High tempo music v Low tempo music. Does music affect heart rate? Are there differences between the genders?
High tempo music v Low tempo music. Does music affect heart rate? Are there differences between the genders?
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine whether or not music tempo had an affect on heart rate. H1 Music will affect heart rate. H0 Music will not affect heart rate. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 10 females and 10 males (N=20). Two contrasting types of music were played to each participant, one high tempo and one low tempo. Whilst the music played heart rate was taken with the use of Bio Pac. Using a two factor repeated measures statistical test it was possible to determine that the effect of music type on heart rate was extremely significant: F = 9.604, p = .006. However with a significance of .769 gender differences were not found. The mean values indicated that High tempo music increased heart rate in relation to basal rate and Low tempo music reduced heart rate in relation to the basal rate. These findings indicate that music has the ability to increase or decrease heart rate, so music does affect heart rate.
Introduction
In their study, from emotion perception to emotion experience: Emotions evoked by pictures and classical music, Thomas Baumgartner (2005), et al. tested the responses of 24 females to music and arousing pictures. The physiological reading identified that when music was used there were significant increases, as these readings included heart rate this study promotes the idea that music will have an effect on heart rate. Gomez et al (2006) study goes further in claiming that the "internal complexity of the song" i.e. the rhythm has an effect on respiration and heart rate. This study found that fast music is correlated to increase in physiological results, including heart rate. Smollen et al (2002) found that when music was introduced heart rate and blood pressure were reduced.
Urs et al (2005). Study into "Sex differences in emotional and psycho-physiological responses to musical stimuli" found that there are physiological differences between the genders when exposed different types of music. To quote "Women displayed elevated response curves to the arousing and unpleasant stimulus, whereas men did not". This allows the prediction that a high tempo unpleasant arrangement of music may have physiological affects on the female participants.
The main aim of this project is to identify whether or not music has an effect on heart rate. With referral to the background reading, this project not only proposes that music will have an effect on heart rate but goes further in predicting that high tempo music should increase heart rate away from the basal rate, and low tempo music should decrease heart rate in relation to the basal rate. Another factor of the study is gender; it is also proposed that there may be significant differences between the genders.
Method
Participants
N=20, participant ...
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The main aim of this project is to identify whether or not music has an effect on heart rate. With referral to the background reading, this project not only proposes that music will have an effect on heart rate but goes further in predicting that high tempo music should increase heart rate away from the basal rate, and low tempo music should decrease heart rate in relation to the basal rate. Another factor of the study is gender; it is also proposed that there may be significant differences between the genders.
Method
Participants
N=20, participant were used in this study, 10 of whom were female and 10 were male, all were psychology undergraduate students. The subjects were recruited to the study via convenience sampling. The specific age of each subject was not noted.
Design
This experiment has been designed to try and ascertain whether or not music has an affect on the physiological functions of the heart and to establish any gender differences that may occur. The information will be gathered through the operation of Bio Pac to determine heart rate, and experimenter observation to determine the sex of each the participant. The study can be defined as repeated measures.
Materials
In order to test the hypothesis it was necessary to gather the information in a quantified way. In this case the participant's heart rate was monitored with the use of Bio Pac; this particular program uses specifically positioned electrodes to monitor heart rate. The songs used were of mp3 format and were played to the participants with the use of windows media player (Version 10), EQ levels remained the same throughout as did volume levels. Sex of the participant was determined visually then through experimenter agreement.
Procedure
Each participant was individually tested. Participants sat on the same comfortable chair and were further asked if they were comfortable. They were then briefed on what the experiment would entail and were given the option to withdraw from the study at any stage before the publication of results (Report deadline). In order to maintain a standard for all the participants, one of the three experimenters personally attached the three electrodes to each body part (right hand/ left hand and left foot?). To try to minimise conscious control of the heart rate, participants faced away from the screen and their heart rates were concealed from them until the end of the experiment.
Ethics
Before each participant was experimented upon they were briefed as to what the experiment would entail. Each participant gave informed consent (see appendices). To help prevent against allergic reaction(s) Participants were shown the ingredients of the adhesive required for electrode placement and were further informed that it may cause mild irritation to the skin. To insure anonymity their names were not taken. One further stipulation was the lyrical content of the songs used. In order to neutralise this issue the song version that will be used was a radio edit and is accepted by the Radio Authority.
Results
Table one: Within subjects
DF
F
Significant
Music Type
.000
9.604
.006
Table two: Between subjects
DF
F
Significant
Gender
5.198
.769
The tables above present the significance value of music type and heart rate and the significance value of gender versus music type and heart rate. These results indicate that heart rate is significantly influenced by music type and that music type does not promote differences in gender.
