The influence of hard rock on the human psyche. The influence of music on human health

If we skip the long-winded introductions about the positive influence of classical music and the details of various studies, we get the following. In psychology there is such a term as “AUDITORY PATHWAY”. This is the path from the beginning of the sound to the result, which is achieved by irritating one or more nerve centers of the brain. Every word, piece of music or just sound has its own auditory pathways. Accordingly, sounds that differ in frequency, rhythm, timbre, and vibration have different effects on a person, because this is directly related to the rhythms of the brain.

Receiving audio information through the organs of hearing, the brain analyzes it by comparing it with its own rhythms. Each person has rhythms at their own frequency. This is why tastes in music are so different. Let's go through the genres.

Rock music.

In many classical works we find information about the harmful effects of rock and similar music on the body. Not surprisingly, in the not-so-distant 80s and earlier, rockers were equated almost to Satanists. In the minds of the “ancestors” the image of terrible, prone to violence, practically asocial personalities was strengthened (which we see in our Nikita), therefore in those years it was common for cultured and educated people to write only “correct” articles.

However, later a curious fact about rock music was discovered - scientists have proven that rockers have the highest IQ of all music lovers.

Modern rock music uses frequencies that affect the brain like narcotic substances, as they combine from ultra-low frequencies of 15-30 hertz to ultra-high frequencies of up to 80,000 hertz. It's quite exciting nervous system person.

The strength of sound also plays a role here. Our ear the best way perceives sound at 55-60 decibels. A sound of 70 decibels is considered loud. The sound volume at the site, where walls with powerful speakers used during rock concerts are installed, reaches 120 dB, and in the middle of the site up to 140-160 dB. (120 dB corresponds to the volume of the roar of a take-off jet plane in close proximity, and the average values ​​for a player with headphones are 80-110 dB). In this situation, the adrenal glands also secrete a stress hormone - adrenaline. You can imagine the effect on the body. But why it is generally accepted that this is bad, I don’t know. Personally, I am for adrenaline and all sorts of psycho-glitches - we already deal with them every day, so why divide them into “good” and “bad”? This is stupid!

Electronic music, trance

Here, of course, the main role belongs to rhythm. Rhythm is generally one of the most powerful ways of influencing the human body. Simple but powerful rhythms force a person to respond (movements to the rhythm), from ecstasy to hallucinations, from hysteria to loss of consciousness.

The influence of pop music on a person

Well, what can you say about her? Pop music often adapts to the heart rate and slows it down rather than vice versa, unless of course it is music for a party. I don’t see much psychotropism in this music, and I don’t see any evidence to the contrary either. Here the effect is more “pleasant” - “not pleasant”. The words resonate or not. Pop music has never been strong point. In general, it is “believed” that popular music has an extremely negative effect on intelligence. No offense to anyone, but I personally have been convinced of this more than once - it’s called “sliding” for a reason...

Jazz music influence

Jazz has virtually no effect on a person’s mental state. He simply relaxes in the “waves” of this musical direction. But relaxation very quickly “evaporates” and dissolves in the melody of the music. You too can dissolve with them. But with one very small condition. Condition: this music is close to you. That’s why he has so few followers, that’s why this is music of taste, but I want to note that it’s excellent, because in this music a person is not looking for sensations, he enjoys the music itself

The influence of classical music on a person

All the best words are, of course, given to this musical formula. There is an opinion that the classical style of music is ideal for individuals and society as a whole. It harmonizes feelings, thoughts, mind, emotions, and drives away all sorrows from you. Whatever you listen to, find something of your own in classical or contemporary instrumentals. How good it is, you will find enough information on the net.

The influence of rap and hip-hop style on the psyche

In turnip, rhythm and words are in the foreground. Those. he can trance in his own way. But at the same time, the leading role here is given to the texts and the key is rather their subtext. I love rap, but its influence is more at the pop level - words decide everything, there is no sound depth here. They make you freeze, and they can turn the essence of the rhythm into fun.

Horror movie soundtracks.

The main purpose of music for these films is to evoke fear, unpleasant emotions and create tension. To achieve this goal, periodic structures and their synchronization must be disrupted in this music. Horror films can create fear and anxiety in many people, the main thing is to have more tension and surprise in the sounds.

Something like this. Let’s not forget that music affects a person’s psyche depending on what kind of person he is. He chooses what is closest to him. Actually, that’s why you can often recognize a person’s characteristics through music. Personally, if I want to learn more about a person, I definitely look at his audio recordings. There is something to pull out from his psychotype.

