We are the angry - do our tastes define us?
Prof North said the research could have many uses in marketing, adding: “If you know a person’s music preference you can tell what kind of person they are, who to sell to.
“There are obvious implications for the music industry who are are worried about declining CD sales.
“One of the most surprising things is the similarities between fans of classical music and heavy metal. They’re both creative and at ease but not outgoing.
“The general public has held a stereotype of heavy metal fans being suicidally depressed and of being a danger to themselves and society in general. But they are quite delicate things.”
More than 36,000 people from all over the world were asked to rate 104 musical styles and also questioned about aspects of their personality.
The study is continuing and Prof North, who is head of the university’s department of applied psychology, is still looking for participants to take part in a short online questionnaire.
MUSICAL STYLES VERSUS PERSONALITY TRAITS
BLUES: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease
JAZZ: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease
CLASSICAL MUSIC: High self-esteem, creative, introvert and at ease
RAP: High self-esteem, outgoing
OPERA: High self-esteem, creative, gentle
COUNTRY AND WESTERN: Hardworking, outgoing
REGGAE: High self-esteem, creative, not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease
DANCE: Creative, outgoing, not gentle
INDIE: Low self-esteem, creative, not hard working, not gentle
BOLLYWOOD: Creative, outgoing
ROCK/HEAVY METAL: Low self-esteem, creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, at ease
CHART POP: High self-esteem, not creative, hardworking, outgoing, gentle, not at ease
SOUL: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, gentle, at ease
Source: Heriot-Watt University via the BBC
Having being tormented with having to do research into personality types in the days when I had to write overly long dissertations - this research doesn’t sit all that easily with me.
Defining a personality is hard enough without throwing something as hard to define as music in the mix as well.
To postulate further - I know a large number of people, who when questioned as to the genres they like will basically list off everything they can think of. Everyone says they like soul and jazz……
I may have had too much coffee this morning.
Yours sincerely,
INFP idealist personality with confused music tastes.
I’m certainly confused and angry today.
Maybe those of us who like multiple genres are multi personality types.
Ninja: About to have the first coffee now
no one really likes soul and jazz
these genres are only ever acknowledged when company of the opposite genital group are present
I agree ninja - this research on the face of it looks like arse
I think this could have almost been relevant had they questioned musicians rather than ‘fans’.
Still would have been a waste of time mind you..
you can add to this valubale piece of research here:
http://www.peopleintomusic.com
Whats really wrong with that questionaire is the age bracketing.
16 - 23, 23yrs plus . I’m too old for this interweb thingee