Naomi Ziv, Moran Hoftman and Mor Geyer. ( 2011) Music and moral judgment: The effect of background music on the evaluation of ads promoting unethical behavior. Psychology of Music. doi: 10.1177/0305735611406579
The article takes a look at the effects of music on people's perceptions of advertising that is unethical. A prior study had participants listen to a radio ad promoting a way to falsify pension information to gain more money in retirement. The control group heard the ad with only voices while the experimental group heard cheerful, Mozart music in the background. The study did find more people viewed the ad favorably with the music than without. However, the participants were not specifically from an older demographic to whom the ad would directly apply.
The study that is the subject of this article had the ad's subject be more fitting to college age participants by promoting a website that helped with plagiarism. The control groups once again heard the ad with no background music while the experimental group heard the ad with James Brown's "I Got You" in the background. The study did see a rise in favorable reactions with the background music. This prompted the researchers to wonder what data might be found with more solemn music in the background. They also had participants report on their thoughts about plagiarism in general. They had, once again, a control group, and then two separate background songs. One was happy again (a Mozart Allegro) while another was darker (Albinoni's Adagio). The students in the group with Albinoni music reported thoughts about plagiarism more tied to the negative outcomes and cheating.
The research presents some interesting thoughts at least for advertising purposes. I'm not sure the idea that music can influence someone's morality can be taken from the results. However, music can influence people's thoughts concerning moral or immoral actions. Might certain music cause a person become a good or bad person morally? That is what Plato thought, and the fact that research of this kind is being done shows that there is enough merit to the idea to consider further study.
- Influence of music on youth behaviors (2006). Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
This article reported on a study done by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The study centered around correlations between young people's listening habits and the use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and history of violence. They found a positive correlation between alcohol and drug use and listeners of rap music. There were other styles, such as heavy metal, that correlated to drug use, but none as consistently as rap music. The connection between rap and drug use was consistent for all racial backgrounds, but African Americans reported more aggressive behavior.
The correlations found were attributed more to the lyrics of rap music which tend to contain drug and alcohol references. It was not the opinion of the author that underlying music features such as rhythm, tempo, or key were the cause of student's use of drugs and alcohol or more aggressive behavior. The study also fails to show a cause and effect relationship between rap music and drug use or aggression.
Music can have an effect on people's perceptions as evidenced in the first study. Certain types of music may also be linked to certain "good" or "bad" behaviors as found in the second study. We should consider what music we have students perform particularly in regards to lyrics, but I don't believe any single style or sound should be excluded for moral reasons. Instead, students should have opportunity to engage in a wide variety of styles. Worries held by some about jazz, rock, or rap shouldn't discourage music educators from creating a well rounded curriculum. While Plato's belief that music is inherently moral has some relevance, I do think its power to influence people stops short of particular scales, rhythms, or notes. Music does have the power to influence, but we shouldn't fear having our students engage with quality music.
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