By the way, another fact has been established that in people, rabbits, cats, guinea pigs In dogs and dogs, under the influence of music, blood pressure may change, the heart rate may increase, and the rhythm and depth of respiratory movements may decrease until breathing stops completely. Among other dogs, for some reason these changes are stronger in dogs from the Pinscher breed group than in other dogs. I don't know why, but it's interesting.

It is scientifically substantiated that not every direction in music has a beneficial effect on the human body. As an example negative impact Modern rock music is often used to influence the psyche. This popular style has its own special distinctive features, namely a rigid rhythm, monotonous repetitions, volume, superfrequencies, lighting effect. They just don’t have the best effect on our body.

Rhythm is generally the most powerful means of influencing a person. Also in ancient times shamans could, with the help of certain musical rhythms that they beat on their instruments, put a person into a trance or achieve a state of ecstasy in him.

Why is this happening?

This is due to the functions of our hearing aid. Rhythm captures the motor center of the brain and stimulates certain functions of the endocrine system. But the most powerful blow falls on the areas of the brain associated with human sexual functions. Drumming, for example, was used to drive oneself into a frenzy. Rhythm can influence the ability to analyze, reason, and logic. You can even achieve that they will be completely neutralized.

In modern rock music, frequencies are used that in a special way affect the brain. The rhythm acquires narcotic properties, as it is combined with ultra-low frequencies of 15-30 hertz and ultra-high frequencies up to 80,000 hertz.
A rhythm that is a multiple of one and a half beats per second, accompanied by ultra-low frequencies, can cause ecstasy. The rhythm, equal to two beats per second at the same frequency, puts a person into a kind of dance trance. Too much of both high and low frequencies injures the brain. There have been cases when concussions, sound burns, hearing loss and even memory loss occurred at rock concerts.

Rock music, despite all its strength and power, belongs to the category of monotonous, motor-like sounds, perceiving which listeners can fall into a passive state. And the more often it is listened to, the greater this ability to switch off faster and achieve a state of passivity.

Next up is the volume factor. Our ear best perceives sound at 55-60 decibels. A sound of 70 decibels is considered loud. And on the site where the equipment and speakers are installed during rock concerts, the volume is 120 decibels, and in the middle of the site 160 decibels (it must be said that 120 dB is the volume of the roar of a jet plane taking off!). What happens to the body? The adrenal glands secrete the stress hormone adrenaline. But since the impact of the stimulus does not stop, the production of adrenaline does not stop either. And it, adrenaline, erases some of the information imprinted in the brain. A person forgets what happened to him or what he has ever studied, that is, he degrades mentally.

Such an indispensable attribute of rock concerts as the lighting effect is far from harmless - those rays that from time to time pierce the darkness in different directions and have different configurations. For everyone, this is just a decoration for the concert. What is it really? A certain alternation of light and darkness accompanied by loud music significantly weakens visual orientation and the speed of reaction decreases. Flashes of light, which come one after another in accordance with the rhythm of the music, stimulate mechanisms associated with hallucinations, dizziness, and nausea.

For a long time, doctors, psychologists, and scientists have been telling us that the rhythm of rock music, the frequency of sound, the alternation of light and darkness - all this destroys human, perverts it. However, today there are few people who have not been influenced by the elements of rock music.

Rock music imposes its own patterns of worldview, indicates how to dress, how to think... People weakly live according to these patterns from morning to evening... This music affects the motor center, emotional, intellectual, and sexual spheres of a person’s life.

As a result of research, it has been established that as a result of prolonged exposure to rock music, the following conditions are possible:

  • aggressiveness;
  • rage;
  • anger;
  • depression;
  • fear;
  • suicidal tendencies;
  • unnatural, forced sex;
  • involuntary muscle movement;
  • lack of concentration and ability to make clear decisions;
  • desire for the constant sound of rock music;
  • social alienation.

Of course, no one says that if a person passionately loves rock, then he possesses the whole set of these qualities. No, he is simply most predisposed to them, and when appropriate combinations of other factors appear, he will certainly be subject to their destructive influence.

Music - great power humanity. It contains not only talent and cultural heritage, but also the source of human emotions. Each genre of music has its own impact on human health and psyche.

Music has surrounded man since ancient times. The sounds that primitive people heard around them were given sacred meaning, and over time they learned to extract melodies from the first musical instruments.

