Reasons for Listening to Music: Self-Report of 13- to 15-Year-Olds

• In Event: 31.072 - Middle-Level Culture and Community

Abstract

With the advent of portable music, research is being done to examine how people use music in their daily lives. Because most studies on this topic have been completed using college aged students, information on 13 – 15 year olds was less prevalent. The results of this study confirmed that self-regulation of an individual’s mood was the most often cited reason for music listening. The current consensus is that listening to pleasant music or music the individual desires at the moment helps moderate mood and arouses the mind. This study added a younger population to the literature for passive music listening. Future studies could examine if self-mood regulation will improve student achievement.

Author

• Lois Ruchlewicz, Baltimore County Public Schools