, the researchers suggest that the emotions and sensations evoked by music are connected to musical interoception, which involves all the sensory information coming from the body. They also propose that this experience is linked to mental well-being. In their future studies, they aim to further explore this connection.The researchers have discovered bodily maps of sensations and how they connect to a person’s physical reactions, such as changes in heart rate, when listening to music.
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