The first percussion musical instruments appeared in the Paleolithic era - they were used for ritual purposes, and the first wind musical instrument, the flute, appeared about 40,000 years ago.

Thus, since ancient times, music has become an integral part of human life. The main use of music in ancient times was to accompany ritual.

The sacred meaning of music is traced in the direction of folk, to which the term “prehistoric” is applied. The music of the aborigines of African, American and other indigenous peoples is prehistoric.

Each holiday and ritual was accompanied by certain combinations of sounds and melody. The sounds of musical instruments signaled the start of the battle.

The purpose of performing musical compositions was to raise morale, appeal to the gods, and notify about the start of action or danger.

The prehistoric period of music ends with the advent of a written musical tradition. The first musical works were written down in cuneiform in Mesopotamia. With the variety of musical instruments, the works became more complex.

Scientists have proven that music absolutely accurately reflects the state of development of culture and worldview at every stage of the evolution of society. Already the ancient Greeks described the technique of polyphony.

Medieval music was varied. Church and secular works were distinguished. The first type reflected the spirituality of the people, and the second - the aesthetic ideals of that time.

The genre diversity of modern music allows you to choose a composition according to your spirit. But why do we like certain works? A person perceives music through the prism of several factors: nationality, emotional condition, individual characteristics.

Each genre has a different impact on the mental and physical state person. The most ancient studies claimed that music affects the intellect, the human body and his spiritual essence.

Modern research has studied this influence:

  • exposure to the sounds of certain musical instruments;
  • influence of traditional melodies;
  • modern trends and psychological condition person;
  • exposure to the works of certain composers;
  • musical genre and its influence.

Impact on the psyche and mood

Mood is a constant, continuous emotional state of a person. Our actions and actions depend on it. A specific thing or action cannot affect mood globally - the shaping factor of mood is the life situation as a whole.

Modern psychology identifies the following factors for mood changes:

  1. Events. They can depend on a person or be formed independently of him.
  2. Words, spoken to a person and spoken by him himself.
  3. Sphere inner world person: what a person thinks, experiences, how he relates to certain actions other people and events in the world.
  4. Actions. What a person is willing to spend his efforts on.
  5. Bad mood leads to the fact that a person perceives events in life in gloomy tones, through negativism. In a state of low emotional tone, many turn to their favorite music.

It is worth noting that the influence of each genre is individual and largely depends on personal perception. Psychological impact provide:

  • rhythm of music;
  • variety of tones;
  • volume;
  • frequencies;
  • additional effects.

Classic

Classical music influences a person, giving vitality, durability. Reduces anxiety, likelihood of depression, irritability. Promotes knowledge acquisition.

Studies have shown that the works of certain composers evoke certain reactions in the majority of subjects:

  1. Bach and his “Italian Concerto” reduces negative feelings of anger and resentment.
  2. Tchaikovsky and Beethoven wrote masterpieces that promote healthy sleep and reduce irritability.
  3. Mozart and his works help fight irritability and headaches.

Rock, metal

Heavy music enhances emotions – both negative and positive. Rock charges with energy, but disrupts internal balance and distorts rhythms.

Research into the influence of rock on the human psyche has shown that the rhythm and monotony of most works have negative consequences. This is especially evident in the age group of 11-15 years.

Pop

Scientists have proven that pop music negatively affects attentiveness and memory due to the monotony of the rhythm.

Rap, hip-hop

Rap, according to research, causes feelings of aggression. The monotony of rap can cause irritation, anger, low mood and general emotional tone.

Jazz, blues, reggae

Blues has a beneficial effect on emotions, calms, and reduces irritability. Jazz - violates inner harmony. Jazz is considered a music that has more Negative influence. Reggae is considered music Have a good mood, increases emotional tone, does not cause aggression and bitterness.

Club, electronic

Modern club and electronic music reduces learning ability and negatively affects intelligence. In some cases, it increases irritability and tension.

Music in the “soul” genre reminds us of feelings and often makes us sad. Folk music, folk - increases the overall emotional tone, lifts the mood.

Music and health

The healing power of music was known to Pythagoras - the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician made the first attempt to study its effect on humans. Certain combinations of sounds can change the general condition of a person - the first scientific evidence This was provided by scientists in the 19th century.

The use of music as a medicine was first proposed by the psychiatrist Esquirol. Since then, “music therapy” has been actively used for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients.

