The Effects of Music Genre on Physiological Measures of Stress from Arithmetic Testing

Abstract

Stress is a common and unavoidable phenomenon in humans due to the numerous pressures and obligations that are experienced on a regular basis. Although stress is a necessary physiological mechanism, excess stress can lead to adverse outcomes, thereby decreasing an individual’s overall quality of life. Countless methods are utilized by people all over the world in attempt to overcome elevated levels of stress. Among these methods is listening to music. This study looked at the effectiveness of high versus low arousal music, in the forms of heavy metal and classical, on the physiological measures of stress. The significance of this study is to devise methods of alleviating high stress levels caused by academia in college students, with the potential to be applied to other populations as well. It was hypothesized that following a stressinducing task, low arousal music would lower stress levels below or near baseline, high arousal music would keep stress levels raised above baseline, and the absence of music would allow for a slower regression back to baseline as compared to low arousal music. Stress levels were measured using heart rate, blood pressure, and electrodermal activity, and it was found that neither classical nor heavy metal music significantly affect stress levels. However, due to the large number of limitations associated with this study, the results are inconclusive.