1 Hurst

The Psychology Behind Music

By
Matthew Hurst
English IV Honors
Morehead High School
Eden, North Carolina

November, 2016

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Thesis Statement: Music can decrease the effects of physical pain, depression, and increase
positivity; which could be used as a better substitute for medicine.

I.

Music has the ability to help release the effects of physical pain
A. Music release positive energy into the body
1. Music releases dopamine into the body which has the similar effect of a
cocaine user
2. Music gives off positive energy
B. Music is proven to have positive effects no matter what type of genre
1. A decrease in stress
2. Increase in a positive attitude

II.

Listening to Music can decrease the effects of Depression

A. Depression weakens
1. Listening to a specific Sonatas with major chords provide positive energy
2. Sonatas that have negative effects make one feel uncomfortable
3. In most cases depression is caused from someone taking too much
medication, as music does not cause any effects of depression
B. Increase in Learning
1. Music establishes a positive learning state
2. Music energizes learning activities which enhance imagination

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III.

An increase in creativity through music

A. An increase in imagination
1. Normally triggered by relating to the specific song that is on the radio or
that a person is listening to and comparing to their life
2. Energy levels increase due to increased motivation to finish an activity
3. Energy levels also increase due to the type of speed of music that a
person is listening too
B. Music increases Creative Thinking
1. Music uses interpersonal communication skills
2. Music uses both parts of the brain

IV.

The Effects of Music

A. Music can help medical effects
1. Music can reduce seizures
2. Music can reduce depression
B. Music can make one release stress
1. Anxiety is reduced
2. Typically classical music is used

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Matthew Hurst
English IV Honors
Mrs. Castle
November 4, 2016

The Psychology Behind Music

Favorite music brings a sense of happiness, which has been statistically proven to relieve
pain. Therefore, studies have shown to be an effective pain reliever both on its own and as an
adjuvant in connection with other types of therapy (Jeanette Bicknell). A recent study that was
conducted at Aarhus University in Denmark reported that most of the patient's reported that they
felt less unpleasant and less intense. (Charlotte Price Persson). Music can decrease physical
pain, depression, and increase energy; which could be used as a better substitute for medicine.
Doctors provide their patients with medication, after a surgery to eliminate the physical
pain. However, many various studies of scientific research have proven differently. Studies show
that listening to ones favorite music, bring relief faster using the bodys natural function. In the
information mentioned by Charlotte Price Persson:

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It may be that enjoyable music can trigger the release of opioids
in the brain. Opioids are the bodys own morphine, which may
explain why music can reduce the feeling of pain and the reduced
need pain for medication. Or it could be that the pain-relieving
effect may be the result of music simply being an incredibly
effective way of redirecting our attention away from the pain
(Music can relieve chronic pain).

When one is suffering from extreme pain, the generalization is to put medication into the
body. Unfortunately, medication can make the body worse causing extreme side effects. Music
has no side effects, including using the body's natural function, dopamine (J.S. Jenkins).
According to head scientist Peter Vuust that when a person listens to music, it helps focus away
from the pain by recognizing familiar words (Charlotte Price Persson). The connection that
music has with one listening to their favorite music, including using familiar lyrics, help release
emotions. Emotions are hard to tell at sometimes, makes one feel misunderstood. The lyrics in
music can relate to our emotions: including happiness, sadness, and anger; make one feel as if
they are understood. The effects that music can have on physical pain, have yet to be tested in the
medical field. According to Dr. Bentum, a school psychologist at Morehead High School says

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that medicine can become an addiction depending on the user. The last option to use, if medicine
does not work, is music therapy.
Depression is an emotion where one feels that nothing is possible. Depression can have
severe effects, in which one can commit suicide. Depression is used in some medications which
can make one feel the same way. However, music has been proven to have the same chemical
effects on someone who is going through chemical changes such as food, sex, and addictive
drugs (Mary Bates). One that listens to their favorite music, creates a positive influence on the
mind. However, the effects that music influences depend on the chords heard within the song. A
minor chord gives off a darker and melancholy sound (Andrew Pouska), while a major chord
gives a brighter and cheerier sound(Andrew Poska). Chords have been scientifically proven to
change emotions. A recent experiment that was previously tested involved two classical pieces
The Blue Danube Waltz and Pendulum Music (Mary Bates). Many reported that they felt less
pain with Blue Danube Waltz due to the harmonies and chords that were involved. In the piece
Pendulum Music, many reported that they felt limited results due to the clashing chords that were
involved(Mary Bates). Experiments that tested the effects of music, had the similar results as
tested with the two classical pieces. There were other possible results that proved the effects of
music could affect depression and anxiety. According to many radiologists, they reported that
with people who have high anxiety they are more likely to have relief from being engaged from