In the twentieth century, doctors explored the ability of music to relieve pain, heal ulcers and tuberculosis. The most popular has become the use of melodies as anesthesia.

The second half of the twentieth century gave science research into the effects of music on the cardiovascular system, blood circulation, respiration, and hormonal regulation. The centers of modern music therapy are the USA, Germany, and Switzerland.

Melodies produced by different musical instruments differ in their impact on the human condition:

  1. Piano: effects on the thyroid gland, kidneys, bladder, psyche. The sounds of this keyboard instrument have a healing, cleansing effect.
  2. Drums(drums, tambourine, cymbals, castanets, timpani, bells): normalization of the heart, liver, and circulatory system.
  3. Brass(trumpet, clarinet, flute, bassoon, oboe): beneficial influence on the circulatory system, respiratory system.
  4. Strings(harp, violin, guitar): positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. They have an impact on the emotional sphere.

The beneficial effects of classical music on the human brain have been confirmed by many researchers. Classic improves memory, perception of information, helps with rheumatism.

According to the observations of surgeons, thanks to classical music the body works more harmoniously.

The connection between classical music and treatment has been established diabetes mellitus. Classic works contribute to the formation bone skeleton child.

Different music can have different effects depending on a person’s mood, emotional tone, and state of health.

  • The first music therapy course appeared in the UK. It was tested in the 60s of the twentieth century. The Music Therapy Center was opened.
  • Music helps relax muscles and treat obesity.
  • Studies have shown that listening to music during sports training increases performance by 20%.
  • The rhythm of music can be dangerous: it can cause abdominal pain and headaches.
  • The power of music has long been used in the trading sphere. Certain melodies can relax the buyer or increase his energy. This technology can be seen in supermarkets: during rush hour an energetic melody is played, at other times the music is calmer.
  • The resonance from bell ringing kills typhoid bacilli, the causative agents of infectious diseases.

Music can influence the mental and physiological state of a person. The power of a melody is in its tonality, rhythm, and volume. Any piece of music that you choose to listen to will affect your mood, emotional tone, and health.

Video: The influence of music on IQ

Video: Musical preferences will tell you about your character. Rock

Numerous studies leave no doubt that music can influence the human psyche. Some compositions inspire us, others cause euphoria, others, on the contrary, depress us... Let's look at the influence of various musical genres and styles on us. Here are the results of scientific experiments.

"Mozart effect"

It is believed that classical music is most beneficial for the brain. During the research, volunteers were given the music of Mozart to listen to and their brain activity was scanned using equipment. It turned out that Mozart's works activated all areas of the brain, including vision and motor coordination. Otolaryngologist Tomatis Alfred explains this phenomenon by saying that Mozart sounds at a high frequency of five to eight thousand hertz, which stimulates brain activity.

However, Yao Dezhong, a professor at the Institute of Life Science and Technology at the University of Radio Electronics and Technology of China from Chengdu, and his colleagues did not obtain such clear results regarding the “Mozart effect.”

They divided 60 experimental students into three groups, one of which listened to Mozart's compositions in the usual performance, and the other in a “mirror” image, that is, from end to beginning. The third group was the control group. Subsequently, all participants were asked to complete three tasks - find a way out of the maze, cut out crafts from paper, and also make three-dimensional figures from it.

The first group actually coped with the tasks better than the control group, but the one that listened to Mozart “on the contrary” showed worse results.

It's all about rhythm, scientists believe. “Under the influence of Mozart’s music, the number of neurons in the brain increases, and when listening back to the sonata, there are fewer of them, and the awareness of behavior decreases,” comments one of the authors of the study, Professor Xia Yang.

Pop music

Psychologists believe that “pop music” has a positive effect on people who lack romance in their lives, who are looking for their soulmate, or who are unhappy in love. Popular songs give them the right mood, making it easier to build relationships or break up with former lovers.

But this applies to ordinary people. But if you are engaged in science or creativity, then it is better not to listen to such music, experts say. It will only load your brain, which will further lead to degradation.

Hard Rock

Hard rock songs usually sound at low frequencies. British researchers have come to the conclusion that if you constantly listen to bass guitar compositions and repetitive rhythms, it destroys the human psyche. This is why rock fans, among whom there are many teenagers and young people, so often commit crimes and suicides, start taking drugs, become depressed, have problems communicating... It’s not for nothing that rock is sometimes even called “suicide music”...

