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Allison Barnhart

ENG 1201

Dr Cassel

9 July 2020

How Does Music Affect Mood?

Music has long been thought to affect our mood. How much is the real question. Music

has been used in various sorts of ways throughout time. From listening for enjoyment to music

therapy to background noise in movies, music changes the way we think and feel.

Music therapy has been around for quite some time with the first known reference in

1789. However it is also believed that music has been thought to be a way to affect mood since

the writings of Plato and Aristotle. (“American Music Therapy Association.”) In the past few

decades music therapy has evolved into a scientific art and has helped many children and

adults. This kind of art therapy is extremely helpful for people who can not or prefer not to use

prescription medication to treat illnesses.

Music can evoke many emotions in human beings. From early childhood we are taught,

consciously and subconsciously, what different sounds mean. A main component of why music

affects our emotions is dopamine. When we hear something that makes us happy or joyful there

is a release of dopamine or the “feel-good” hormone. The positive memories associated with the

music can literally make us feel certain emotions (Heshmat).

While music can be used as therapy and enjoyment there are also health benefits as

well. Many studies have been done with dementia and alzheimers patients. These studies have

concluded that listening to music increased confidence and overall mood. Music also can create

negative moods. For example movies, specifically horror movies, include certain sounds that

can elicit feelings of nervousness and trepidation.

Some believe that music can cause no real change in our physiological selves. There

are people who really do have no change in emotions by listening to music. These people have
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something called amusia. They can not hear different musical tones which in turn does not allow

them to “feel” the music. Overall music has been a huge part of the human race’s history. Music

is used in so many ways. It is not only used for enjoyment and pleasure but for science and art.

Music can change the way we see the world. It can speed up our heartbeats and release

dopamine in our brains. It is a powerful drug.

Works Cited
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Admin. “How Does Music Affect Your Mood?: Music and Emotion Relationship.” Online Atlanta

Institute of Music & Media | Best Music College, 2 Aug. 2019, www.aimm.edu/blog/how-

does-music-affect-your-mood.

“American Music Therapy Association.” History of Music Therapy | History of Music Therapy |

American Music Therapy Association (AMTA),

www.musictherapy.org/about/history/#:~:text=The earliest known reference to,were

conducted in the 1800s.

Boothby, Suzanne. “How Does Music Affect Your Mood and Emotions.” Healthline, Healthline

Media, 5 July 609AD, www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to-music-lifts-or-

reinforces-mood-051713.

Heshmat, Shahram. “Music, Emotion, and Well-Being.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,

25 Aug. 2019, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201908/music-

emotion-and-well-being.

Moula, Zoe, et al. “A Systematic Review of Child-Focused Outcomes and Assessments of Arts

Therapies Delivered in Primary Mainstream Schools.” Children & Youth Services

Review, vol. 112, May 2020, p. N.PAG. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104928.

Yan Shunqin. “Comparative Study on the Effect of Different Music Therapy on Auxiliary

Treatment of College Students’ Anxiety.” Biomedical Research (0970-938X), Nov. 2018,

pp. S216–S218. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

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