Music & Aggression
by Katie Dougherty
The Facts
- violent songs lead to feelings of hostility without provocation or threat
- "Aggressive thoughts can influence perceptions of ongoing social interactions, coloring them with an aggressive tint. Such aggression-biased interpretations can, in turn, instigate a more aggressive response -verbal or physical- than would have been emitted in a nonbiased state, thus provoking an aggressive escalatory spiral of antisocial exchanges." - Dr. Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D. of Iowa State University
- music impacts our mood; relaxing music will make us feel relaxed, sad music will make us feel sad, angry music will make us feel angry
- other things, like chanting at a football game, is known to lead to aggressive behavior (throwing things, verbally bashing the opposing team)
-rumors that listening to angry music can be cathartic in venting aggression were proven untrue
- there can be long term effects as well as short term effects- can lead to a more aggressive and confrontational personality
- "content matters;" the lyrics are what is most important