Jazz

In principle, jazz compositions cannot have any negative impact. Jazz simply relaxes, helps you forget about pressing problems for a while... Therefore, listening to jazz is useful when you need relaxation or you need to calm down.

Rap

Testing has shown that rap fans have, on average, a lower IQ than those who prefer other musical styles. This is explained by the fact that while listening to rap songs, brain activity decreases. And the lyrics evoke negative emotions in many listeners. Although there are individuals whom rap, on the contrary, motivates and inspires... It all depends on the specific individual.

Music of sex

Canadian musician and composer Rory Weiner, who lives in Tokyo, conducted an experiment on transforming… movements during sex into music.

“In this experiment, I turned sexual movements into sound,” Weiner writes in his blog, “to do this, I installed piezoelectric sensors on my body and the body of my partner. Each sensor sent a signal,

transformed into a specific note and sound. We heard these sounds, so the music and the movements influenced each other."

The recorded composition became part of Weiner's new project called Sex, Sensors and Sound(“Sex, sensory and sound”).

Musicality of extroverts

Not long ago in TheJournalofResearchinPersonality was published Research Article, which showed that musical ability is associated with traits such as openness and sociability.

More than seven thousand volunteers participated in the study. The experimenters tested their musical abilities, in particular the ability to reproduce listened melodies and a sense of rhythm. All participants also passed psychological test The Big Five, which includes such basic personality traits as extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism.

It turned out that the more open and sociable a person was, the greater success he made in the field of singing and playing the instrument. musical instruments. This was probably because extroverts are not afraid to express themselves.

Hard rock is music for gloomy teenagers who are aggressive and not very educated. Classical music is preferred by calm and sophisticated people, while pop and R"n"B are listened to by partygoers and fun-loving people.

Do you think this is true? Scientists have been studying the influence of musical preferences on intelligence for many years. The results of their research surprise many. In fact, pop music fans are hardworking, and rockers have the highest IQ.

In the not so distant eighties, rockers in our country were equated almost to Satanists. Gloomy guys and girls in leather jackets with studs struck fear into the surrounding grandmothers and young mothers.

Because of the attributes and inherent rebellious spirit of rockers, a stereotype has become stronger in the minds of ordinary people: fans of this music are dangerous, almost asocial individuals. Cultured and educated people were required to listen to classical music, or at least blues or jazz.

Dance music fans were treated a little more leniently, but they were considered slackers who only wanted to have fun. Another common belief was that cheerful music lifts your spirits, while sad and gloomy melodies, on the contrary, make you depressed.

At some point, scientists became interested in the question. They decided to check whether there really was a connection between music and the mood, character and even level of intelligence of its listeners. The results of their research were a big surprise.

Firstly, not all people in bad mood It is recommended to listen to invigorating pop music or major-key classical works. The dissonance between the performer's mood and his own can drive a person into even greater depression.

But hysterical songs give a feeling of empathy. So if your friend is out of sorts and listening to sad ballads, don't blame him for wanting to open up his wound. Perhaps it's his personal way therapy.

Earlier, scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, led by Professor Adrian North, head of the department of applied psychology, also decided to test the connection between musical preferences and the intelligence and character of listeners.

During the study, scientists interviewed 36 thousand people from different countries peace. To determine the level of intelligence of volunteers, scientists used classic tests on IQ, as well as a list of questions on the general education curriculum.

Perhaps the scientists set out to prove to teenagers that listening to heavy music and rap is unsafe for their brains. But the results surprised the researchers themselves.

“One of the things that surprised us the most is that fans of classical music and hard rock are very similar,” admitted Adrian North. To the delight of teenagers and to the chagrin of parents, the highest intelligence was demonstrated by fans of classical music... and rock!

“There is a stereotype in society of a fan of hard rock as a person who is deeply depressed with suicidal tendencies; it is generally accepted that rockers are dangerous elements of society. In fact, they are harmless, and even useful for society as a whole. These are very subtle natures.” , the scientist emphasizes.

However, as life shows, in adulthood many rockers turn to classical works, without giving up their favorite metal. Not surprisingly, the characteristics of fans of both genres were similar. “Both are creative, laid-back individuals, but not very sociable,” says North.

Fans of rap, hip-hop and r"n"b were recognized as the most narrow-minded - they showed the lowest results in IQ tests. But they, like reggae fans, demonstrate an enviable high self-esteem and communication skills. Fans of jazz and blues do not suffer from self-criticism - their self-esteem is also high.