Application and Suggested Research
Americans spend more money on music than on sex or prescription drugs (Levitin, 2006). If positive psychology is looking for a “watering hole” for intervention, this would be a great place to utilize. From the radio, to music festivals, and online music sharing platforms like Spotify and Pandora, a change in how we measure the impact of music and lyricswoow could 19 potentially change the type of music we consume and the role that the music industry plays in well-being. There are so many questions that need answers if we are to discover the true nature of lyrics and music. Do we hear to the lyrics even if we don’t listen to them? Does the message get received even if we don’t pay attention? The advertising industry has used subliminal messaging techniques based on the fact that our surroundings influence decision, mood, and well-being, without our awareness (Moore, 1982). (2006) discusses fMRI machines that can detect if the language center of the brain is being activated or the music center of the brain. The brain is such a complicated instrument that it is hard to know if these centers are accurate or how each center relates with the other. Perhaps the language center isn’t being activated when listening to a song but the words are received through the music center of the brain just the same. Or perhaps the words are only received if the language center is activated and is more dominantly involved than the music center of the brain. These are the kind of studies that are missing from the literature. Another area where this research might be applied is facilitated songwriting, when a participant works with a trained musician to write a song that helps the participant express and communicate. Songwriting has been studied for therapeutic effects by music therapists (Edgerton, 1990; Gallagher & Steele, 2002; O’Callaghan, 1996). The populations studied are mostly people in need of some form of music therapy, though I think it would be beneficial for a healthy population as well. Suggesting songwriters can help others write a song could boost not only meaning and positive emotion, but also positive relationships, engagement, and achievement.
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