Editorial

3 pages, 170 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition

by Laura Piccardi, Massimiliano Palmiero and Raffaella Nori

Brain Sci. 2024, 14(3), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14030192 - 21 Feb 2024

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It is widely agreed upon that both natural and man-made sounds, including music, profoundly impact our emotions and cognitive abilities, such as our attention, memory, problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

Research

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11 pages, 865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Association between Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Formal Musical Background

by Maria Chiara Pino, Marco Giancola, Massimiliano Palmiero and Simonetta D’Amico

Brain Sci. 2024, 14(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14010061 - 08 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Divergent thinking (DT) is widely considered an essential cognitive dimension of creativity, which involves goal-oriented processes, including working memory (WM), which allows for retrieving and loading of information into the attentional stream and, consequently, enhancing divergence of thinking. Despite the critical role of [...] Read more.

Divergent thinking (DT) is widely considered an essential cognitive dimension of creativity, which involves goal-oriented processes, including working memory (WM), which allows for retrieving and loading of information into the attentional stream and, consequently, enhancing divergence of thinking. Despite the critical role of WM in DT, little work has been done on the mechanism affecting this interplay. The current study addressed the involvement of a formal musical background in the relationship between WM and DT and was conducted with 83 healthy young adults (M = 19.64 years; SD = 0.52 years; 33 females). The participants were requested to indicate if they had a formal background in music in the conservatory (M = 4.78 years; SD = 5.50 years) as well as perform the digit span forward test (DSFT) and the alternative uses task—AUT from the Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT). The results indicated that years of formal musical background moderated the association between WM and DT. These findings suggest that music enhances the positive effect of high-order cognitive processes, such as WM, on the ability to think divergently. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations were discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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16 pages, 2437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrophysiological Correlates of Vocal Emotional Processing in Musicians and Non-Musicians

by Christine Nussbaum, Annett Schirmer and Stefan R. Schweinberger

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(11), 1563; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13111563 - 07 Nov 2023

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Abstract

Musicians outperform non-musicians in vocal emotion recognition, but the underlying mechanisms are still debated. Behavioral measures highlight the importance of auditory sensitivity towards emotional voice cues. However, it remains unclear whether and how this group difference is reflected at the brain level. Here, [...] Read more.

Musicians outperform non-musicians in vocal emotion recognition, but the underlying mechanisms are still debated. Behavioral measures highlight the importance of auditory sensitivity towards emotional voice cues. However, it remains unclear whether and how this group difference is reflected at the brain level. Here, we compared event-related potentials (ERPs) to acoustically manipulated voices between musicians (n = 39) and non-musicians (n = 39). We used parameter-specific voice morphing to create and present vocal stimuli that conveyed happiness, fear, pleasure, or sadness, either in all acoustic cues or selectively in either pitch contour (F0) or timbre. Although the fronto-central P200 (150–250 ms) and N400 (300–500 ms) components were modulated by pitch and timbre, differences between musicians and non-musicians appeared only for a centro-parietal late positive potential (500–1000 ms). Thus, this study does not support an early auditory specialization in musicians but suggests instead that musicality affects the manner in which listeners use acoustic voice cues during later, controlled aspects of emotion evaluation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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15 pages, 904 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Person-Centred, Culturally Appropriate Music Intervention to Improve Psychological Wellbeing of Residents with Advanced Dementia Living in Australian Rural Residential Aged Care Homes

by Mohammad Hamiduzzaman, Abraham Kuot, Jennene Greenhill, Edward Strivens, Daya Ram Parajuli and Vivian Isaac

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(7), 1103; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13071103 - 21 Jul 2023

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Abstract

This quasi-experimental, nonrandomized intervention study reports the effect of person-centred, culturally appropriate music on psychological wellbeing of residents with advanced dementia in five rural residential aged care homes in Australia. Seventy-four residents attended in person-centred music sessions and culturally appropriate group sessions. Interest, [...] Read more.

This quasi-experimental, nonrandomized intervention study reports the effect of person-centred, culturally appropriate music on psychological wellbeing of residents with advanced dementia in five rural residential aged care homes in Australia. Seventy-four residents attended in person-centred music sessions and culturally appropriate group sessions. Interest, response, initiation, involvement, enjoyment, and general reactions of the residents were assessed using the Music in Dementia Assessment Scale (MiDAS), and interviews and focus groups were conducted with aged care staff and musicians. The overall effect of person-centred sessions at two-time points were: during the intervention—351.2 (SD 93.5); and two-hours post intervention—315.1 (SD 98.5). The residents presented a moderate to high level of interest, response, initiation, involvement, and enjoyment during the session and at post-intervention. However, the MiDAS sub-categories’ mean scores differed between the time-points: interest (t₅₉ = 2.8, p = 0.001); response (t₅₉ = 2.9, p = 0.005); initiation (t₅₉ = 2.4, p = 0.019); and involvement (t₅₉ = 2.8, p = 0.007), indicating a significant decline in the effect of person-centred music over time. Interestingly, during the period of time, most of the residents were observed with no exhibitions of agitation (87.5%), low in mood (87.5%), and anxiousness (70.3%), and with a presentation of relaxation (75.5%), attentiveness (56.5%), and smiling (56.9%). Themes from qualitative data collected regarding culturally appropriate group music sessions were behavioural change, meaningful interaction, being initiative, increased participation, and contentment. The findings suggest that the integration of music into care plans may reduce the residents’ agitation and improve their emotional wellbeing in rural aged care homes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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11 pages, 1104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Sadness on Visual Artistic Creativity in Non-Artists

by Massimiliano Palmiero, Laura Piccardi, Marco Giancola, Raffaella Nori and Paola Guariglia

