Predictors of Musical Preferences

Račevska, Elena. (2012). Predictors of Musical Preferences. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Tadinac, Meri].

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Abstract

Previous studies of musical preferences have shown the significant relation to many human characteristics, including age, sex, personality traits and intelligence. The goal of this study was to examine the predictors of musical preferences from the perspective of evolutionary psychology. To accomplish this, the relationship of these predictors with intelligence and the uses of music were investigated. The theoretical basis was provided by Kanazawa's intelligence hypothesis (2004). This research was conducted on 482 third-grade high school students. „Nonverbal Sequence Test“ (Ljubotina, in print), „Uses of Music“ questionnaire (Chamorro-Premuzic, Furnham, 2007) and „Scale of Musical Preferences“ (constructed for the purpose of this reasearch) were used. The results show significant correlation between intelligence and a preference for instrumental music, suggesting it's possible to use intelligence for prediction of said preference. Unexpectedly, intelligence was also useful in predicting a preference for vocalinstrumental music, but to a much lesser extent. Cognitive use of music was also a significant predictor of a preference for instrumental music. Using a factor analysis, five factors were extracted from the „Musical Preferences Scale“: reflexive, popular, conservative, intense and sophisticated. Cognitive use of music is significantly correlated with a preference for music of reflexive, intense and sophisticated factors, as well as a preference for instrumental music.

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