Mean heart rate
Standard deviation
High Tempo
78.99
8.62
Low Tempo
76.46
9.89
Resting (basal rate)
77.2
9.73
The table shows that the mean heart rate of the participants was greater than the basal rate when exposed to high tempo music and lower than the basal rate when exposed to low tempo music. The standard deviation results show that the mean heart rates represent the participants quite accurately.
Discussion
The aim of this study was to examine whether or not music tempo had an affect on heart rate. Using a two factor repeated measures statistical test it was possible to determine that the effect of music type on heart rate was extremely significant: F = 9.604, p = .006. With such significantly sound factor this result supports the hypotheses that this result firmly backs the research carried out by Baumgartner et al (2005) who found that introduction of music to participants resulted in heart rate differences.
The study further stated that high tempo music would increase heart rate in relation
the basal rate and low tempo music would decrease heart rate in relation to the basal
rate. Using the mean of each of the heart rates it is possible to say that high tempo
(78.99) music does increase the rate of the heart and low tempo (76.46) music decreases the heart rate, (with reference to the basal heart rate 77.2). This result supports Gomez et al (2006) study which found that fast music correlates with an increase heart rate and also supports Smollen et al's (2002) study which found that music can decrease heart rate. However the music used could have had contaminating affect on the experiment, although both were non-mainstream songs some of the participants may have enjoyed listening to them which could have lead to soothing affects or excitement, this issue should be addressed in further research.
However there was no significant link between gender and music type: F = 5.198, p = .769. This goes against the research conducted by Urs et al (2005), who found that women's heart rates generally increased when exposed to high tempo or irregular music. This may be as a result of the relatively small sample size and that this particular sample did not represent the population in general.
The results produced by this study indicate that music and furthermore music tempo does affect heart rate and that these affects are similar in both males and females. The participants used in this study were all undergraduate students at Liverpool John Moores University and were all studying psychology, further research should aim to have a larger sample size, represent people with contrasting jobs/ life styles and could also incorporate age, e.g. does music's cardiovascular affect increase or decrease with age?
Reference
Baumgartner T., Esslen, & M. Lutz, J. (2004). From emotion perception to emotion experience: Emotions evoked by pictures and classical music. International Journal of Psychophysiology. [Electronic Version] Vol. 60. Pg 34 -43
Gomez, P., & Danuser, B. (2006). Relationships Between Musical Structure and Psychophysiological Measures of Emotion. Institut Universtitaire Romand de Santé au Travail. [Electronic Version] Vol. 7. Pg 377-387
Urs M. Nater, Elvira A, Krebs, & M., Ehlert, U. (2006). Sex differences in emotional and psychophysiological responses to musical stimuli. International Journal of Psychophysiology. [Electronic Version] Vol. 62. Pg 300 -308
Smollen, D., Singer, L., & Topp, R.. (2002) The effect of self-selected music during colonoscopy on anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure. Applied Nursing Research. [Electronic Version] Vol 15. Pg 126-138
Appendices:
Debriefing sheet
Do you consent to having your rate taken with the use of Bio Pac: Y / N
Do you give your consent to allow experimenter to attach electrodes to various parts of your body: Y / N
Are you allergic to any of the ingredients in the adhesive: Y / N
The adhesive used may irritate the skin are you aware of this: Y / N
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Descriptive Statistics
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
Calm
20
54.69
92.68
76.4620
9.88745
Dissonant
20
63.27
92.32
78.9930
8.62368
Resting
20
61.81
93.66
77.1970
9.72852
Valid N (listwise)
20
Tests of Within-Subjects Effects
Measure: MEASURE_1
Source
Type III Sum of Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Sig.
Music_type
Sphericity Assumed
64.060
64.060
9.604
.006
Greenhouse-Geisser
64.060
.000
64.060
9.604
.006
Huynh-Feldt
64.060
.000
64.060
9.604
.006
Lower-bound
64.060
.000
64.060
9.604
.006
Music_type * Gender
Sphericity Assumed
.218
.218
.183
.674
Greenhouse-Geisser
.218
.000
.218
.183
.674
Huynh-Feldt
.218
.000
.218
.183
.674
Lower-bound
.218
.000
.218
.183
.674
Error(Music_type)
Sphericity Assumed
20.060
8
6.670
Greenhouse-Geisser
20.060
8.000
6.670
Huynh-Feldt
20.060
8.000
6.670
Lower-bound
20.060
8.000
6.670
