Fluido Con Affetto: The Role of Flow and Emotion in Music Performance
Julie M. Licata, Michael Faber · Clio s Psyche · 2022
In perhaps no aspect of human culture do people resonate emotionally more than with music. It far predates the written word (and, arguably, perhaps even language itself) and serves numerous functions in people’s daily lives. Biologically, music regularly heightens physiological arousal, exciting listeners to the point where skin conductance is measurably increased and areas of the brain associated with reward become considerably more active. Socially, music is a “zero-acquaintance tool,” serving as the most common topic of discussion among strangers getting acquainted. As such, it is an immediately accessible source of shared cultural knowledge, making it a ripe currency for spirited conversation and bonding. Psychologically, music fulfills basic needs for personal identity development, self-affirmation, performance achievement, emotional coping and mood regulation, and general aesthetic appreciation. It has even been suggested to increase both self-efficacy and control beliefs. Music is also intimately connected to autobiographical memory; specific lyrics, melodies, harmonies, or rhythms may facilitate satisfying reminiscences to individuals as “mediated memories.” Finally, music’s capacity for narrative storytelling and communication of cultural values are ideal for promoting empathy and meaning-making among listeners. Such research findings simply confirm what millions of people worldwide implicitly seem to know already: As an emotional barometer, a social lubricant, a tool for self-knowledge, and a cultural unifier, music is without peer among the communicative arts.