Music: A Universally Recognizable Language
A recent American study has shed light on the universality of certain types of music. Music, often considered a language that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries, varies in its recognizability across different genres.
The study involved over 5,000 participants from 49 countries, including both industrialized nations and isolated communities. The volunteers were asked to listen to 14-second audio clips featuring songs from diverse cultures. They were then tasked with categorizing the excerpts as dance songs, lullabies, healing music, or love songs. Interestingly, the study was conducted in approximately 30 languages, making it unique in the field of experimental psychology.
The findings revealed that dance songs, lullabies, and healing songs were easy for participants from all cultures to identify. However, the recognition of love songs proved to be more challenging. Only 12 out of the 28 groups successfully classified the love songs correctly, while all groups correctly identified the lullabies.
So why were love songs more difficult to recognize despite their presence in every language? Lidya Yurdum, one of the study’s authors, suggests that the ambiguity of love songs could be a contributing factor. Love songs often encapsulate a range of emotions, including happiness, attraction, sadness, and jealousy. Consequently, individuals familiar with the genre found it easier to identify love songs. Additionally, participants who had previously listened to love songs in a language or country different from their own demonstrated better recognition. However, this phenomenon was exclusive to love songs and did not extend to other genres.
According to Samuel Mehr, co-author of the study, this research highlights that although music has the ability to transcend sociocultural barriers and foster connection, it is not entirely universal. Music’s essence is rooted in human social interaction.
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