I love it when a new music study comes out, that shows what I already believe has a measurable significance. It confirms just how much an impact music can have, it spreads awareness to others, and in cases like this new study it shows me how to get even more out of enjoying music.
A new study from Australia shows a connection between subjective well-being and how we engage with music. We use music to manage our mood, reduce stress, and process emotions.
This recent study connected the way that people listen to music with a subjective well-being score. They concluded that those who engaged with music in concerts or dancing scored themselves significantly higher in well-being than those who listened to music alone, passively.
As CNN reported, “Listening to music alone doesn’t seem to have the same happiness correlation, yet that is how most people experience music on a daily basis.”
So there you have it, people actively engaging with music in social settings tend to be happier than people who passively listen to music alone. The authors of the study don’t suggest a cause and effect relationship, but we know that we feel better after a good concert!
~Jage