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(1), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13010149 - 15 Jan 2023

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Abstract

The study of the relationships between mood and creativity is long-standing. In this study, the effects of mood states on artistic creativity were investigated in ninety non-artist participants. Mood states were induced by instructing participants to listen to self-selected happy, sad, or neutral [...] Read more.

The study of the relationships between mood and creativity is long-standing. In this study, the effects of mood states on artistic creativity were investigated in ninety non-artist participants. Mood states were induced by instructing participants to listen to self-selected happy, sad, or neutral music for ten minutes. Then, all participants were asked to make two artistic drawings. To check for mood manipulation, the Profile of Mood States (POMS) was administered before and after listening to the self-selected music. After the mood induction, the negative group reported higher scores than the other two groups in the ‘depression’ subscale and lower scores than the other two groups in the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS; the positive mood group showed more vigour than the negative mood group. Yet, three independent judges assigned higher ratings of creativity and emotionality to the drawings produced by participants in the negative mood group than drawings produced by participants in the other two groups. These results confirmed that specific negative mood states (e.g., sadness) positively affect artistic creativity, probably because participants are more likely to engage in mood-repairing. Limitations and future research directions are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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12 pages, 1674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Creative Drummer: An EEG-Based Pilot Study on the Correlates of Emotions and Creative Drum Playing

by Rafael Ramirez-Melendez and Xavier Reija

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(1), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13010088 - 02 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2445

Abstract

It is reasonable to assume that emotional processes are involved in creative tasks and the generation of creative ideas. In this pilot study, we investigate the emotional correlates in professional drummers during different degrees of creative music playing. Ten participants performed three tasks: [...] Read more.

It is reasonable to assume that emotional processes are involved in creative tasks and the generation of creative ideas. In this pilot study, we investigate the emotional correlates in professional drummers during different degrees of creative music playing. Ten participants performed three tasks: repetitive rhythmic drum playing, pattern-based improvisation, and attention-intensive free improvisation, while their EEG activity was recorded. Arousal and valence levels were estimated from the EEG data at baseline and for the three tasks. Results show significantly increased levels of valence (i.e., increased prefrontal right alpha power compared to prefrontal left alpha power) during pattern-based and free improvisation relative to baseline, and significantly increased levels of valence during free improvisation relative to pattern-based improvisation. These results seem to indicate that positive emotion (characterized as increased valence) is associated with the creation of original ideas in drum playing and that the freer the creative process, the greater the positive effect. The implication of these results may be of particular relevance in the fields of music-based therapeutic interventions and music pedagogy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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Review

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0 pages, 1859 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cognitive Crescendo: How Music Shapes the Brain’s Structure and Function

by Corneliu Toader, Calin Petru Tataru, Ioan-Alexandru Florian, Razvan-Adrian Covache-Busuioc, Bogdan-Gabriel Bratu, Luca Andrei Glavan, Andrei Bordeianu, David-Ioan Dumitrascu and Alexandru Vlad Ciurea

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(10), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13101390 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3222 | Correction

Abstract

Music is a complex phenomenon with multiple brain areas and neural connections being implicated. Centuries ago, music was discovered as an efficient modality for psychological status enrichment and even for the treatment of multiple pathologies. Modern research investigations give a new avenue for [...] Read more.

Music is a complex phenomenon with multiple brain areas and neural connections being implicated. Centuries ago, music was discovered as an efficient modality for psychological status enrichment and even for the treatment of multiple pathologies. Modern research investigations give a new avenue for music perception and the understanding of the underlying neurological mechanisms, using neuroimaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple brain areas were depicted in the last decades as being of high value for music processing, and further analyses in the neuropsychology field uncover the implications in emotional and cognitive activities. Music listening improves cognitive functions such as memory, attention span, and behavioral augmentation. In rehabilitation, music-based therapies have a high rate of success for the treatment of depression and anxiety and even in neurological disorders such as regaining the body integrity after a stroke episode. Our review focused on the neurological and psychological implications of music, as well as presenting the significant clinical relevance of therapies using music. Full article

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Other

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1 pages, 140 KiB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Toader et al. Cognitive Crescendo: How Music Shapes the Brain’s Structure and Function. Brain Sci. 2023, 13, 1390

by Corneliu Toader, Calin Petru Tataru, Ioan-Alexandru Florian, Razvan-Adrian Covache-Busuioc, Bogdan-Gabriel Bratu, Luca Andrei Glavan, Andrei Bordeianu, David-Ioan Dumitrascu and Alexandru Vlad Ciurea

Brain Sci. 2024, 14(4), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040365 - 09 Apr 2024

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Abstract

In the original publication [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sounds and Music in Emotion and Cognition)

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