Musical Taste Linked to Personality Traits Which are Found Predictive of Musical Talent

Are you a secret diva? Do you have musical talents you were never aware of? Research says your personality traits may hold the clue to hidden musical abilities.

A recent study by David M. Greenberg, Simon Baron-Cohen, David J. Stillwell, Michal Kosinski and Peter J. Rentfrow published in PLOS One suggests that personal preferences in music are far from random and have links to an individual's personality trait.

The research used these three thinking styles as correlated with taste in music: Empathisers (Type E), which categorise individuals whose interests are in people and their thoughts and emotions; Systemisers (Type S), which categorise individuals whose interest lay in patterns, structures and governing rules; and Balanced (Type B), which categorise people who display equal characteristics of Empathisers and Systemisers.

In the past, studies gave evidence that these three classifications apply to 95% of people, thereby allowing understanding of predictive behaviour. While the previous studies made possible the prediction of human behaviour based on engagement in studies of maths, sciences or humanities, this recent study allowed for the link to be made to musical behaviour.

The feature collected data from multiple studies among 4,000 participants, comparing their assessed thinking styles and their response to 50 musical excerpts of various genres. Classified Empathisers indicated preference for laid back, sorrow-tinged, emotional music. A couple of samples of such songs used in the test are 'Come Away With Me' by Norah Jones and 'Hallelujah' by Jeff Buckley.

Classified Systemisers, on the other hand, indicated a preference for music laced with intensity, are complex in style and have intellectual depth. An example of this type of music used in the test is 'Etude opus 65 no 3' by Alexander Scriabin. Classified Balanced individuals interestingly displayed a wider range of musical taste when compared to the Empathisers and Systemisers.

Not only are personality traits linked to musical preferences, but may also indicate musical ability, which is not necessarily musical instrument playing, as evidenced in another study by the team published in the Journal of Research of Personality. The research team, in collaboration with BBC Lab UK, collected data from 7,000 participants who were initially assessed for personality dimension classification. These dimensions are Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (Emotionality Stability). The participants completed tasks, which were designed to measure musical ability and included memory of melodies and rhythm identification.

Those with categorised with Openness displayed musical sophistication. The researchers explain that individuals who are strong in the Openness personality dimension tend to show imagination, varied interests and flexibility to new ways of thought and environmental changes. Those who scored the opposite displayed conventional values and preference for the familiar and for routine. Extroverts, on the other hand, displayed singing abilities and tended toward talkativeness, assertion and excitement.

These findings also applied to individuals who had latent musical abilities.

While the study is able to provide vital insight into individual thought patterns and personalities based on musical preferences and experiences, the researchers hope that this insight will arm families, educators, health professionals and therapists hone training, education, development and treatment programs.

The researchers also hope for the study to serve as a springboard to explore the possibility of assisting with both children and adults who have autism or who are suffering through trauma or loss.