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the music. (Mary Bates). Anxiety is distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or
misfortune (Dictionary.com). In recent experiments, we learn that it has been proven that
music while being played can reduce a persons blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, and
reduce muscle tension. (Mary Bates). Music being the possible remedy for emotions such as
depression and anxiety could be safer and cheaper. Many medications used to prevent anxiety,
could lead one to further depression.
Scientific research has proved that classical music could have the ability to allow our
brain to solve problems. Therefore, new recent studies explain that music can enhance our logic
by listening to specific classical pieces by Mozart. One classical piece by Mozart, K448, lowered
ones blood pressure within 10 minutes. Music uses spatial imaging in the brain, which has the
ability to lower ones blood pressure (J.S. Jenkins). A technique used such as positron
emission tomography or known as PET processes rhythm, pitch, meter, melody, and timbre
being processed throughout the brain. (J.S. Jenkins). These imaginary images that are in the
brain, come from the precuneus of the parietal lobe, with many interconnected of the different
networks being activated (J.S. Jenkins). The brain views these images differently in the two
hemispheres of the brain. The left hemisphere consists of rhythm and pitch, while the right
hemisphere consists of timbre and melody from music (J.S. Jenkins). These images that appear
in the brain, leave long term effects if a child listens to Mozart at 3 years old. (J.S. Jenkins)

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Music works throughout the brain, long-term effects are allowed to happen on one who has
listened to Mozart sonatas when they were 3 or 4 years old. When these kids were given the
techniques of memorizing certain tunes on a piano or studying pitch intervals, huge changes
were found. When these kids were tested for the spatial-temporal reasoning, they tested better
than those who had no special training within these areas. The longer that the music is exposed
to younger kids the plasticity of the brain increases hugely (J. S. Jenkins). Research has proven
music can increase ones memory.
Attempts have been to decide how the electrical discharges in the brain work from the
exposure to music. In the recent study being attempted, a person had to listen to the piece K448
for 10 minutes compared to listening to an audiobook of a short story. The person who listened
to K448 for 10 minutes found huge enhanced synchrony of the left temporoparietal and right
frontal areas of the brain. These effects lasted for around 12 minutes after listening. According to
J.S. Jenkins:

A more impressive indication of a Mozart effect is to be

seen in epilepsy. In 23 of the 29 patients with focal
discharges or bursts of generalized spike and wave
complexes who listened to the Mozart piano sonata K448,

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there was a significant decrease in epileptiform activity as
shown by the electroencephalogram EEG, some individual
patients showed especially striking improvement. In one
male, unconscious with status epilepticus, ictal patterns
were present 62% of the time, whereas during exposure to
Mozarts music this value fell to 21%. In two other patients
with status epilepticus, continuous bilateral spike and wave
complexes were recorded 90-100% of the time before the
music, suddenly falling to about 50% 5 minutes after the
music began. The fact that improvement took place even in
a comatose patient demonstrates again that appreciation of
the music is not a necessary feature of the Mozart effect. (J.
S. Jenkins)

To understand more about the effect than music can have on the effects on epilepsy, many types
of research had conducted an experiment on an eight-year-old girl. This statement made by J. S.
Jenkins:

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She had a specific disease with the Lennox- Gastaut
syndrome that including having bilateral spikes and
wave complexes and focal discharges from the right
posterior temporal area. Mozarts music helped
decrease the rate of seizures from a total of nine per
four hours to one during the last hour. The number
of general charges decreased from a total amount of
317 to 178. This was one of the biggest changes that
were seen, during the recovery stage. The following
day the number of attacks was only two in seven
and a half hours. The number of seizures is affected
by music, in many possible ways that he or she can
imagine. Due to positive sound waves entering the
brain from music, a positive array of sound is
entering the brain. This causes the person who has

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seizures to focus towards the beats and chords that
are being played. This is one of the few possible
reasons that seizures are one way to help get rid of
the effect that seizures have on somebody. (J. S.
Jenkins)

Seizures have reportedly decreased when listening to music. However, creativity is just one of
the other few reasons music is important. Throughout the experience gained from creativity,
many IQ scores are said to double from the specific genre of music. Now, scientists have come
to the conclusion that people do not have to listen just to specific Mozart songs. In fact, a person
can listen to their favorite song and score higher scores than an average scorer. However,
depending on how long they were attached to music it can generally affect their plasticity in the
brain. They feel that music can help relieve the emotions by listening to the specific beats or
chords in the background. However, many may argue by saying that music has no effect on
anybody. Science has it proven that music can release dopamine in the brain, which has the same

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effect as chemical changes in the brain. Science has included that lower blood pressure is proven
and that happiness occurs through the positive sound waves that enter the brain.

Works Cited:
Bicknell, Jeanette. "Music and Pain Relief." Psychology Today. Web. 4 November 2016.
<https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-music-moves-us/201111/music-and-pain-r
elief>.

"A Dose of Music for Pain Relief." Brainfacts.org. 30 Jan. 2013. Web. 4 November 2016.
<http://www.brainfacts.org/sensing-thinking-behaving/senses-and-perception/articles/201
3/a-dose-of-music-for-pain-relief/>.

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Jenkins, J. S. "The Mozart Effect." Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The Royal Society
of
Medicine. Web. 4 November 2016.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281386/>.

Persson, Charlotte Price. "Music Can Relieve Chronic Pain." Sciencenordic.com. 25 Mar. 2014.
Web.
4 November 2016. <http://sciencenordic.com/music-can-relieve-chronic-pain>.

Adams, Rebecca. "Here's Proof Music Can Do More Than Just Make You Feel Good." The
Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 4 November 2016.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/music-creative_n_5511501.html>.

anxiety. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 9, 2016 from Dictionary.com

website <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/anxiety

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