A new study provides compelling evidence that music preferences can provide insight into a person’s moral values. It has discovered a significant link between music and morality, paving the way for a more in-depth understanding of the psychological dimensions of our musical experiences.
A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE has discovered a remarkable link between people’s musical preferences and their moral values, shedding new light on the profound influence music can have on our moral compass.
A team of scientists from Queen Mary University of London and the ISI Foundation in Turin, Italy, conducted the study, which used machine learning techniques to analyze the lyrics and audio features of people’s favorite songs, revealing a complex interplay between music and morality.
Our findings reveal that music is not merely a source of entertainment or aesthetic pleasure; it is also a powerful medium that reflects and shapes our moral sensibilities. By understanding this connection, we can open up new avenues for music-based interventions that promote positive moral development.
Vjosa Preniqi
“Our study provides compelling evidence that music preferences can serve as a window into an individual’s moral values,” said Dr Charalampos Saitis, a lecturer in digital music processing at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science.
The study used an existing dataset of over 1,400 participants who answered psychometric questionnaires about their moral values and provided information about their favorite artists via Facebook Page Likes. The researchers then extracted acoustic and lyrical features from each participant’s top five songs by their favorite artists.
The team used ML algorithms to analyze the extracted features in order to predict the moral values of the participants. To analyze narrative, moral values, sentiment, and emotions in lyrics, various text processing techniques were used, including lexicon-based methods and BERT-based embeddings. Furthermore, low- and high-level audio features provided by Spotify’s API were used to decode encoded information in participants’ musical choices, improving moral inferences.
The results demonstrated that a combination of lyrical and audio features outperformed basic demographic information in predicting individuals’ moral compasses. Specifically, musical elements like pitch and timbre emerged as crucial predictors for values of Care and Fairness, while sentiments and emotions expressed in lyrics were more effective in predicting traits of Loyalty, Authority, and Purity.
“Our findings reveal that music is not merely a source of entertainment or aesthetic pleasure; it is also a powerful medium that reflects and shapes our moral sensibilities,” remarked Vjosa Preniqi, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student in Queen Mary’s Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-informed Audience-centric Media Engineering. “By understanding this connection, we can open up new avenues for music-based interventions that promote positive moral development.”
The study’s implications go beyond academic curiosity, with the potential to influence how we engage with and use music in various aspects of life. “Our breakthrough can pave the way for applications ranging from personalized music experiences to innovative music therapy and communication campaigns,” said Dr. Kyriaki Kalimeri, senior co-author of the study and researcher at the ISI Foundation.
“Our research has uncovered an important link between music and morality, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the psychological dimensions of our musical experiences,” Vjosa Preniqi said in a statement. “We are excited to continue exploring this rich and uncharted territory.”
